| Why is selling so difficult for small business | | | | is saying. You also need to be sincere - how |
| owners? The ability to sell is necessary for every | | | | many times have you heard pre-rehearsed closes |
| business yet it is often a neglected activity. To | | | | that just turn you off? You can practice your |
| simplify the selling process, you need to build a | | | | close but when you are in front of a potential |
| sales approach into your marketing mix program. | | | | customer make sure that you can close based on |
| (Your marketing mix includes product, price, | | | | what your customer just told you, what you |
| promotion and place - the sales activities belong in | | | | heard, and what you believe you can deliver - in |
| the promotion category.) | | | | effect, how will you fulfill your customer's needs |
| First, it is important to understand the marketing | | | | more effectively than other suppliers? |
| mix promotion category. Marketing promotion | | | | To be successful in business, you need to either |
| includes personal selling (face to face), direct mail | | | | be successful at selling or be able to hire a great |
| marketing (one-to-one and via email or mail), and | | | | sales person because no matter what you have |
| use of telemarketing campaigns (one-to-one and | | | | to sell (product, service, idea or something else), |
| via telephone). Additionally, marketing promotion | | | | you will have to sell it to someone. Learning how |
| includes the advertising (for example, radio, | | | | to sell effectively is possible but you need to |
| newspapers, internet, magazines, storefront, and | | | | enjoy it. If you dread the idea of selling, don't do |
| more), promotions (for example, trade shows, | | | | it (your customers can perceive your discomfort |
| coupons, contests, point of purchase displays and | | | | and you will find it even harder to make the sale). |
| more), and public relations (for example, press | | | | Hire someone who loves to sell to do it for you |
| releases, community involvement, and more) | | | | (you can hire an employee, or sales agent, or |
| activities. | | | | contract worker, or broker but it is likely that |
| Second, it is important to build a sales plan | | | | employees will be most committed to you and |
| targeted to each product or service category, | | | | your business). Customers and potential |
| and also focused on each type of customer. If | | | | customers will resist buying from someone who |
| you are entering new markets, use sales contact | | | | isn't comfortable with the sales process, and while |
| management and sales leads software to focus | | | | you might get some orders, hiring someone who |
| your efforts. This software will also provide good | | | | is good at selling will free you up to do what |
| sales service maintenance and follow-up support. | | | | you're good at... a much more effective use of |
| Business process management tools help you to | | | | your time and resources. |
| focus your sales activities and provide you with | | | | Overcome the challenge of developing small |
| valuable time saving tactics. You can track and | | | | business sales skills: |
| manage your activity and results for leads, | | | | - learn to focus on developing a marketing mix |
| prospects, and customers. You can also integrate | | | | promotion that includes building service or product |
| your sales leads software with your sales | | | | differentiation and positioning features and |
| management software to develop reports on | | | | benefits that help you to increase sales |
| customer purchases, service or product launches, | | | | successfully; |
| price change impacts, service or product change | | | | - learn to build an effective sales plan and use |
| impacts, and more. | | | | software and business process tools to help you |
| Third, develop strong negotiating and closing skills. | | | | manage the plan; |
| Always look for a win/win solution both for you | | | | - make sure you develop strong negotiating and |
| and your customer. Make sure you focus on the | | | | closing skills and |
| unique value and benefits of your products and/or | | | | - learn how to manage your own efforts, or the |
| services and how that value will benefit your | | | | efforts of others. |
| customer (solving their needs or problems). To | | | | Learning how to sell effectively is of critical |
| negotiate a sale and to close a sale effectively | | | | importance to your small business sales growth; |
| requires a specific skill set. You need to be a very | | | | and just as important is recognizing when to hire |
| good listener and really hear what your customer | | | | someone to do the selling for you. |