More Sales Please

I’ve been doing some research with The Business Womans Network to find out what business women really want and so far as well as being incredibly interesting reading we are learning that time & stress management and work life balance are still an issue close to many of yours heart but ultimately the thing in business you worry most about is those sales.

For someone that finds the sales process almost an art form to be enjoyed it makes me sad to think that its an obstacle to so many business women’s success. And I think one of the biggest reasons I feel like that is because the fact is sales really is not rocket science.

When you “get sales” you know what I am saying in the above statement, because sales become natural. Sales don’t become a bitter battle, a fight and a stress but a joy and a pleasure. An aspect of your business that you genuinely look forward to because you understand the process and what to not do and how to make it happen and it just all flows beautifully.

Rubbish you say? Sales ARE HARD WORK you say?

Well if sales ARE hard work, start by looking at your sales process?

Do you sell?

A really important thing to remember to achieve great levels of sales (and success) is to stop selling. No one on the planet wants to be sold at. I think I would struggle to find 1 person that enjoys receiving a sales call. Everyone is busy and there are a million reasons why they would rather be doing anything that listen to you sell at them. So stop selling at people. Start learning about people and think about them. Be on other peoples agenda, not yours.

As brilliantly awesome and amazing as your products and services are, the person you are talking to has successfully got to this stage in their life without needing them, so stop selling.

Have I said that enough yet?

When you get noisy and genuinely care about the people in your network you create value and when you create value you create relationships. Your aim is not to sell but to learn and care. This approach works. Remember people buy from people.

And a little reassurance that this really does work. I rarely tell people what I do, but wherever I go someone will tell me “You’re the person that helps motivate aren’t you?” or “You helped so and so increase their sales didn’t you?”  or “You can tell you are working with “A business” because they are suddenly everywhere and doing very well!” I don’t have to dance on table tops telling people what I do. Let your current customers get out there and be your sound pieces on why your products and services are brilliant. You concentrate on giving real value and time to the people you meet and see where that could lead you….

Value Added Marketing – it’s what we will all be talking about, trust me!