As a Small Business Trainer and Facilitator I meet a lot of Home Based Business Entrepreneurs. At least 60% of them have little or no business experience and most of them have no formal business training. Life Coaches, Fashion Designers, Web Developers, Electricians, Direct Salespeople, and Hair Dressers alike may know their industry, but few have the knowledge required to launch an enterprise that could be termed viable within the first 6 to 12 months. In fact, few hit the ground running.
I find that many people feel that it’s all about marketing and promotion of your product or service. No, it’s not! It’s all about Sales. That’s where the money’s at. Marketing and Promotion are a means to an end.
It takes time to be an overnight business success. Finding customers, making valuable business contacts, building credibility, attracting referrals, sourcing Joint Venture partners… all this takes time. People like to get to know you before they buy. They also need to feel comfortable with the quality of service you offer before they are prepared to refer their friends and family to you.
So, what can you do to speed up the process? I have prepared these 10 Sales Tips to help you get your business humming along.
Number 1: Business success is all about the end result… the Sale.
Number 2: Marketing and promotion are all about directing the client to the Sale. Your marketing strategy must focus on what’s in it for the customer.
Number 3: Spend most of your time asking the customer what features they like and explaining the benefits of your product or service.
Number 4: Get agreement from the customer before you move on to the next benefit. At this point, the customer should be saying things like, “Yes, I think I like the Platinum Web Design package better.”
Number 5: Listen and understand the prospective client. Repeat what they said and ask, “So, you want that outfit in black. Is that right?”
Number 6: Never assume anything. Always get confirmation from your prospective client.
Number 7: Always watch for the Buying Signals such as the customer nodding, agreeing, or asking if this is your best price.
Number 8: Never talk in technical terms unless the customer asks a specific question that demands a technical answer. And then ask, “Does that make sense?” If the customer answers “Yes”, move on. If they answer “No”, ask more questions to clarify.
Number 9: Always be friendly. Your job is to help a prospective client buy from you. Always leave the customer believing that he or she got a great deal. Creating a Win/Win situation should always be The Goal.
Number 10: Make the buying experience so good that the customer wants to come back and is compelled to tell others about how brilliant you are.
Follow these Ten Sales Tips for great results. Who knows? This could ignite your home-based business quicker than you ever expected.