Owning your own business is one of the great opportunities that this country has to offer. What could be better than being your own boss, working when you want, and making as much money as your talents and desires allow? Is there anything more American than that?
All you have to do is find out what you do best, channel your passion, find your target market, and sell your service or product.
Sounds simple and easy right?
Wait a second – sell? No one signs up for the selling part.
Truth be told, for most business owners being their own salesperson is their least favorite part of the job. Even companies large enough to staff a sales team have challenges driving in business.
If you happen to be one of those business owners that love what you do, but are not big on selling, just hang in there. Here are a few of sometimes overlooked, but tried and true techniques to add into your own sales and marketing playbook that will have you selling like a pro in no time at all!
As an added bonus, I will also share a “Quick Action Tip” that you can integrate immediately.
The idea is to get you going and feeling confident with these three sales tools that you can start using right now!
#1. Have a Referral System
Having a referral system is one of the best methods you can use to drive in more sales. Turning your customers, and potentially even your competition, into willing sales representatives can be a powerful life saver for even the most sales-savvy business owners.
Companies that have the most effective referral systems work hard at making themselves “referable.” They are also constantly finding new ways to add value, exceed client expectations, and refine their referral process.
There are endless possibilities and they are limited only by your imagination. I If you really want to kick things up a notch, include a special incentive to sweeten the deal. Whatever system you decide put in place, remember to keep it easy, affordable, and exciting!
Quick Action Tip: Staying “Top of Mind” is an important part of any referral system. You can reinforce your customer’s experience by visiting with them after the sale. Remind them of the great impact you have had on their life or business. Additionally, inform them that they may very well know other people who can benefit from your services or products. If they are not ready to refer you, ask for a testimonial to use on your website to build your credibility.
#2 The Upsell
Think… “Do you want fries with that?” The fast food chain McDonald’s made that upselling line famous. They knew that the best time to sell more was when their customers already had their wallets out. Upselling is selling additional products or services to your existing clients. Upselling allows your customersto get a higher level of service from you for an additional investment.
The best part of the upsell is that it requires only marginal effort since it is done right after the customer already has decided to buy from you. You have already established a good rapport with them, pointed out their needs, shown them all of the benefits, and even handled their objections. The best way to ask for an upsell is to present the offer in a “by the way” manner.
No one knows your clients better than you so you should think through an upsell offer that deepens their experience and watch how those extra sales drop to your bottom line.
Action Tip: Have a website? Why not add a “splash page” to your check out area. It is a great way to grab the buyers’ attention and inform them of the details of your upsell service or product. Your customers and your bottom line will love it!
#3 Special Offers
The first big point is that there needs to be a “wow” factor in creating your special offer. Keep in mind, special offers are a “one-time only” type of event that makes customers feel as if they are really going to miss out if they do not grab it right away… A no-brainer!
Another key is that your special offer must be rare or in limited supply. Unfortunately, many business owners put out too many special offers. Having too many in a short span of time can train your prospects not to buy because they know if they miss out, another offer will be coming soon.
Special offers can be a really fun way to build excitement and to encourage your target market to buy now. So go out there and tactfully add several irresistible ones to your marketing campaign calendars.
Action Tip: Why not use a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) Tool to help you automate your special offers? Email marketing systems such as Mail Chimp, AWeber, and Infusionsoft! are perfect platforms for helping you get the right information into your customers’ hands..
Do you feel like a selling pro yet? Are you more confident about tackling the selling part of your business? If so, then start using all of these tools today to drive sales!
Want to chat more about it? Call Bill at 516-544-8118 or email Bill@MarketingSuccessMachine.com
Just mention this Cerini & Associates article and I will offer a complimentary, confidential consultation.