Sales Tips
August 11, 2006

Q:  Steve - As a result of a change in our business I am forced to now do a lot more selling than previously, and frankly, sales is not my strong suit.  Any help you can give would be appreciated. -- Jim, Colorado

A: The thing to remember is that, the way I figure it, we are all in sales, in one way or another (though I certainly am no sales guru.) Whether you are the photographer trying to get someone to hire you for the Bat Mitzvah, the chef who wants to cater the event, or the DJ who wants to work it, your ability to move forward with your business depends on getting people to pay you for what you love to do. That, my friends, is called sales.

Here then are some sales tips that should hopefully help:

Sincere enthusiasm works wonders: My brother Larry is one of the best salespeople I know. He enrolls people in a high-end, not inexpensive, trade school. Despite the significant cost of tuition, he consistently has some of the highest enrollment numbers of anyone in his company in the country. I learned why this past weekend.

We went out to dinner and had a terrific waitress. Larry mentioned to her that his school would be a great way for her to build her career. She listened. His sincere enthusiasm for his product (the school) was so apparent, she couldn't help but be impressed. He then gave her his card, got her contact info, and scheduled a tour of the school.

The lesson? Enthusiasm, when not feigned, is infectious.

Be pushy: Also known as "asking for the sale," the point is, you have to know when to push a bit and when not to. Not content to simply tell our waitress about his great school, Larry insisted that she schedule a tour -- at that moment, with him. She did. I would have stopped at the pitch, but then again, as I said, I am not the natural salesman my brother is.

Listen for cues: People interpret information in different ways. Some people are auditory, others primarily visual, and still others are kinesthetic (feelings.) You can usually tell pretty quickly which method someone uses by the words they choose:

These clues can help you tailor your pitch. No sense using a lot of verbiage on a visual learner -- showing them would work much better.

It's not selling, it's helping: The second you try and sell someone something they don't want, you lose. Instead, remember your job is to help them get what they want.

Looking at flat screen TVs recently, I found myself with a salesman who was so impressed with his shtick that he completely missed the fact that I was most interested in figuring out why I should pay more for plasma. Had he helped me understand that, I would have been more inclined to give him my business.

Patience is a virtue: Some sales are quick, many are not. So it behooves you to stay in touch with long-term contacts; you never know when the stars will align and their "maybe" becomes a "yes." Another pal who is an exceptional salesman reminds me of the old adage that you have to often contact someone six times before you make the sale.

Go for the gold: An associate who used to sell duplexes now sells apartment houses. Why? "Because," he tells me, "it's the same amount of work to sell an apartment house as a duplex, but I make four-times as much." Realizing this a few years ago, he started prospecting for bigger, better-paying clients. It worked for him and it can work for you.

Look for the tipping point: Finally, in the great book The Tipping Point, author Malcolm Gladwell explains that there is a point where all the effort pays off. Often, that magic tipping point occurs as a result of convincing that right, influential person that your business is special. That person in turn becomes a conduit for many more sales. Who's your tipping point?

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Today's tip: Too many small businesses have a limited web presence because they find the prospect of creating a great-looking site daunting. Of course there are many products available to help you solve this problem, but I am happy to report that there is a new tool available, making the job a snap.

I spoke with the folks from a company called Web Assist last week, and they have a terrific new product called Site Assist. After watching their demo, I can attest to the fact that creating a great-looking site should not scare you. This program easily helps you do it in a matter of minutes. Steve says check it out.

 

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