“Noooooo did someone mention sales. Shit. I thought I just had to develop and great product, have a pretty website and people would buy”.
I can’t tell you how many times I have heard a variation of that over the years (including from inside my mind back in the day).
Sales are not scary, but sales are not easy peasy either. Unless you’re selling overpriced water at an event that they won’t let you bring water into!!! But let’s not get me started on that business model.
Let’s look at my 5 Secrets of a Smart and Simple Sales Strategy:
- Know your product inside and out. I mean every nut and bolt. Every benefit, every feature – with values for both, every glowing review, every shitty review…every every everything. There is nothing that’s going to lose a conversion faster than you saying ‘I don’t know about that’.
- Know your perfect customer warts and all. Where are they, who are they, what do they do, how do they buy, how can you speak to them etc etc. How exactly is your product or service going to benefit them. The reality is, most customers don’t give a flying hoo flung dung about what your product or service means to you – it’s all about them.
- Know how to handle objections and have answers for as many of them as possible (I’ve seen this done so beautifully on some websites also).
- Know the sales process inside and out. From initial contact to satisfied customer, return business and more. The pre and post journey a customer takes is almost as important as the product itself. This journey is where you get the opportunity to totally wow your customer by making them feel truly special. Choose the right process for the right product. It’s actually ok to have a totally automated online sales process for some products and a phone process for others. Mixing it up works – and helps you capture other areas of the market.
- Know that the only way you will grow your business in actually by DOING IT!!!!!!! Do it – measure the results. Tweak. Do it – measure the results. Tweak. Sounds like a broken record – it’s not, it’s the only way your business will truly grow.
When I work with my clients on their Smart and Simple Sales Strategy we take lots of time. It’s not a 2 second job. You really do need to understand your client and your product and create the right sales strategy for your business. Remember there may be different strategies for the different products or offerings you have. Trying to sell your new gourmet jelly beans online and trying to get a deal with one of the big grocery chains is very different. Both are possible……but they are different customers with different needs.
The reality is, you can have the most beautifully laid out, comprehensive Sales Strategy in the world – but if you don’t follow it, nothing will happen. Sales will not simply be manifested overnight by you hanging a sign on your day saying you want 10 new clients to buy your hammocks everyday. It’s about setting the Intention, giving it the Attention and then having No Tension.