Guest post by Debbie Palmer
As an entrepreneur we need to get sales happening and NOW! Time is of the essence in any business. Businesses succeed or fail depending on sales.
I started out in sales knocking on doors and believe me I was shaking in my boots!
Selling can be Easy and Fearless!
Selling seems to come with some stigma of being pushy or aggressive. You need to believe and know you are providing the customer with a product or service that you know will enhance their lives and is excellent value for their dollar. Get your message out to the people and have a plan for conversion.
- Since your first contact with a potential customer may be very brief this is the time to focus on getting permission to contact them again thereby converting your potential customer to a lead.
- The second contact may be by phone or email and your focus will be to convert that lead to an appointment since most products and services are sold face to face. If you’re not face to face it is often difficult to exchange product for payment. However some products and services are sold at this stage so don’t rule that out.
- The meeting is the time to ‘ask for the sale’. Why has this taken away the fear of selling, simple, by this time your potential customer knows the reason for the meeting, they are expecting to decide – but only if you ask them.
Track your conversions, have fun with it. Give yourself a conversion goal (one for each stage). Selling is a lot easier when done step by step.
How do we eat the elephant? One bite at a time!
Your Best Bet – Planning a Script
Women are naturals when it comes to sales. It’s the connotation of sales that hits us hard, makes us shrivel up and wish there was another way. Many entrepreneurs avoid selling, spending precious minutes with a potential customer talking about the product or service and not asking the questions needed for the sale. Script yourself several open-ended questions using “who” “what” “when” “where” “how” or “why” and let your customer do the talking.
The best way to overcome the fear of selling is to have a script. You may have only one chance to make a good AND lasting impression, don’t wing-it!
Debbie Palmer has more than 25 years of professional experience and provides customized consulting, sales training and keynotes to get your sales on track. Her site Businesswomeninsales.com is a site devoted to educating women in the art of selling, making it easy and fearless.
