It’s extremely gratifying for a business owner or sales professional to close a sale. For me it’s not just a “win.” It’s the awareness that I have satisfied a sincere want or need for another human being. I have helped them in some way. I have provided so much value that they willingly compensate me for what they are receiving.
I just completed 2 days of sales coaching and training with a local franchise owner. I shared with them my belief that traditional sales training does not work.
In the past, I’ve given seminars and workshops to salespeople and business owners called, “How to Improve Your Selling Conversation.” Every business owner should be thinking about ways to improve their own sales effectiveness and the effectiveness of their employees. This seminar was also extremely beneficial to the veteran sales professionals present (based on their feedback.)
At the heart of direct sales is the conversation. We can increase our sales by simply improving the selling conversation. The best salespeople are always working to improve their sales effectiveness. I can’t share the entire seminar with you in this blog post but let me offer you 3 tips that will enable you to improve your selling conversation.
From time to time I have business owners approach me for feedback on a new logo. The truth is that there is no end to creativity and the possibilities of creative logos. However, the bigger (and more important) question is this: “What do you want your logo to represent?” Or, in other words, what’s your brand?
Logos in and of themselves are not really as significant as some may think. They really have nothing to do with the establishment of your brand. They are only important after you establish your brand.
People will not look at your logo and see the essence of your brand. Consider the Starbucks logo. It communicates nothing about the coffee experience. In fact, some would say that it is really not even that creative.
However, once you have established your brand, your logo becomes the visual identity of that brand. So what is a brand?
On June 12th, 1987, Ronald Reagan made his famous speech at the Brandenburg Gate near the Berlin Wall where he issued that historic challenge to Mikhail Gorbachev, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.” The rest is history.
This speech was actually loaded with powerful lines, but they are all overshadowed by this emphatic message. Two reasons this statement was so powerful is because it was concrete (not abstract) and emotional (not just intellectual). Geoffrey James in his book How to Say It: Business to Business Selling uses this line as an example of how we as business owners and sales professionals can and should craft our selling messages.
You must have a system for quality control if you want to create a world-class business that is sellable. In fact, the survival of your company depends on your ability to produce a quality product or service.
I’ve coached many business owners and sales people throughout the years. From individual salespeople to large sales teams, there are 10 skills that every business owner and certainly every sales professional needs to continue to develop and refine. Here they are:
Getting new customers doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, winning new customers can be the opposite…low-cost and high return! I want to share with you 3 low-cost marketing strategies that will help you win new customers that you can implement immediately.
Has growth stalled in your business? Have you hit a plateau? Do you need some fast business growth? One of the easiest and quickest ways to give a boost to your sales is right in front of you…don’t overlook the obvious.
What are you doing to improve your personal productivity?
Many business owners I meet have a tough time with feeling and being productive. They feel busy, but they also feel like they aren’t getting the right things done. Part of leading a growing business is making sure you are productive in your day.
