Often, people become entrepreneurs because they are passionate about a particular product; because they are bored with the nine-to-five life; or because they want a lifestyle that affords them a bit more freedom and flexibility. All are perfectly valid reasons to become an entrepreneur—but implicit in them is this: Not every entrepreneur gets there through sales experience. While some business owners do come with plenty of sales clout, others are inexperienced, or perhaps downright uncomfortable making sales calls.
That’s obviously a problem, as there is simply no way to build your business without sales. Here’s the good news, though: You don’t have to be a natural born sales representative to close some deals and move your company forward. Actually, there are ways to sell even if that’s not necessarily your forte. Let me show you what I mean.
Sales Tips for the Unexperienced
Summon some enthusiasm. Being good at sales requires you to strike a balance between being too formal and too aggressive. That middle ground is best characterized by healthy enthusiasm—a real belief in your product but also an ease with listening to other people and their needs. This may require you to practice some, but it’s the mindset you need to adopt to make your sales calls more effective.
Be prepared for objections. You’re going to get objections, and it’s imperative that you don’t turn them into arguments. Instead, ask questions. Get your leads talking about their real issues and needs. Reframe the conversation around the ways in which your product or service can meet those needs. Allow them to feel like they’re being heard; like they’re important to you.
Work together with your lead. Never have the mindset that the customer is someone to be overcome; instead, remember that you’re ideally working together toward the same goal. Find out what that person’s aim is—what his or her pain point is—and then work toward offering the solution.
Follow up. Do it one hundred percent of the time. There’s no cause for ever failing to follow up, even if you think your pitch was a flop and the whole thing is hopeless. Remember that follow-ups are where so many sales are made, and where seeds for further involvement are planted.
You may not be the world’s best seller—but that doesn’t mean you can’t hone your skills and get better and better at growing your business. Get more sales strategies from the ACES page!