Dig Your Sales “Well” BEFORE You’re Thirsty!
OK – don’t laugh – I just used one of my Dad’s favorite expressions!
As much as I HATED this phrase as I was growing up – he was absolutely RIGHT.
What Does It All Mean?
It means – DON’T WAIT until you’re DESPERATE for MONEY to start selling.
Why?
Because – desperation REEKS and your customer can smell it a mile away!
What Happens To You When You’re Desperate For Cash?
- You Take Anything You Can Get. Uh-oh. This is how you get hooked up with customers that aren’t right for you, who don’t appreciate you and who are probably going to end up being a TON of grief. (ever been there?)
- You Drop Your Rates. Yikes. You end up charging less than what you’re worth and now you’ve actually TRAINED YOUR CUSTOMER to expect this low price.
- Your TRUST Factor Goes Downnnnn. How? Because customers/potential customers can feel the negative energy pouring off you. And guess what? It makes them BACK OFF - possibly forever.
- You Are Stressed Out. Hey – we’ve all been cash-strapped at one time or another. You had better have a back up plan sister. Waiting until desperation strikes causes you sleepless nights and frantically rolling eyeballs. (neither of which do much for you I might add!)
So What Should You Do?
Start Digging.
Do you want to know my stress-free sales formula?
Sell AHEAD.
As in a minimum of 90 days ahead. When you stop selling “in the month – for the month” you start being proactive and also much more professional.
Why?
Because people who plan ahead are thinking about their client’s best interests.
And that’s the ONLY PLACE you want your focus to be on. Because when your client is happy with you – your sales will reflect it.
So there.
Hi Kim,
You make great points, however, I need more help. I am in the legal profession and I have to find my own clients. With so many lawyers out there how do I approch big corporations as they likely have a lawyer already. Perhaps the answer is obvious and I just need to ask and not take it to heart when they tell me no.
Plus you are just going to tell me that I need to sign up for the Stilleto Camp. :} Any recommendations on what to say when I apprpoach my firm management to cover the expense? as I am an employee and the Camp is not deductible for me, and our firm is not overly progressive on marketing?
Jessie
Comment by Jessie Davies — September 10, 2007 @ 11:09 pm
Hi Jessie,
You’re right – you have heavy competition in the legal profession.
Which is why it is even more important to know which niche you can help the MOST and better than everyone else.
A shotgun approach does not work in selling. Random phone calls don’t work in selling.
Choosing a target market you want to attract is the most important thing.
You CAN’T be something for everyone. That’s what the other guys are doing – chasing business.
So get into the media.
Send a news release that targets a group you’d like to do for. ie/ entrepreneurs. See if there is a Small Business Week coming up and offer story ideas to the news media in your area.
Contact your local HR association and see if they are accepting lunch and learn presenters in the upcoming months. Get in front of people who are making decisions or who will be influencing them.
Quit chasing business and instead focus on attracting it to you.
And nooooooooo – I’m not going to tell you to sign up for my High Speed Sales Stiletto Camp. I only want you there if it is the best fit for you.
Make an appointment with your firm and ask them what their policy is for on-going learning. Show them my site and advise them of how this will benefit you in overcoming some client challenges. Ask them if they are interested in you providing a “share the wealth” session after the seminar for all interested employees. ie/lunch and learn session of your own.
Break it down how quickly the program can pay for itself ie/one client. Remember – your internal customers “buy from you” in the same way as external customers do.
They have to feel it will solve an important problem and that it isn’t risky for them.
Hope that helps!
Kim
Comment by kimduke — September 11, 2007 @ 11:44 am
Excellent advice, Kim. I heard you say the same thing at a speaking engagement you did on the Island, but never hurts to hear it / read it again. I think really this is the key to making sales work, especially for a small home based business. Excellent tips you provide.
Comment by Brenda Johima — June 8, 2010 @ 12:38 pm