I was recently part of a conversation about selling. I laughed because everyone still thinks the secret to
selling is, “You have to love what you are selling.” “You have to be a born salesperson to succeed.” I started to laugh and reminded everyone there that they were all born sales people. In one way or another, we all sell. No, you don’t have to “believe” in a product to be able to sell it. You can believe in a product and still not sell it. Same thing goes with your Print Shop business.
So, what are the keys to being able to successfully sell? You have to answer these questions:
1. What is your company’s value to your customers?
Most people think a good salesperson points out all their accomplishments with confidence. The reality is prospects want to see themselves in your success. “Our customers are businesses that use print marketing to effectively communicate their brand. They tend to be results-driven, so we are doing a lot of creative print that encourages buyers to take action. We help them measure those actions through a call to actions.”
It’s better to brag about your customers, not yourself.
2. What is your personal value to your customers?
A lot of people have a hard time answering this question. We all bring personal value to a situation. We are not all cookie cutter either. It’s a tough question to answer, but we all need to know our value. As a sales person, it is not just to close a deal. Your value could be listening, understanding and helping the prospect figure out what they need. Your value is getting them hooked up with the right people in your company to find the right answer.
3. Do you have a sales process?
Does your company have a sales process? You must have a process for completing projects, right? Then, you should have a sales process that is written down, step by step. It should be something that you can communicate to prospects, so everyone knows where you are in the process. It should have the ability for both parties to back out. Successful sales people have a sales process. They work it and always know where they are with their prospects. It means more accurate funnels and more accurate revenue projections.
If you are having a hard time with your sales, these are some ideas to consider. Articulate your company’s value, know your personal value and have a sales process that is as detailed as your production management. It is not all about who can smile and put people at ease.
