Your Most Important Attribute as a New Home-Based Entrepreneur is the Ability to Sell
Congratulations! You have done your research, completed your planning, and finally launched your new home-based business. Now what?
It is not enough to open your doors or hang up a sign that says you’re open for business. You now have the challenge of running a business. That means you need to generate enough revenue to pay all the bills AND create a profit.
The Significance of Sales The only thing that will keep you in business year after year is to have a healthy profit at the end of the year. That means you have to actually get out and sell your products and services. You can spend thousands of dollars on advertising, but you’re still going to have to sell when someone contacts you.
Gulp! The shear thought of selling makes most people break into an instant cold sweat. Images of used-car sales persons jump into their head and they shudder at the thought of coming across the same way. Relax. It doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, selling can actually be enjoyable and fun…if you take the right approach. Get in the Habit First of all, it’s important to develop a sales routine. It’s not enough to sit by the telephone and hope that people call and order your products or services. You need to be proactive and take some form of sales action every day. In most cases, this means you need to make prospecting calls.
Cold-calling is probably one of the most difficult and disliked sales skills. As a result, many home-based business owners choose to avoid this task. However, when you’re just starting up, this is a necessary approach if you want to generate enough leads to create the revenue you need to sustain your business. Here are a couple of tips to overcome cold-call reluctance:
1.Approach each call with the intent of learning more about your prospect’s situation instead of trying to close a sale. Know what you want to accomplish with each call — determine if the person needs your product or service, make an appointment, etc.
2.Use a script to ensure that you come across in a professional manner. Your script must be verbally rehearsed BEFORE you start dialing for dollars. Introduce yourself, the name of your company, and one or two key benefits of your products/services. Ask for permission to continue the conversation.
3.Block a certain amount of time in your schedule everyday, and make the calls when you have the highest level of energy. Make sure to set a goal to make a certain number of calls everyday.
4.Hire someone to do it for you, if you absolutely refuse to cold-call.
Uncover Your Customers’ Needs Once you have that appointment or the attention of the other person, it’s time to start selling. One of the biggest mistakes that entrepreneurs make is to launch into a presentation of their products, services, or solutions. However, this is not selling, it is telling. A more effective approach is to learn what people want.
Every person who is interested in your product or service has a different reason. Instead of just giving them a quote, find out more about their particular situation. The most effective way to determine what each customer wants is to ask them a series of quality questions. These questions should be open ended, which means they need to start with How, What, Where, Who, When, and Why. The more time you invest in learning what your potential customer needs and wants, the better you can position your product, service, or solution. Become a Sales Student Selling is a complex topic, and you will not learn how to sell effectively by reading a short article like this. Depending on your learning style, you should read several books, listen to CDs, watch DVDs, or attend a live training workshop. There are also many electronic newsletters available that offer practical advice on improving your sales skills.
Lastly, recognize that the key difference between an entrepreneur who is tremendously busy and profitable and someone who achieves mediocre success in his or her willingness and ability to sell. Selling does not have to be painful. Learning even a few techniques can make a tremendous difference in your results. HBM
Previously published in the October 2006 issue of HOME BUSINESS® Magazine, an international publication for the growing and dynamic home-based market. Available on newsstands, in bookstores and chain stores, and via subscriptions ($15.00 for 1 year, six issues). Visit www.homebusinessmag.com
; "home office")
