1. Up-sell to your customers. For starters, they already know and trust you, plus they have demonstrated a willingness to buy. So if they are given the option of a volume discount, for example, they just might jump at the opportunity to buy more.
2. Cross-sell to your customers. People appreciate convenience and choice. Be sure to provide both by making additional products or services available that complement and enhance your customers’ buying experience. For example, if a customer buys a product from you that requires batteries, be sure to offer him batteries at the time of purchase. Otherwise he’s likely to be frustrated when he gets home and discovers that he needs to head back out to get some batteries… possibly from someone else’s business.
3. Ask your customers for referrals. The best place to find new customers is through your existing customers, assuming they are happy of course. So ask them. Believe it or not, they’ll be glad to help.
One way to do this is to generate a list of prospects you think one of your customers may know. Show her this list and ask if she knows anyone on it. If she does, ask if you might use her name as a reference, or better yet, if she might make an introduction for you. If she doesn’t know anyone on the list, ask if she knows of someone whose name should be on the list. It’s a simple approach, but more times than not, it will get you in front of a warm lead.
4. Develop a CIA list. If you want to grow your sales, you need to get the CIA working for you. That is, the Center of Influence Advocates. These are people, other than yourself, whom your clients consider to be experts. Identify these people and get to know them. Show them what you can do for their customers and find out how you can help them as well… joint marketing or lead sharing, for example. After your customers, a lead from a CIA member is as strong as they come.
5. Create a value driven seminar/talk. This is a great way to get your message to your market while positioning you as an expert in your field. It’s one of the most powerful ways to generate sales because for a significant period of time, you have the undivided attention of a group of prospects. It doesn’t get much better than that.
6. Systemize your sales processes. Every prospect is different, but if you think about it, you probably go through many of the same steps each time you make a sale. If you have a team of salespeople, find out what the best ones are doing and write it down. Then, turn the best ideas into a repeatable sales system that everyone on your team can utilize. You’ll find this one simple concept will bring your entire sales force up at least a couple of notches from before.
7. Stop selling and start helping your customers to buy. This is really the difference between the traditional sales model and the new consultative or customer relations model. Buyers are significantly more sophisticated today than they have ever been. They will still buy, but in this age of information, they’re not looking to be sold. They’re looking for an expert who will help them make the intelligent choice that is just right for them. The customer relations approach to selling means you might not make a sale every time, but if you focus on your client’s needs, rather than your own, you’ll make a life long customer. Something that, over time, is significantly more valuable.
8. Track and analyze your sales processes. Once you have a sales system in place, you’ll want to keep improving it. The only way to do this is to carefully track your results. There are many ways to do this and as many software titles available to help, but what’s most important is that you stay the course. It’s impossible to pull good information out of a system that no-one is using consistently. In fact, partial information can be more problematic than no information at all. So begin by getting everyone on board. Then track your progress and make your improvements. You’ll be successful if you think of it as a marathon, rather than a sprint.
9. Hold regular sales meetings. Meetings can be a big waste of time, but with a proper agenda, schedule and leadership, they can also be the catalyst that ensures your success. So don’t discount them. Your salespeople need to set goals. And regular sales meetings are the key to keeping them on track, holding them accountable, and giving them feedback on their progress.
10. Create a variety of lead generating (prospecting) systems. The more fishing lines you have in the water, the more fish you are likely to catch. So keep on experimenting and every time you find success, turn it into a repeatable system. For example, a healthy mix might include advertising, publicity campaigns, public speaking, direct marketing, customer appreciation events, and so forth.
About the author:
Mark Wardell is President and Founder of Wardell Professional Development, a business consulting firm, focused on the unique needs of small/mid sized growth companies.
Wardell Professional Development
http://www.wardell.biz
Email: info@wardell.biz
Phone: (604) 733-4489
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