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Archive for the ‘Sales’ Category

Leverage your website to improve your sales

November 2nd, 2011

Maria Helm

Regardless of your industry or the size of your business, you can leverage you website to find more new customers, serve your existing customers and convert more leads to sales. Here are some answers to some of our customers questions that will help you put the web to work for your business.

I’m a local automobile mechanic. My business has done fine for years based on word-of-mouth, but I keep hearing from everyone, “Why don’t you have a website?” Why do I need a website?
Consumers have adopted the Internet as a daily research tool much faster than many experts even predicted. Sure, some of your new customers will continue to find you via word-of-mouth. However, when a potential customer is trying to find mechanics in your area, many of them will turn to the Internet vs. looking in a phone book. If you don’t have a web site and a presence online, those potential customers will find your competitors that do have websites.

I want to maximize any type of e-commerce opportunities out there. Currently, I sell several locally made products on my website, and I have many repeat customers buying my products. What else could I be selling via my site?
Do you have an eye-catching logo or tag phrase for your web business? If so, there’s an easy way for you to sell more. Currently, there are several online services that give you the power to create T-shirts, coffee mugs, and many other items adorned with your logo or tag phrase and sell them on your site. And the best part of services such as Cafepress (www.cafepress.com) is that you don’t have to buy a bunch of T-shirts upfront and hope that they’ll be successful. They’ll print and ship a T-shirt or coffee mug only after you’ve received an order.

Some of my competitors have started blogs, but all they keep writing about is their business. It seems very self serving to me. What’s the value in creating a blog on my website?

Posted in Marketing, Sales

Tags: Customer Service, Entrepreneurship, Small Business, website

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Are You Ready to Hire a Salesperson?

November 30th, 2010

Maria Helm

To many business owners, hiring salespeople is a frustrating process. It can also be tremendously expensive. In fact, numerous business owners report they have hired their company’s “first salesperson” multiple times!

The good news is that there are several simple rules, processes and procedures that can give you the best chance of success when hiring a salesperson. Knowing when and if your company is ready is important. As is being prepared to both manage and train the new salesperson or salespeople once he/she is on board.

Are you ready?

Before bringing salespeople on board, ensure that the current staff can handle additional customers. First, seek to improve the company’s productivity by instituting processes and procedures, then by investing in tools and software that reduce man hours.

Be prepared

Failing to plan is truly planning to fail when hiring salespeople. Ideally, your company should be able to make all of the following five statements prior to hiring.

The company’s sales process is clearly and completely documented in an understandable, teachable way.
A training program for new salespeople has been outlined and formalized.
Cash reserves exist that are equal to six months of a salesperson’s total compensation
The company’s operations and/or service delivery is process driven, adequately staffed, and able to deliver
The company has created a sales management plan to devote adequatetime to the task of managing salespeople

So, do you think you are ready to hire a salesperson? If you are stay tuned for Part 2 – Finding the Right Salesperson for Your Business.

Photo Credit: hugovk

Posted in Sales

Tags: Business, Hiring, Planning, Salesperson, Small Business

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5 Steps to Convert Contacts Into Contracts

July 6th, 2010

Maria Helm

Following is a list of tips to help you, fellow entrepreneurs, best position your company to landing contracts and growing your business.

1. Understand the company’s needs or pain point so you can ease, if not eliminate, their pain. So, who likes pain? No one. Find out a company’s pain points externally through researching via the Internet, news articles, trends within the industry, and government or industry mandates. Internally, you may want to have multiple contacts inside the organization because if you’re connecting with someone in the IT department, for example, you may find out that a pain point is in technology – a need that you can provide as a service. Through your external and internal research there may be something of value that you can offer to that particular client through innovation or cost-saving mechanism. Make sure to include that information in your request for proposal (RFP) process.

2. Sell the value of your company to the appropriate audiences you are approaching. As an entrepreneur, you’re always selling your products and services through phone conversations, Websites, e-mails, social media and marketing materials, but it’s key to know your audience. Know that your pitch to a law firm will be different from your pitch to a fashion boutique owner. If you are selling to different audiences within the organization, the same rule applies. If you’re talking to someone in the Purchasing Department, understand the key objective of any purchasing group – to save the company money. Sell the value of how your company’s product and services can help save the company’s bottom line.

Posted in Marketing, Sales

Tags: brand, contacts to contracts, Entrepreneurs, landing contracts, pain points

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Marketing and Selling You!

June 11th, 2010

Maria Helm

Photo: Alvimann

The transition from losing a job to looking for a new one can be daunting. It can also provide the opportunity to step back and reassess your skills, strengths and weaknesses as seen through the eyes of potential employers. Taking a look through the marketing lens, here are valuable tips on how to market the product “you.”

What are the “you” features and benefits? When evaluating a product, people ask, What will this bring into my life? How does it differ from the competition? How much does it cost? The same apply to your job search. How do you make yourself stand out from all of the other job applicants? What are your bells and whistles? What features or skills, stand above the rest for these target employers? Will those help a prospective employer’s business?

Answering these questions requires an in-depth look at your past. List all the things you do well and like to do, whether or not you have been paid for them. People often miss an employment opportunity because they incorrectly believe they cannot make a living doing something they like.

How do you sell “you?” It pays to put serious time and effort into an innovative resume. Be creative but truthful as you write this “You” sales tool. Discard your “This is what I have always done and how I have always done it” attitude. Today’s market requires flexibility and open-mindedness. A job may require on the job learning, travel or telecommuting. Be sure to consider any community services or volunteer work that you have done. It’s possible this will resonate with an employer.

Are your skills in demand? It makes no sense to seek a a retail job in an area where stores are closing. If you can’t find what you want where you are, you may have to relocate.

Posted in Marketing, Sales, Uncategorized

Tags: Career, Features and Benefits, Marketing, Marketing You, Skills

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Sell, Sell, Sell

January 4th, 2010

Maria Helm

We all have to sell, whether we realize it or not. For those of us who own our business, we have products and/or services to sell. Some make their living selling goods and services offered by their employers. Even if you’re not a salesperson by profession, you still have to sell. Anytime you need to convince someone to agree with you or get buy-in to your latest scheme, you are selling. You have to sell if you want that plum project. How about if you want to manage that high-profile account, or if you want your boss’ approval on your latest plan? Well you have to sell and get the order. To be a salesperson who sells, consider these :

Know your customer
Identify your customer’s pain points and needs
Determine how your “product” will solve or satisfy your customer’s needs
Make the “sales call”
Ask for the order
Develop an unshakable attitude of persistence and tenacity. Be prepared to make as many sales calls as are necessary to get the order