Everything appears to come full circle. Looking back, I find the advice received in my first year in business will always hold true, and, furthermore, it makes more sense now that I have lived the experience.
Upon starting my business, a marketing professional set me back on my heels by asking, “Who is your target audience?” According to her, “Everyone” wasn’t an acceptable answer.
In my mind, almost everyone could use sales know-how to improve business. However, taking this under serious consideration, there are different aspects of the sales category that some will need while others will not. And yet others flat out just won’t be interested to learn. This is where the marriage of marketing and sales techniques come into play to enhance business development.
Marketing Professionals Advise:
1. Develop your niche market
2. Become the expert in your field
3. Create multiple streams of revenue
Sales Professionals Advise:
1. Briefly let each audience know of all that you represent and then target their specific interest(s)
2. Speak to the specific needs and desires of each audience
3. Continue to duplicate the original model of what works best making certain the venues all complement one another.
Combining the marketing and sales advice, consider whether you have, in fact, narrowly defined a niche market and become known as the expert for this sector. Are you easily able to speak to their needs, wants and deep down desires in order to attract interest? Have you developed multiple products and services to attract an increased number of people to your business?
Have you found complementary groups who may benefit from your expertise? Multiplying your effort, have you found groups both online as well as in person? And, have you taken the time to make a brief introduction as to everything you have to offer in case you catch the attention of some in one group who may wish to participate in the next?
As you build your business outward, have you found others who complement what you do? Together are you able to collaborate to target overlapping and additional audiences attracted to the two of you?
While undertaking collaborative projects, be aware that you may be asked to work on a project that will annoy some. These are the people who will ask to be removed from your notification list. A wise sales strategy is to keep your database current and group your contacts by where you met or by special interests. In this manner, you will only notify individuals who have a true interest in your most recent news.
Systemizing processes and tweaking what you offer for each individual group will enable you to concisely speak to their particular interests and deliver with efficiency. Consistency in all you do is the key ingredient for maintaining and building your personal brand.
In the end, your effort should be directed to building a returning and referring clientele. By incorporating all of the advice and strategies listed above, you will have an easier time developing business and more likely to enjoy the Smooth Sale!
Adapting these entrepreneurial and corporate insights to your style will advance you to the Smooth Sale! For further sales and business development advice, consider our online Summer Sales School roster of classes.
Author:
Elinor Stutz, CEO of Smooth Sale, LLC, (800) 704-1499, was honored by Open View Labs with inclusion in their international list of “Top 25 Sales Influencers for 2012.” Elinor authored the International Best-Selling book, “Nice Girls DO Get the Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results”, Sourcebooks and the best selling career book, “HIRED! How to Use Sales Techniques to Sell Yourself On Interviews”, Career Press. She provides team sales training, private coaching and highly acclaimed inspirational keynotes for conferences. Elinor is available for consultation.
