It was the winter of 1983, I was in grade 8 and he was in high school. He was my first love.
I still remember that very first kiss, (it was my first one!) under a tree, in front of the big white Church. It was thrilling and kind of gross all at the same time – but my heart felt like it was going to explode. I knew, at that moment, he was the one. We were destined to be together forever.
And then he dumped me.
It was early morning, and the first message in my LinkedIn inbox was a sales pitch from someone I hadn’t met before. I brought up the fact this person had never talked to me before pitching something I didn’t need… and they blocked me.
They called my response “rude and unnecessary”.
Read any sales book, and you’ll discover there is a natural order to the sales process. And that order includes uncovering a need before presenting a solution.
You could likely learn a thing or two from those flyers you get in the mail, they are not looking for the first sale, they are looking for the second sale. Traditional “Getting the sale” thinking is transactional in nature. It doesn’t lay the foundation for a long term relationship with your buyer.
Your strategy shouldn’t be all about the first sale. It should include what happens after that — what happens in the second sale.
In order for you to develop a strategy that includes second sale thinking, there is one thing that is critical to understand: Your buyer’s journey.
With the unprecedented economy we’re currently in, the thought of selling and continuing “business as usual” may be nerve-wracking and next to impossible for some business owners. It’s not business as usual.
However, there are things most business owners can do to adjust their business and continue selling.
Even though it feels like everything is changing – with news coming out about new measures and restrictions on businesses in an effort to flatten the COVID-19 curve – there are two crucial elements you can take into consideration.
Do you have a plan to scale your sales and earn more profit? The path to growth isn’t linear, that’s for sure – but it’s possible with sound strategy, time and dedication.
This week, an entrepreneur shared her story and then asked two questions in a group (question has been paraphrased and some details have been changed to protect her identity):
Have you ever scrolled through Facebook and observed someone you know looking for “the best and cheapest” deal for a product or service? You quietly shake your head because you know that “best” and “cheapest” do not go together.
What happens when you search for flights? What’s the best option for you?
You may have fallen into the trap of focusing on lead generation when what you really need to focus on is your ability in converting leads into paying, happy and satisfied clients.
Too many people are afraid of being “salesy” – and their lack of sales knowledge gets in the way of actually selling and generating any profit.
People who do this are fearful of being too pushy. They lack a formula for selling and they likely fall into the trap of telling instead of selling.
LinkedIn marketing is very “in” right now. Along with that popularity, I’m seeing many businessmen and women using cringy and ineffective methods to pitch and sell their products or services.
This week’s blog is brought to you by my LinkedIn inbox. It might seem obvious that these strategies are ineffective and should stop being used effective immediately, it’s not.
Why Free is Too Expensive 08 Jan , 2020
How To Use YouTube Live Events 18 Nov , 2014
Shop Talk – Get Your Gravatar On! 27 Aug , 2012
