Strategic Partnerships and Joint Ventures
Sales and marketing should be regarded the greatest duo of all time. (Move over chocolate and peanut butter). However they’re often seen as two very separate silos within companies. Sure they’re different skill-sets, but to be successful, you need both.
Customer referrals are good for business. In fact, a few kind words from the right person have the potential to transform your company. So how can you get more client referrals? [Read more…]
Managing your company’s web presence is time-consuming. However, there are small things that you can do in minutes that will improve your overall marketing efforts. Plus, they’ll help give a boost to your next big campaign. Read below for 10 easy ways to quickly pump up your company’s online marketing efforts. [Read more…]
A strong sales process is essential for a successful business. But building a scalable, repeatable process is tough – especially in today’s marketplace where technologies, and possible consumer touch points are constantly changing. Sales leaders need to be evaluating their methods regularly to ensure they’re getting the best return on investment when it comes to their sales team. [Read more…]
At some point in our lives, we’ve all been at a car dealership and encountered the dreaded “Used Car Salesman”. While they might be wonderful people outside their work environment, they are generally reviled by the general public while on-the-clock.
One of the most glaring characteristics of such individuals is that they are often perceived as too “pushy” or “over-the-top” by the majority of consumers out there. Upon reflection, we begin to understand why; they are selling used products that aren’t significantly less expensive to buy (or own) in today’s market compared to new cars. This means they must take aggressive steps to generate sales, especially in a predominantly commission-based business such as theirs. This leads to sales methods and techniques that tarnish the public’s opinion of them. But it doesn’t have to be this way. With that in mind, here are 6 tips to help increase your sales without seeming too “pushy”…
The old adage, “The customer is always right” doesn’t mean you have to give in and get taken advantage of because you believe it yields higher customer satisfaction rates. Instead, exceptional customer service should be viewed as an opportunity to foster honesty and open communication with your clients. Listen to their needs and suggestions: take heed of negative feedback and improve what needs to be improved upon, all the while continuing to offer more of what they like.
We know from our own interpersonal relationships that everyone is different. How we engage one person may not be the way we’d engage someone else. The same applies to our business relationships; if we use the same strategies & methods with each client, we run the risk of losing them because we become stagnant and impersonal. Instead, work with your staff to come up with a personalized plan catered to each client and their needs. This will reinforce to them why your company is the one they want to do business with.
We know from our own interpersonal relationships that everyone is different. How we engage one person may not be the way we’d engage someone else. The same applies to our business relationships; if we use the same strategies & methods with each client, we run the risk of losing them because we become stagnant and impersonal. Instead, work with your staff to come up with a personalized plan catered to each client and their needs. This will reinforce to them why your company is the one they want to do business with.
Nobody likes to be ignored, and in the business world, ignoring a client is a clear message that you don’t want or need their business anymore. Therefore, a great way to help ensure your existing clients are satisfied is to follow-up with them shortly after a deal is done, usually within the first week. This lets them know that they still matter to you, keeping them loyal customers as a result.
This is a difficult one for people to master because it is easier and more natural for us to simply speak about features. We learn a great deal about our own products or services so that we can educate others in order to impress them enough to hopefully complete a deal. While this takes skill in its own right, consider emphasizing the benefits of choosing those products or services, in addition to the features. This analogy about remote controls explains the difference between the two…
Remote controls feature soft-touch buttons and ergonomically designed interfaces with which they send infrared signals to the TV or DVR. The benefit of the remote control is that you can operate and program your TV or DVR without having to get off the couch.
Keep these two questions in mind to serve as simple reminders why emphasizing benefits, not just features, matter:
What will your product do for the customer?
How will your business help theirs?
Confidently ask satisfied clients for referrals or positive feedback that you can post on your website or social media platforms. They should have no problem recommending your products and services to others as a “thank you” to you… And let’s be honest, word-of-mouth advertising is still one of the strongest & most effective methods out there, even if it’s among the oldest.
Once you’ve said to yourself, “I’ve realized that increasing my sales can be done without coming across as over-the-top”, your next step is to contact us and speak to one of our consultants. Better yet, if you would like to schedule a face-to-face meeting, let’s arrange a time to talk. As a partner we will work with you to create a solution specific to your needs, so call us today and let’s start “rebuilding your business from the inside out”.