As an entrepreneur your ultimate goal is selling either the service you specialise in or the product you manufacture. Your organisation policy, corporate strategies etc all revolve around establishing your brand in the market and increasing your sales. Let us take a more detailed look at the reasons how being adept at sales works for you as an entrepreneur.
Standing out from the Crowd
There are numerous companies out there selling the same product or service you are. The question that arises is, how do you set yourself apart from the rest of the competition? There are two aspects to this, the first as we have seen before is creating a niche specific product/service and becoming a specialist in your chosen area. However even if your product/service is the best suited for your niche market, you cannot sell them without your target market being aware of their existence. So this is the second aspect where your adeptness at sales comes to the fore. As a brand ambassador for your organisation you can promote your product/service in the following ways:
- Promoting your product should always be at the forefront of your mind whether you are caught up in an important project, attending a conference, business meetup etc. It is normal to get so caught up in the moment that future sales prospects are put on the back burner, however it is essential to be always prepared to make an impromptu sales pitch when the opportunity presents itself.
- Maintaining a website highlighting your organisation’s beliefs and core values and also an active social media presence where you can post updates relating to your products/services or even interact with customers on a range of topics not restricted to your core business will help you create a personal connect with your existing and potential customers.
- Organising impromptu events like pop up workshops, seminars etc where you get to interact on a one on one basis with customers is an excellent way to boost sales.
All these proactive measures will help you stand out from the competition and create a distinct connect with current and potential customers and enable a sale. However the process continues even after a successful transaction.
Follow Up and After Sales Service
Many customer surveys usually have one complaint in common, lack of after sales service. The usual trend among the manufacturing and service industry is that once a sale is secured it is considered the end of a successful transaction. However the actual positive customer experience starts after the sale happens. Following up with your customers to find out if the product or service has met expectations is as important for evaluation purposes as it is to improve the overall customer experience. When they realise you genuinely care about providing quality products/services, customers develop a sense of trust in your organisation as a whole and this increases the possibility of repeat purchases by them.
In this way by honing your salesmanship (both pre and post sales) skills you ensure your organisation is successful not only in attracting potential customers but also in creating a long term sales relationship with them.
