Business – Hone your people skills

When you are busy running your company, it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day tasks and the long list of things to get done. One week merges into the next and before you know it, it is April already.  This means the close of the financial year for many businesses, but also the exciting opportunity to start again for the next 12 months.
If you want this year to be better, and increase sales and turnover, I would like to share a strategy to fast track growth, improve your cashflow and generate more clients quickly.
This key strategy is simply known as ‘sales’. While of course you know this is crucial for your business, how many hours a week do you dedicate to getting out of the office to sell your products or services? If you want to increase sales, then look at the activity in your diary. Do you routinely book a set number of client meetings each week to fill your pipeline, or are you busy being busy in front of the computer?

A lot of focus in business tends to be on marketing, however this alone won’t put money in your bank account. The only way to do this is to convert those leads into sales.  So if sales is the most important money generating activity in business, why don’t all business owners love to sell? Even the word can bring forth a negative reaction and it certainly is not everyone’s favourite past time.

However, what sales are really about is helping people. Your customers buy from you because of ‘what’s in it for me’ and the benefits that your products or services provide for them.

Here are three steps to help you increase sales in the next few months. First of all, relax and stop selling! This might sound counter-intuitive, but stop focusing on trying to sell and focus on the client instead. Ask more questions, find out what they need, and then establish if and how you can help them.

Secondly, package up your offerings into two or three options. This includes a lower price, middle and/or upper priced product or service. This puts the client in control of the buying process and makes it easier and more comfortable for you to ask them which option works best for them. If you like a softer approach, this can work well for both you and the client.
Thirdly, offer flexible payment methods to your customers. Find ways to make it easier for them to buy from you because if you don’t, a competitor will.  You will still get the sale, and make it a win/win for each of you.

Focus on this money-making activity, and focus on helping your clients.  You will find as you transform your sales, you will also transform your business.