Tweet

Dont Just Make a Sale

Written by: Stuart Ayling

Article Overview: No business can survive without the lifeblood of profitable sales pulsing through it.

Dont Just Make a Sale

No business can survive without the lifeblood of profitable sales pulsing through it.

Even though many business people have come to realise their existing customers can be a productive source of new business, there is something that is often overlooked. It is easier to achieve a regular flow of sales if you treat each sale as part of a 'process' rather than as a one-off 'event'.

If you view each sale simply as an individual event you will miss valuable opportunities to enhance your customer relationships, attract more customers, keep the opposition at bay, boost your sales and enjoy higher profits.

Once the sale is 'made', you will need a plan of action to capitalize on and expand your relationship with this customer. Sometimes the after-sale activities may require more attention and planning than was needed to gain the sale in the first place.

The traditional advertising/sales process attempts to move customers through a process known as AIDA - Attention, Interest, Desire, Action. I like to expand this acronym to AIDAA, with the extra A standing for After the Sale.

For business-to-business sales there are numerous worthwhile, and relevant, ways to follow up on a sale. In a business-to-consumer environment there are similar opportunities.

This after-sale support is necessary to close the loop and encourage the customer to buy from you again. Try these ideas:
A telephone call/letter reminding the purchaser of customer service options.
Offer complementary services from you at a special rate.
Periodic letters (or brochures or postcards) reminding the customer of other products your business offers.
In-person courtesy calls to keep in touch with purchasers of high-value low-frequency business goods or services.
A timely reminder of a service that is due or a suggestion of consumables that may be required for the original item purchased.
A relevant offer from another business (sent by you) that will be perceived as useful and valuable by your customer.

Some older sales programs emphasis closing 'techniques' and stress how sales is a 'numbers game'. The more calls you make, the more presentations you make, and the more sales you close. The focus is on completing one sale and moving onto the next. Often the quality of the customer and your relationship with them is ignored.

There is some truth to this simplified approach, and a disciplined sales person will attempt to maximise the number of calls they make. However, a longer-term customer-centric approach to your selling activities will yield greater results for your business, your sales people and your customers.

It's your choice…you can just make a sale, or you can manage the sales process to create a lasting relationship that will cause your customer to want to buy from you again.

Which outcome are you focused on?

Related Articles
  Know your magic numbers
  What is the best way to develop my sales skills?
  How can you make more of your customers open your emails?
  Profitable Online Business Ideas and the Recession Part 2
  Contribution

Article Tags:



Related Forum Posts
Re: Quote of the Day - "The only people witho - Thanks for sharing this Evan, there are some very powerful quotes in there, I particularly like this one:- You are now at a crossroads. This is your opportunity to make the most important decision you will ever make. Forget your past. Who are you now? Who have you decided you really are now? Don't think about who you have been. Who are you now? Who have you decided to become? Make this decision consciously. Make it carefully. Make it powerfully. regards, Mal.
Re: How to Promote Your Blog – The Definitive Guide to Promoting - Great Post! Dont forget to put your blog in Anchor Text For SEO purposes for the keywords you want when getting backlinks (for example with article marketing)...Very important. You can conquer quite a few small Niches and get your site on the number 1 spot in Google!
Re: Due Diligence, Market Research.. Ahead of the curve. - Congrats! A few months ago I wrote extensively on market research. Check in the Inventors corner for the posts. Let me know if I can help further! Dont spend a dime on a protype or advertising until you do some research! Jude
Re: Who hates cold calling? - I saw this and had to chime in. I HATE COLD CALLS. lol its terrible and a wast of my time. Something i have done is gotten online and found all the networking event happening in my area for the next 2 months and i try and go to about 3 a week. Even just for an hour. Dont bring any business cards. Just meet new people ask them alot about what they do, not too much about what i do and follow up the next day or 2. Has worked well
List of a few legitimate online business - Well My main methods to make money so far are adsense,affiliate marketing and freelancing and I think these are some more sites that can help me to make some more money.Your reviews are welcome: ::linkworth dot com>This site is awesome and offer lots of ways to make money. ::mturk dot com>complete simple mini task and get paid ::microworkers dot com>complete simple mini task and get paid ::shorttask dot com>complete simple mini task and get paid ::istockphoto dot com>sell stock photos ::eHow dot com>Make money writing ::Bukisa>Make money writing ::Associate Content>Make money writing ::Triond>Make money writing ::fiverr dot com>$5 freelancing job ::cpalead dot com>make money by completing offer ::peerfly>make money by completing offer


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Igniting Your Unstoppable Business Destiny

ROSI Return on SUNK Investment

Unharnessing Creativity in Business

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.