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Building a Steady Flow of Customers

Written by: Colly Graham

Article Overview: Question: “I have just started a small business, how can I ensure I get a steady flow of customers for my business?”

Building a Steady Flow of Customers

Colly Graham a leading sales trainer and owner of salesxcellence replies:
The first step in finding customers is to identify your target market. Know the key drivers that will stimulate action in your prospective customers. Establish a profile of your customers and determine why they buy. Ask yourself the following questions:
What problems do you solve for your prospective customers?
Who is most likely to have these problems in their business?
How do you solve these problems?
Why will these people buy from you?
What will they gain and what will they avoid?
Where are they to be found?

Next step is to build a database of the most likely prospects for your business. You can buy list in or build your own from a good trade directory.

Next step is to make contact with your prospective customers and for this I suggest a introductory letter or email (if it is email make sure you have permission to use it). Don’t waste your money on fancy brochures nine out of ten times they go in the waste paper bin. Follow-up your letter or email with a telephone call to make an appointment to visit your prospective customer. Don’t rush to tell him all about your business, take time to learn about his business and then discover how you help him solve.
The point you need to communicate in the first few seconds is, "We have something that might be able to help you, and I simply need to learn more about you." The key is in using the right words. Before the call, answer these questions:
"What do prospects want most as it relates to my type of product/service, what do they want to avoid, and how can I help them do their job more effectively?"
The object is to build a relationship based on mutual trust and respect. In order to do that it's necessary to find out who the prospect really is.
First, clarify what it is the prospect wants, and agree on exactly what those wants are. We call those wants the prospect's Conditions of Satisfaction. What conditions do you need to satisfy to enable you to do business with this prospect? Second, assuming you can fulfil those Conditions of Satisfaction profitably, negotiate mutual commitments. In other words, get a crystal clear picture of what each of you promises to do.
You should frame most of what you have to say in the form of a question. The prospect should do most of the talking, primarily answering your questions. The more the prospect talks, the more both of you win.
A prospect may have good reasons for not wanting your products. Low price may be his highest priority. In any case, you save a lot of time by learning those things before you spend time and resources on him. Also, when you're focusing on what the prospect has to say, your ideas on how to serve him are welcomed, especially when those ideas are phrased as questions.
When we ask for commitment, we ask questions such as:
"Is that what you want?" or "Is there anything else we should cover?"
or "If we show you we can meet your requirements, what will you do?"
Good Luck with building your business and remember persistence is the key.

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Article Tags: sales training, small business



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