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Are you Prepared to Sell?
| Guest post by: Edward Abel |
Article Overview: Before you can have an effective sales conversation with a prospect (where you begin a relationship that will ultimately lead to sales), there are several items that you need to have prepared and be ready to effectively communicate. Though it seems obvious, you need to understand (know inside and out) the basics of your business: what your business is, what you offer, and why you offer it. The clearer you are about what your business does, the easier it is to have the sales conversation. To get clear about your business, consider these questions:
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Are you Prepared to Sell?
Before
you can have an effective sales conversation with a prospect (where you
begin a relationship that will ultimately lead to sales), there are
several items that you need to have prepared and be ready to effectively
communicate.
Though
it seems obvious, you need to understand (know inside and out) the
basics of your business: what your business is, what you offer, and why
you offer it. The clearer you are about what your business does, the
easier it is to have the sales conversation. To get clear about your business, consider these questions:
- Why does my business exist?
- What do I offer?
- What are the benefits of what I offer?
When
you answer those questions, think about your clients' perspective. For
example, if you say your business exists so that you can make a lot of
money, that answer may offend potential clients. That answer is about
your needs, not your client's needs. Instead, think about what's
important to your clients and then answer the questions.
Here is an example, based on a consulting company that develops workshops and seminars for corporate clients:
Why does my business exist? My business exists because...
- Corporate employees deserve opportunities to engage in effective learning.
- Companies need to focus their employee development on achieving results and they often do not know how to do this.
- Many companies do not have the internal resources to develop their own workshops.
What do I offer?
I offer companies my expertise in developing employee workshops that
they can deliver to their employees. I organize the information in ways
that encourage effective learning and I design activities that aid the
learning process. I develop materials that the trainers can use to
deliver the workshop and that participants appreciate using during the
workshop and afterward. I teach the internal trainers how to facilitate
the workshop for maximum participation and results.
What are the benefits of what I offer?
I save my clients money because they do not have to hire an in-house
staff of instructional designers and they do not have to pay annual
licensing fees for continuing to offer my workshops. They own the
product and can use it in whatever way they would like. This gives them a
custom-designed workshop that fits the needs of the company and the
flexibility to use the workshop in whatever way they want.
It
is important to answer the questions above as part of your pre-sales
plan because they will prepare you for the sales conversation (Check out my article on the sales conversation). If you don't prepare
yourself beforehand, you are more likely to trip over your words and
undermine your credibility. Once you've prepared your answers to these
questions, you may find that you can re-use them for nearly all of your
clients.
This week, take some time to answer these questions for your own business.
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Article Tags: business relationships, sales preperation, sales process
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About the Author: Edward Abel RSS for Edward's articles - Visit Edward's website Determined to find a way to educate and advise others in the construction and sustainability of a vital business, he founded ABEL Business Institute. Over the course of this process, he developed The SkillPreneur Business System, a systematic approach to the construction, maintenance, and growth of a business's--an approach that has become the philosophy and methodology of ABEL Business Institute. Ed is an adjunct professor of entrepreneurial studies at New York University (NYU) as well as the Director of the business division at the world class Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC). At iPEC, Ed directs the business division that is responsible for supporting the graduate coaches in their business development process. Click here to visit Edward's website   Appreciating Your Team Confessions of an Accidental Entrepreneur The 5 Practices of Wildly Successful Entrepreneurs by Ed Abel Are you Prepared to Sell Three Common Marketing Mistakes |
Related Forum Posts
Your advantage over others
- Sell using your USP - unique selling proposition.
Why should people buy from you, instead of your competitors?
Think about it, why are you so great?
It may be a hard question, but finding the answer can multiply the effectiveness of any advertising or marketing activities you undertake.
Re: When do entrepreneurs retire, if ever?
- Why would you ever retire when you love what you are doing?
Sell the business and start another one maybe - but retire - NEVER!
You should all read, The 4 Hour Work Week - By Timothy Ferris. He talks about building your business so that you can take mini 'retirement's throughout your life, instead of saving it all up for when you are old.
Great concept - what do you think??
Re: SES Toronto - Day 1!
- ...oh and even though it's 21 secrets, why do you have
[quote:1gz722fe]Tip #22: Use Your Thank You Page to Sell[/quote:1gz722fe]
on your blog?
Are you holding out on secrets or are you adding your own?
Hope to see you at the next conference!
Re: Run when you can, walk when you have to, crawl if you must;
- Thanks Jason
I was overseas during the Hippie Generation (but i understand according to you, we have not completed that generation) I just don't see the long hair, bare breasted flower children and open drugs as I understand was so prevalent then or I haven't been looking in the right places. OFF THE CHAIN got me?
As to sex and age, I always prefer to see a warning to others, especially minors
A question for you, "With so much FREE sex, videos, pictures, stories as such available on the interest, readily accessible to all - Why does SEX still Sell online?
Some online business suggstions debunked
- 2. Sell photos on stock photography sites
--- I tried this, couldn't even get in the front door. But then, I'm apparently a lousy photographer... However, if you do get in, I think you only get something like 25 cents a download...
8. Build services atop Amazon Web Services
---I've been an Amazon associate for a loooong time, selling books, and business has been lousy since the beginning. Nobody reads anymore...I do get a few DVD sales every now and again... but frankly I make much more money though Google Ads on my site.
It took several months for that to build up, but now as my website has more readers those ads are starting to pay off, whereas there's been no corresponding jump from Amazon ads on the same pages...
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