Give Something Away For Free

Small business owners are always concerned about their budgets and and working on limit financial resources. A great way to introduce your product or service to business owners is to offer a taste of what you provide for free. Show SMB's the value that you can bring and that they cannot live without you.

A great example is GoToMyPC. It is a service that allows you to connect to your office computer from home. As an entrepreneur who likes to connect evening and weekends, I tried out the service and am on a free trial for 30 days. After connecting for the first time I knew I would become a member when the free trial ran out. It is easy to use and incredibly valuable for a business owner who wants to be able to get their files and use their computer from any location. If GoToMyPC can only get entrepreneurs to try out their service, they are sure to bring on a significant number of new clients - hence the free trial that got me hooked.

While it is true that someone who pays for your product is more likely to use it and value it compared to someone who gets it for free, I always recommend showing the price of the product and then offering a promotional free trial to show users that it is a valuable investment.

Offering something for free not only gives you a potential customer base to sell to but it can also give you positive PR (ie. celebrity endorsements) and can help you stand out as a good corporate citizen if you give your products to charity.

It is far easier for some companies to offer something for free depending on your product or service but regardless of your industry, try to find a low-cost way to give away a taste of what you have to offer for free and your small business owner prospects will take the bait. It will then be up to your product to deliver on its promises and your salespeople to close the deal. While small business owners are cost-conscious and like anything that is free, they do pay for what they value. It is up to you to clear through the noise and get your product in their hands.

3 Ideas To Help You Sell To Small Business

In addition to the tips and strategies I have shared this week on how to sell to small business, I wanted to give three more ideas that can push your SMB efforts over the hump:

1) Small businesses love FREE!
Entrepreneurs love free things and rewards. Even if it is something as inexpensive as a pen, small business owners will appreciate it and tell their friends about it. Many small business owners have limited sales and marketing budgets and their dollars are typically spent more on the sales side. They invest in the materials they need to close the sale such as fliers, business cards, websites, and salespeople. Typically they do not purchase marketing like branded products until the sales side has been taken care of so they appreciate your efforts. You may be used to having everything branded with your company name all over it from mugs to hats to duffel bags but a little thought goes a long way to recognizing your SMB clients. It makes for a happier customer and more referrals.

2) Focus on the information not the sales pitch
Small business owners can see right through your sales pitch. They do not want to see sales materials thrown at them and a salesperson banging down their door. They will often assume that they cannot afford your offerings if you look too slick. They like to be educated and feel that they are in control of the purchasing process. Give them the information they need such as case studies, white papers, third party awards, and testimonials. Keep the message simple to understand and focused on the benefits they can realize - then go for the sale.

3) Give pricing options
Pricing will be an issue with every small business client you encounter. It will not always be the most important factor, but it will always be high up on the priority list. Offer ways to slice and dice your pricing to show them that you are trying to work with them. Some options are to break down your product to give them exactly what they need, give a trial period at a lower price, have a discounted rate if they sign up their friends, and offer financing options. This last point is of particular importance as small business owners are often cash strapped as they put their dollars back into their business and wait for accounts receivable to come in on products they have already invested in and delivered. Offering financing options will always be a point of differentiation when selling to small business owners.