Success is in the follow-up, stay in the conversation!
We haven’t talked sales in a while. Did you miss it? I know, it’s not everyone’s favorite subject but it’s the foundation on which we build our businesses and it’s so important.
Think about the last deal you closed. And why did it close? How did it feel?
You made a connection.
You nurtured the relationship.
You sold the results of your work.
You followed up.
It’s so simple, right?
Why do we avoid it, find so many other things on our to do list to take care of?
Why do sales scare us??
Why do we feel bad in “the ask?”
Steve Jobs said people don't want to know about computers; they want to know how computers will help them live better.
No one cares about the mechanics of the computer (unless that is an interest to them) but yet, they care about why putting this machine in front of them every day is worth it.
And this works for all businesses. Every service or product being sold needs to appeal to the consumer on a personal level.
What is the value of the services/products to the consumer?
How is your service or product making an impact?
And are you showing up and speaking about that impact?
Your marketing, your content, your brand - it needs to showcase this value clearly and with consistency.
I’ve done a lot more speaking in the past year than I’ve probably done in a decade and I’ve learned a lot from those experiences.
Confidence is everything.
If you believe in what you do, what you say and what you sell, so will everyone else.
If you’re struggling with sales, where is the breakdown?
Is it your own fear of success or value? Is it your marketing?
Is it your lack of follow-up?
Is it because you aren’t reaching your ideal client?
Is it your pricing?
Take a minute to analyze your last three failed deals and determine why.
What could you/your team have done differently? Would it have affected the outcome? Is there a chance you can still make it work?
Remember, it’s never really a “no”... it’s a “not right now.”
P.S. Success is in the follow-up, stay in the conversation!