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Seven Sales Tips For Solo Operators
By JOE CONNOLLY
We asked folks to send in their best sales tips for small-business owners. Here's a sampling of the responses we received:
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• "Shut up, and listen!" says Michael Leppo, president of
Strategic Sales Closers, a sales-consulting service in
Lawrenceville, N.J. It's the sales professional's job to listen to
his or her prospect with 100% concentration on everything the
prospect is or is not saying, he says.
• Create a spin-off company as a sales tool, says Bill Clark, vice president of E.L. Smith Printing Co., a printing facility in Ridgefield Park, N.J. Mr. Clark did this with E.L. Smith and the "spin-off" company became the lead business. As an example, he says, if you sell pillows, create a newsletter explaining the health benefits of a good night's sleep, and include reasons why someone needs your type of pillows.
• Invite in and talk with every new sales representative, because he or she may have the next great product idea, says Sean O'Brian, vice president of Blinn's Toys, a toy store in Fairfield, Conn. "The knowledge of sales representatives on the road far exceeds what you'll learn at a trade show," says Mr. O'Brian.
• If a misperception exists about your product, sell and market against it. New York City comedian Shaun Eli Breidbart says his potential audience doesn't go to comedy clubs because they think the show will be full of vulgar comedians telling generic tasteless jokes. To counter such misconceptions, Mr. Breidbart uses a catchy slogan for his Web site (www.brainchampagne.com): "Clever Comedy for Smart Minds." "It hints that my comedy is smart and sophisticated," Mr. Breidbart says.
• Have an outstanding Web site, says Thomas Dieck, owner and chief designer of TRD Designs, a landscape-design company in Katonah, N.Y. He used to spend hours at clients' homes going over design work; now, a lot of that is done online, he says. Have a Web-site address that people can remember without writing down.
• Know the value of your work, says Norma Siciliano, president of Cold Calling for Hot Sales, a sales-coaching firm in New York City.
• Manage own "self-talk" to avoid psyching yourself out of a sale, says Donna Beccaria, owner and president of Corporate Learning Group, a team-development firm in Belle Mead, N.J.
Here are suggestions from business owners for winning new customers and building client relationships:
• Host receptions and reunions for clients.
• Join professional networking groups.
• Have the client sign off on your project design. This builds anticipation.
• Ask for references early on in a project, when the client is most excited.
• Mean what you say. People can spot a phony.
• Run local radio and newspaper ads in the form of a reward poster.
• Join professional networking groups.
• Have the client sign off on your project design. This builds anticipation.
• Ask for references early on in a project, when the client is most excited.
• Mean what you say. People can spot a phony.
• Run local radio and newspaper ads in the form of a reward poster.
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