Taking the leap forward

Selling is part of running almost any small business. But small-business owners aren’t necessarily skilled in the art of sales, nor do they always keep up on the latest selling techniques.
In today’s small-business world, the art of selling is changing. In order to adapt and succeed, your business may need to overhaul its sales skills and adapt new methods to meet the changing needs and expectations of customers.
Here are some steps that can help you become better at selling:
• Become a multichannel presentation expert. A variety of online tools are helping to change how businesses sell. These include such things as interactive video and Web-conferencing tools that have replaced some in-person meetings. Taking the time to organize, design and build strong online presentations will quickly convert prospects into buyers. Check out Brainshark and Knowledge Vision, which offer easy ways to create really cool online sales presentations that combine different multimedia elements.
• Understand what customers really care about. For starters, you might want to understand what they do not care about, such as how “great” your service is, how much “better” you are at everything, and whether they might have been your customer in the past. Words such as better, more comprehensive, faster and a lot of other adjectives are hollow unless you can explain benefits that truly matter to customers.
• Be a research racehorse. Given the multitude of information available online, you must come to the table equipped with a depth of information and knowledge about your target customers that proves your interest and attracts the prospect’s attention. One surefire way to gather information about your customers is to ask them.
• Create contagious content. Increase your credibility and build awareness of your products or services by publishing content relevant to your customers. This is easier than ever to do online. Start a blog, a newsletter or contribute to community sites in your industry or profession.
• Define and sync your messages. Craft a short, compelling “elevator pitch” that captures the essence of what you offer. Then stick with it. Use the same language on your website, in sales brochures, signage, emails, social media profiles, and anywhere else you talk about your business or interact with customers. Your messaging methods should all work in tandem. This will give prospects a clear and consistent picture of who you are. And that makes selling a little easier. •


Daniel Kehrer can be reached at editor@bizbest.com

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