By Karen Wessels, founder of VA Connect and Co-Founder of SnappSales
Sales should always be the hot topic of discussion in your business. Whether you’re having strategy meetings with shareholders or internal staff meetings, the word sales should always certainly come up. Sales is the single most important activity within any business.
I read a great quote today on sales :
Law of the Universe : Nothing happens until something moves. Law of Business : Nothing happens until someone sells something.
Expand your Market and Product offering
Take a look at your current product or service offering, and see where you can augment it with a complimentary service or product. For instance, if you sell jewellery online, perhaps you can add a service where an online assistant guides you on what to wear with each bespoke item you’re selling. Don’t be scared to experiment with different add-on offerings to make your current offering more valuable and more appealing.
Extend your market reach geographically. Don’t limit your marketing efforts to your immediate town. The beauty of technology nowadays allows for us to host virtual meetings on platforms like Zoom or Skype. And if you’re selling a product then there are a host of courier apps and companies that will ensure your product arrives safely at its destination.
Get your pricing strategy down pat
Do market research to understand your audience’s appetite when it comes to purchasing your particular product or service. Pricing does impact a potential client, therefore it is of paramount importance that you peg your price right in your market. A low price may indicate to some as a “bargain” whereas in other people’s minds it is indicative of low quality.
As a start up you are agile, so take advantage of this and become comfortable with changing your pricing. Within my business alone I’ve changed our pricing structure 3 times in the last year. Understand your market, get your pricing right and you will appeal to your target market.
Perhaps look at offering bundle deals. If you sell shoes, handbags and scarves, why not offer a combo deal? Or perhaps you can look at eliminating or reducing shipping costs. Find a happy medium where you can reach your ideal market and show them value for money. If there’s no questions raised on the value you offer, then there is no need to negotiate your pricing.
Get your sales funnel going
Do you have sales collateral? A professional brochure, up-to-date data sheets, banners, flyers, etc. Your sales efforts should be made easier with these items and they should invigorate the buyer to buy. Re-energise your website with new content, refresh the images and update pricing. Make sure that your website converts, as you really cannot afford to lose visitors on your site. Keep in mind that your sales collateral like your website is a reflection of your business. Ensure that the benefits are highlighted, that they include your latest offerings and innovations.
Find the right partners to join you on this journey and make them a part of your value add. Become more flexible when it comes to online payments, perhaps accept credit card payments, or find a great partner like Payfast.
All of these things are there to negate any form of objection from prospective clients. Don’t give them a reason to move away from you and purchase from your competitor.
Conclusion
Listen to your market, be prepared to continuously reinvent yourself, adapt your products and your sales strategies in order to meet an ever changing market.
The success of your business lies in you understanding your market and increasing your knowledge of your current client base.
Karen Wessels is the co-founder and COO of VA Connect, a South African virtual assistant platform that provides outsourced administrative support; and is also the co-founder of SnappSales, a company that generates quality sales leads for its clients. Prior to establishing both her companies, Karen spent over 10 years in different sales, marketing & admin support roles. This experience has equipped her with the invaluable skills required to run her two successful business ventures. Follow Karen on her Personal Website | Twitter | Facebook | Google+
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