There’s a lot of noise out there. As a small business owner, you might be struggling to attract more customers. You know you have something valuable to offer, but you can’t figure out why more of your prospective clients, and maybe even your current clients, don’t recognize this.
2015 is approaching rapidly! Every year, I use the last month to do strategic planning in preparation for the following year. Year-end is a great time to reflect on the year’s WINS and losses, along with all there is to be learned. Then, plan the year ahead.
There are lots of books, courses and trainers in the business world who can teach you how to sell. We all know that sales are the life blood of our business. Without sales, you have no income and no business. Many of us wish that we could be better at selling than we are. But how do you know when NOT to sell?
During my years of working directly with small businesses, talking with entrepreneurs day in and day out, participating in forums and seminars, and joining small business and entrepreneur’s associations, it has become increasingly apparent to me how important it is for the business owner to play an integral part in the sales function of their business. In a recent survey with more than 800 small business owners around the globe, a recurring pattern emerged. The companies whose owners were highly involved in sales activity had almost twice the growth of those where the owners were not as involved.
As business owners, our natural tendency is to want to offer our customers choices. It seems logical – the larger the selection, the more choices our prospects have, the more they’ll buy, right? Wrong!
If you think that the best way to grow your business is to get more clients, think again. So many businesses that we work with tell us that their growth issues stem from not having enough clients.
Customers buy from vendors they know, like and trust. Chances are you will buy a Pepsi or Coke over a generic soda, even if the generic pop is cheaper.
Ask an entrepreneur about the biggest challenges in his business, and you will inevitably hear that his potential customers don’t see or understand the value of his product or service. The entrepreneur’s prospects are not buying, or they are asking for a lower price. One thing strikes me about this issue – entrepreneurs often “blame” the customer. The lament – why don’t these people understand how valuable my offering is? Why don’t they see that my offering is so much better than my competitor’s, (who just happens to be undercutting my prices)?
Remember when Brussels sprouts sucked? Your mom would surprise you with those mini cabbages, and you would try to hide them under your potatoes.
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Email: Info@PumpkinPlanYourBiz.com
