Written By
Lori Richardson
We talk to entrepreneurs every day who want to turn their ideas, products, and services into dollars but struggle with selling. One reason we find struggle is because most small business owners have little or no background in sales. In fact, some people can't even use the word "sales" because of the negative stuff it conjures up in their minds.
We love sales - it is the culmination of combining great branding and marketing - clearly getting YOUR message of differentiation and value out to the world - and then asking companies and individuals who really would benefit - to work with you. Unless you are an amazing writer and content creator to draw tens of thousands of potential prospective customers to your website, you will need to know how to reach out and grow your business.
Even with great content creation, there comes a time when you need to further connect by phone, or through well-crafted emails to move these opportunities forward.
So, we bring to you the idea of having a sales contest - whether you are a company of one, or a sales rep in a Fortune 500 corporation. How do you do this?
Set your own game plan - choose something that will motivate and inspire you - and think BIG. A trip to Spain, Caribbean cruise, or a piece of property for that vacation home. Then create some activity goals, such as talking directly to a dozen of your strategic partners with next actions for each, or to find 50 more "probable" prospective We are serious about this, for a couple of reasons -
1. It will help you focus on activities that lead to more revenue
2. It will help you find the low hanging fruit - or quicker opportunities sooner
3. It will help you build the pipeline of sales opportunities, because you need more opportunities than you may think. Not all of your more "probable" prospective customers are ready to buy, and to work with buyers and their buying process, you need a lot of opportunities.
You can set a number of smaller goals - a new smart phone or iPad or something that will actually help you grow business. Also, you can team up with someone who shares your drive and enthusiasm to build revenues as an accountability partner for this project.
Have you set a goal to bring some of your business to closure? Post in the notes what you did, or what you plan to do if this in any way inspires you to take action.
Our revised 50 Days to Build Your Sales is available soon! Get inspired and take action!