The new year is right around the corner. Before you get all full of egg nog and holiday cheer, here are nine things you can do for more sales in 2017.
1. Make sure customers know everything you sell.
People can’t buy it if they don’t know you have it. Make sure your clients understand your current product and services offerings. Take a detailed look at your existing customer list right now. Look at each customer and ask yourself what do you sell that they could buy? Then, call on these customers. Let them know what you have, how it benefits them and ask them if they’d like to buy it.
2. Promote policies that minimize buyer risk.
Remove the risk element for your customers by promoting your company’s satisfaction, performance and returns policies. If you offer a money-back satisfaction guarantee it should be prominently featured in your presentations and quotations because it removes an element of risk for the buyer. It’s a reflection of how well you, the seller, feel about the performance of your products. The less risk a buyer feels, the more likely they are to act favorably towards the seller.
3. Clearly communicate why people should buy from you instead of the other guy.
Competitive products and suppliers exist in most every city and in every market. In fact, many of you sell the same product. Buyers need to understand why they should buy from you instead of your competitor. Communicate how you are different from others in ways that bring value to customers.
4. Sell to existing customers.
Existing customers are on average five times more profitable than new customers to your business. Sell to existing customers regularly. Send out newsletters and promotional offers and interact with them via social media. Visit key accounts on a consistent basis.
5. Create original presentations.
Most salespeople sound the same. Be different and unique. Avoid industry jargon. Avoid too much talk about your company and products. Instead, talk about things that are relevant and useful to the customer, like solving their challenges and problems.
6. Help a prospect trust doing business with your company.
The world is full of scam artists and spammers. Help prospects understand that you are not one of them. Prominently feature in your presentations things that build trust in you and your company. Use credibility builders like customer testimonials, online reviews, case studies, policies that minimize buyer risk, articles and other marketing collateral. Your job is to overcome consumer fears, uncertainties and doubts.
7. Provide reviews, user feedback and competitive information.
Studies show that 8 out of 10 shoppers use online reviews and user feedback to make buying decisions. Share the comments of other customers with your prospects. Provide testimonials and offer customers the option of seeing competitive product reviews. Your buyers can search for this information anyway. Keep them interacting with you by making all pertinent information available to them on your marketing materials and sales presentations.
8. Position yourself as a resource center.
Become the information resource for your customers within your field of expertise. Be a student of your industry, not just your products and services. Share your expertise via newsletters, email, LinkedIn updates, Facebook posts, Tweets and maybe even video.
9. Get out of your own way.
Act like you are a customer and go through all possible options someone can take when buying from you. Is the process clear and concise? Is the marketing collateral relevant and easy to understand through all phases of the buyer’s journey? Do you provide clear reasons the prospect should buy from you instead of your competition? Are you accessible? All these things combine to help you make sales.
