Since my coaching focus is on guiding business owners and sales professionals to increase their revenue and be happy in the process. I thought I would share 10 tips for more improved business development and retention of favorite clients.
1. You have to really believe in what you are selling - be passionate about it but don't be pushy.
2. Selling and Business Development is about Relationships. Got to connect with the other person, build trust, respect and really listen to what is being said.
3. It's all about the client/customer prospect. You have to find out where there is a need and a pain point before you start trying to sell what you offer. Worst mistake a sales person can do is immediately talk about what you offer when you don't know what they need.
4. Ask lots of open ended questions and really listen to what is being said. The art of listening separates good sales people from great sales people.
5. Present the benefits of your service/product to what they need. You will have heard this if you were listening.
6. After you have heard their story and you have presented the benefits of working with you, ask for the business. Many people don't feel comfortable asking for the business before they leave the meeting. You can create simple sentences or questions around this. Needs to be genuine, not pushy and be confident in your ability as you ask this. Doing this critical step will increase your success rate.
7. Follow up, follow up, follow up - always check back in, as soon as you leave the meeting (within 24-hours). And, if you say you will contact the person in the future, give them a date and do it. Never commit to an action and then forget to do it. If you don't get a commitment from them, set up a follow up system (I usually do this 30-45 days). Sometimes commitment won't happen until you have communicated with them seven times. If they really aren't interested, hear this and walk away and be OK with that. Not everyone will want to do business with you.
8. Be comfortable and believe in yourself when you are pricing your service/product. There may be times when you can be creative with packaging pricing, offering discounts, etc. But for the sake of getting the business, don't sell yourself short and feel uncomfortable with offering your services for less than what you are worth as this is not good business. If you are good, there are people out there in the business arena who will pay for it.
8. When the business comes in, be on top of it making sure delivery is exceptional. Having a comfortable, transparent dialog with this new client/customers is important going forward. You want them to feel that they can come to you with questions, concerns and you vice versa.
9. Show appreciation for these new clients, thanking them for doing business with you and check back in periodically to see how they are doing.
10. 80% of your business is going to come from 20% of your clients. New services and products should be offered to existing clients so get creative and be open to change. Fire those clients who are super high-maintenance and taking more of your time for less business. Ask yourself, "is this client a good fit for my business model?"
We are living and working in a world of constant change. Be flexible, transparent and continually educate yourself on what the newest trends are. We are now a world of multi-generations with different drivers on what is needed and wanted. Be aware of this and you will be more successful and less stressed.
No comments:
Post a Comment