Wednesday, August 15, 2012 posted by Rebecca Daneault
I suppose the question I posed in the title of this article
is rhetorical, because, really….what business owner would say ‘no’? Of course
you could benefit from increased sales! That’s fine and good in theory, but
actually finding a way to do so can be a challenge. Sure, you’ve heard the old
adage, “think outside the box” or “be creative”, but these are just sayings. What
you need are real, actionable steps you can take to do more than just imagine
your sales numbers going up, but to actually see it happen.
Understand Your Customers – This is perhaps the single most
important part of marketing, because if you don’t know who you’re trying to
sell to, you could very well be missing the mark. There are a number of ways
you can learn what your customers and prospects want, such as doing web research,
conducting surveys and asking for feedback. The key is to learn exactly what
the needs of your customers and prospects are and deliver a solution to meet those
needs. When people begin to see you as a resource that can help them, they will
naturally want to work with you and you’ll see your sales steadily rise.
Examine and Refine Your Strategies – The best predictor of
future behavior is past behavior. That being said, if what you’re doing hasn’t
been working for you in the past, that’s not going to change in the future if
you don’t take the time to change your tactics. Conduct regular analyses of
your marketing campaigns and sales techniques to determine what’s working, what
might need some tweaking and what might be better off scrapped altogether.
Otherwise, not only will you be wasting your marketing spend, but you’ll be
missing out on potential business.
Improve Your Presentation – This can be applied to everything,
not just your sales pitch. Take a good, hard look at your business as if you
were a potential customer. Is your website professional and easy to use? Does
your logo really convey your message? If you’ve been in business for more than
a couple of years, chances are there are some things that can be improved to
make a better first impression on potential customers. Be honest with yourself,
and address what needs improvement – it may cost a few dollars, but it’s a
priceless investment into the future success of your business.
Of course, these are just three of the countless things you
can do to boost sales and improve your bottom line. Above all, you should
consistently strive to be engaging, dynamic and attentive to your customers.
Remember – they are the very reason you’re in business in the first place. When
you put these steps into action, you will be better poised to achieve the
numbers you want and need for continued success.
Labels: sales tips, small business tips
posted by Rebecca Daneault @ 4:16 PM