How Do I Increase My Sales?
Improve Your Value Proposition
By increasing value to potential customers, you increase the strength of the relationship you have with them. Achieve this by targeting what your customer's outcomes are. For example, you don't go to B&Q to buy a power tool - you go to get the satisfaction of putting up the new fence in your garden. Understand the outcome, the bigger picture and not just the tool. Then increase your value by helping them achieve it.
Target More Than The 3% (Important)
You don't realise it but your business is most likely only targeting the 3% of people in direct need of your service or product right now. There is another 7% open to the idea of working with you when the time is right and a further 30% that are not even conscious of you. Start targeting the other 37%, it's less crowded, there's less competition and you'll start to build great relationships before your competitors do (helping you convert more business in the long run). This is based on the 3/7/30/30/30 business rule.
Communicate More, But Not About Your Business
Reverse the intention when you're communicating with potential clients. By this we mean, stop talking about you and your business through social media, emails, your website, sales pitches and newsletters and start talking about your customers, their interests, desires and what they want. This will drive your value proposition mentioned in point 1 through the roof.
Sell A Relationship, Not a Product or Service
Look at your website or marketing materials right now. Does it say me, me, me? If all your doing is talking about you and your business then you have a problem. Start engaging your customers more, build value based on their interests so you can develop a value-based relationship before you even mention your products or services. You can start this by simply asking questions.
Reduce Your Sales Cycle
The first thing to know here is - how long is my sales cycle? If you don't know then look at your business intelligence or CRM to find the answer. Then do everything you can to reduce the time from opportunity to final sale. By reducing your sales cycle you'll increase your turnover, adopt a leaner approach to selling and create capacity to sell more.
