Selling your Product/Services #1

Monthly Newsletter from Tom Van Drielen/Owner, Symbiosis Enterprises http://www.symbiosis4u.us, [Request “Free Newsletter] 6/13 Edited by Peter/CXO Wiz4biz

Selling is #1. If you are a business owner, someone has to be selling. If you are a sole owner, you are the seller. If you are an employee, your company cannot survive without sales persons. Every person from the CEO to the night janitor should know what your business is – really is – and not what you think it is. That is NOT what your business cards says you do, but what you really do.

Elevator Speech about your company (of 30-90 seconds), should be as easy to give as your first name. The first three steps are the most critical in developing your Elevator Speech. There last four steps are transitioning from the Elevator Speech to create “Word of Mouth Advertising.” When “the customers” (and others) start selling for you [typically, a 12 months or longer process]. See http://www.symbiosis4u.us/Newsletter/AdHocMarketing.pdf (Reading 15 minutes)

Product Knowledge Base is where a sales person should start. This “Product Knowledge” base includes the basic product features: size, taste, feeling, etc – all the key parameters of the product/service. “Product Knowledge” is the first thing a salesman needs to learn. That is why you must track your Contacts/Sales ratio numbers to determine if the education of the basic Product Knowledge is effective. If not, additional Training & Demonstrations are needed.

Selling is frustrating, and with only “basic” product knowledge, is difficult. Suppose a sales person (with only basic knowledge) calls on 100 new prospects. The “Basic Knowledge” salesperson may harvest only 3% who are interested in what the salesperson wants to sell. That is not a good return. Even a new, confident salesperson might quit with poor results like this.

What Return should I expect? If you call 100 NEW customers (even new businesses are new customers), here are the results of the percentages:
– 3% Active (This may be 1/2% in a recession.) The customer says “yes,” I want something like what you offer, but there may be other companies extending the same offer. If there are two other companies offering a product similar to yours, then the 3% is reduced to 1%. If there are 10 companies selling with similar products, then any “education” salesperson will starve – in any foreseeable future. (That is why the third question of an “elevator speech” is important . . .

[ What’s unique about your Product, and many more factors in Premium Content]