Do you ever have so many tasks to handle that you get stuck on which to prioritise? There is one thing you can always do that is the #1 highest value activity for your business:Selling.
Selling is so valuable because it greases the wheels of revenue, which makes everything else possible. It is the lifeblood of your business.
Every sale is a victory for the business and for the brand, putting your products in the hands of people who will help you further market your business.
The most successful entrepreneurs are salespeople – and they weren’t necessarily born that way.
“But I only sell online,” you say. While this may be a viable strategy for some, I would challenge you to think bigger, as most businesses need to sell through multiple channels to be successful over the long term. In fact, many super-successful online brands such as Warby Parker and Bonobos, have opened physical retail shops as they have grown. These brands have discovered the secret that many online gurus forgot: selling offline can be the best way to boost online sales, and is still the most effective way to get your brand in front of buyers.
Even if you are 100% committed to an online-only model, you can look at selling through third party websites that already have an audience, such as Amazon or through more specialized sites that cater to your desired audience. You can also look at affiliate models and partnerships with other brands.
Where to start with selling
If you don’t know where to start with sales, think beyond the end consumer. There may be many valuable intermediaries such as retailer sales reps, foreign distributors and corporate partners, that could immediately deliver significant benefits to your business. Look at tradeshows and other events that cater to your industry area. Whatever you do, get out of your head and start talking to people that you think might be able to help expand the reach of your products.
Those that are most successful at sales play the long game of consistent efforts. Very rarely are you going to pick up the phone or send an email and get an immediate response, you have to slowly and methodically persist over time with follow-up after follow-up until people realize that you are not going to go away.
What to do
Create a list of targets and start emailing a brief description and image of your product. Use a CRM or other tool that allows you to track when an email is opened and as soon as you see that an email has been viewed call them and ask for their opinion. If they don’t answer, leave a message and keep calling and/or emailing until you get a yes or no. It’s not glamorous, and it can be intimidating to reach out to total strangers, but if you do this on a regular basis you will be ahead of 90% of the pack.
For more information read: How to supercharge your sales and win retailers