I was at a conference and got the chance to talk to many small business owners about the things that were working and what wasn’t working for their businesses. Many entrepreneurs had said that, although the general trend was a rise from last year, they’re trying to grow their revenue further.
It was fascinating to hear the opinions of those who thought that they were hindering their goals from being achieved. The two subjects that pop on the most frequently during these conversations are sales and marketing. What I find interesting is that I’m convinced that there are many entrepreneurs who don’t know the distinction between sales and marketing and how each affects the other.
Here’s a simple method of explaining the concept. Marketing is what takes place before a potential client gets in touch with you. It’s how you create awareness to let people know who you’re and what it is you are doing. Sales begin when a customer contacts you for more information regarding cooperating with you. The process continues from the first contact up to the time you get their credit card number as well as their name on the signed dotted line.
When the sale has been completed, I’d say marketing is activated again (though I’m aware of many who believe that the service you provide after the sale is just a continuation of the sales process, and I can understand their argument regarding this!). The reason I think marketing is because you’re now setting the conditions for the possibility of repeat business and referrals. My opinion is that its marketing.
Marketing is basically the method of getting your name exposed to more potential clients and of making them aware of your existence and the ways you can assist them. Sales are the process of closing those potential customers who are willing to raise their hands and declare, “Hey, it sounds great! I’m interested!” You can undoubtedly break things down more, but for now, let’s stick with the idea, Okay?
So, what’s the problem?
If you are looking at your company, ask yourself some questions:
How often do you receive new inquiries or requests for quotes?
Is your mobile ringing frequently?
If you receive inquiries from potential customers, do you consider this person the “right match” for your company?
After you have responded to the request, How often will you be closing the deal?
How much effort do you need to be working on completing the deal with the prospective customer?
It’s your way of marketing…
If you’re not receiving a lot of inquiries, it’s simple to determine that you’ve got a marketing issue. You’re not doing enough in letting people know that you and your company exist and can provide them with assistance. If this is the case, the problem with your marketing is usually quite simple. It could be that you’re not performing enough marketing! Nobody will tell that when you start your business, you’re not just becoming a business proprietor but also a marketer… however, it’s real!
The inability to get enough inquiries is not the only indication that you’ve got an issue. If the leads you’re getting aren’t coming in the manner, you’d like they will, if individuals who contact you aren’t the ideal customers, or if you find yourself having to put in the effort to close the deal, then your marketing simply doesn’t work in the way it ought to.
A great marketing strategy will attract your customers to your benefit. It draws your ideal customers and draws them in. When they see it, they consider, “YES! I’d love this!” or “I want her!” This will get you halfway to the sales funnel because they’ve “self-chosen” and have decided they’d like to collaborate with you. It’s as if your marketing has taken care of a significant portion of the customer qualification procedure for you.
In the same way that your marketing will be attracting the ideal clients, It should also deter those whom you don’t would like to work with at all. They’ll be able to see that message that makes your ideal customer eager to speak with you and then think, “why on earth would someone want that” and throw your ad to the side.
A lot of entrepreneurs are concerned about pleasing all people or saying something that may be off-putting to some people. My response to that is that it is actually a good thing. They aren’t exactly the customers you’re supposed to work with!
What can you do to fix it?
If you’re facing these issues with your marketing, you must get yourself seated and take seriously the marketing messages you are sending out.
Do you know who your ideal client is? (hint that if you answer with a vague one such as “moms of pre-schoolers” as well as “baby boomers,” then that you’re not aware of precisely who your ideal client is!)
Do you have the ability to clearly explain the specifics of what you provide to them and the reasons why they should partner with you? (Another tip: If the answer is “I offer excellent customer service” and “I have over 25 years of experience in the field,” that’s not thought out sufficiently).
Are you ensuring that you aren’t putting all your eggs in the same basket? It is important to target them with your message at least three different locations simultaneously whenever it is possible.
Are you consistently marketing frequently or just occasionally?
It’s your sales procedure…
If you’re receiving lots of requests from all of the right people, but they’re not converting into sales, you’ve got an issue with sales! Then it’s time to take a step back and analyze your sales process.
In the coming month, track the number of inquiries that you receive as well as the number that you actually book and close. Maintain a spreadsheet or chart that records how many leads are generated and the sales. Once you’ve got that data, it is possible to figure out how much of your sales are closing. It is impossible to achieve a 100 percent closing ratio; however, If you’re close to less than 50 percent of potential customers you interact with, there’s significant room for improvement in your sales process!
How can you fix it?
Check the “script” you’ll are using as the basis of your conversations. Are you missing a script? Maybe that could be the issue!
Have a look at the questions you have to answer. Do you have the answers you require?
Examine the emails you’ve written during the sales process. Do they contain a specific call to action for what the client should do to begin working with you?
An essential but fundamental issue that I see frequently… Are you really selling your product? I’m always surprised by the number of people who offer the perfect solution but end the conversation by saying, “so you should take a look at this and contact me if you have any queries. OK?” Never solicit a sale!
Check your follow-up procedures. It’s likely that you’re not taking enough action!
Here’s the assignment…
Make time to examine your company this week and consider what areas you can improve on. to improve. Whatever your level of success is, we all can identify areas where we could be doing better! Review your marketing plan for the past year look over your marketing materials and your messages. Review your sales process. Examine the templates and scripts and determine if you could alter the language to make it more appealing to the ideal customers. Try the “closing your sale” dialogue with your colleague or friend and solicit feedback. You’ll be grateful that you took the time to practice this once you’ve seen the profits increase!
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