Time to close a deal? Go for it
Q: As a small-business owner, I wear many hats, and I could use some help when I’m wearing my salesman hat. I’m only getting a handful of sales from the many sales calls I make. How do I get potential customers to be as excited about my services as I am?
A: Use your enthusiasm to your advantage. After all, who better than you to talk about what it is you do and how you do it? A salesperson in a big firm doesn’t have the same intimate knowledge of the products or services being sold as you do of yours. But enthusiasm is just one piece of the puzzle. You also have to be able to articulate how you and your services can fill a need or provide a solution to a challenge the customer is facing. You can’t just describe the service; you need to explain the benefit.
Spend some time thinking this through before you make your calls, keeping in mind that each customer may have a different need, meaning the benefit to the customer could vary. What sets you apart from the competition? Is it the quality or speed of your work? Have you had special education or skills training that enables you to handle difficult jobs? Do you offer low prices? Is it your responsiveness? Also think through possible objections you might hear and be prepared to respond. For example, some customers might prefer working with a larger firm where there’s backup staff if needed, but you may be able to convince them that immediate and personal attention from the business owner is a more valuable advantage.
When it’s time to close the deal, go for it. If the customer doesn’t seem ready, find out what you could do to win their business. Perhaps they need more information, additional references, or simply more time to think about it. Set a specific time to follow up. No matter what happens, send a thank-you note, and follow up as promised.
Don’t be discouraged if you still don’t get every job you pitch. Try to hold on to that enthusiastic attitude even when you hear “no.” You want to leave them with a positive impression so that you’ll come to mind if they need your type of services in the future.
The University of Houston Bauer College Small Business Development Center is offering tips from an expert on Wednesday. Matt Rister, VP at Sandler Training, will present “Successful Selling Techniques” to help you develop an effective selling strategy and close more deals. The workshop will be held at the SBDC’s midtown facility at 2302 Fannin Street from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Register at www. sbdc.uh.edu and pay only $59.