I had an interesting meeting last night with a few Toronto based entrepreneurs. Most of the people around the table were looking at how to grow their sales and one of the members commented that most entrepreneurs who make it big started by being the primary salesperson in the business.
You can create the greatest product in the world but if you’re not out there selling and promoting it, the chances of your company’s success are pretty slim.
It’s easy to get caught up in day to day activities and drown yourself in admin work which you convince yourself is important to the company but at the end of the day, nothing happens until somebody sells something. If your business is not bringing in enough sales the problem is likely looking back at you in the mirror. It’s time to step out of your comfort zone and get some new customers in the door.
“But I’m not a salesperson!”
You are always selling your company, whether its getting a loan from a banker, convincing an employee to come on board, satisfying a disgruntled customer, getting people to pay your invoice, etc. The ability to sell your ideas is one of the most important roles that you can have as a company founder.
Sales guru Jeffrey Gitomer recently outlined 7.5 reasons why business owners sell better than any employee ever can:
“1. The responsibility for success of the business is yours. You won’t let your business fail due to lack of sales – so it’s your job to sell until it’s successful.
2. The business is your child. You sell best because you know your product or service best. You are its most sincere and passionate representative. You are responsible for feeding and nurturing your business.
3. You can make deals no one else can make. People think when they buy from the owner they are getting a special deal, may not have to pay a commission and therefore are getting the best price, or at least the best offer.
4. People like to buy from the owner. Customers know they will get special attention and special appreciation.
5. Customers have a special confidence in you. You sell it because you believe in in your business. Your enthusiasm generates confidence that transforms into sales. Customers also know the owner will go the extra mile to deliver what’s promised.
6. The relationship with the customer is yours to build at first. You get to know the people who are helping you succeed. After your business matures, you choose whom you will continue to handle personally, and whom you can pass on to a salesperson.
7. You are in the best position for direct feedback about your product, service and business. Your customer has all the information you need to succeed. Get close to him or her and listen. Then take action as only the owner can do.
7.5 If you have other salespeople, you must be the leader of your own sales campaign. If you do not lead them, no one will. You must set the example, drive the belief system, and create the atmosphere of success. You must be the best at sales, because that is where the success is.”
Have you handled selling in your company?
Thanks for such an intriguing article. It definitely inspires me to post my first comment on this awesome site.
I think we are often afraid of being a salesman, because we don’t respond well to the typical salesman attitude when someone’s trying to sell us something. What this really means is that our generation just shouldn’t be typical salesmen. We each need to find a natural style that works for us.
‘The Tipping Point’ by Malcolm Gladwell is a great book that discusses the little things we can do to make an idea mega successful. He has an entire chapter on Connectors, Mavens, and Salesmen, which I see as just different forms of sales.
I have a blog entry about it on my spankin’ new site: GenerationBreakthrough.com
Some of the books I suggest, like “The Tipping Point” could help some young entrepreneurs at least gain the confidence needed for salesmanship.
Does anyone else know of good books on the subject?
Like the topic and article. I think we all as entrepreneurs need to learn the art of selling or at least consultative sales. And sometimes it’s hard; especially when you’re trying your best not to look like the average “car salesperson” that people think about every time they think you’re pitching to them. I wrote about something a little similar in my recent blogpost talking about women and selling: http://isaacbusiness.blogspot.com
I wrote a while ago about the only ability an entrepreneur can’t miss: selling. As an entrepreneur you start selling even before the products is out on the market, you sell when you hire your first employee and you sell when you a pitching for investment.
Here is the article Guerrilla sales for a start-up