JAN
2012
Business owners are salespeople first
Oftentimes we as entrepreneurs rue about why we are getting a raw deal, why our commitment to superior service levels is not valued enough to bring in bigger, larger orders, why our products are not selling like hot cakes.
The problem, quite often, lies not in our products or services or even at the client’s end. Its something more fundamental. Its simply because we don’t ask! No, don’t let this shock you. Most of us respond to direct requests instead of indirect requests cushioned in words that are supposed to ’sell’ but sadly fall flat in the face.
And this principle holds good even when trying to engage customers or when recruting and retaining an able team. An entrepreneur is a salesperson from whichever perspective you may look at it. To your customers, you sell yor products, to your employees the work environ at your company, to your investors a promise of higher returns, the list goes on. So its little wonder that what holds good for a salesperson holds good for an entrepreneur as well.
The moot point therefore is that one must completely rid oneself of any hesitation and back it up with sound planning.
Lets take a simple example – you have just been told by your seo manager that client testimonials when added to the landing pages of your website can improve the conversion rates. You have scores of really happy clients but no recorded testimonials. What will you do? Will you send out a direct personal request to your top clients asking for a formal review of your services? One would have thought the answer would be a very vehement and obvious Yes.
I was shocked, however, when I recently came in touch with not one, but three recent entrepreneurs, all of them professionals with very impressive resumes to boot, hesitating to pick up the phone and ask their few existing clients for testimonials.
Can you imagine how difficult it must then be for them to ask prospects for sales? What is it that holds these academically successful people back? Is it because it is considered rude to ask people directly for what you want? Is it the fear of rejection that does it? Isn’t not asking, and therefore not getting what you want rejection as well?
Having said that, it does not mean that asking ensures that we will get what we want. But yes, it does increase the probability manifold. When we ask, we put the control in our hands. The answer may be a NO and be prepared to hear a NO. Even hearing a ‘no” can be turned into an advantage. When you hear a no, have the courage to ask why it is a no. Is it because of external factors? Is it because your research or customer segmentation was wrong? Is it because your positioning was wrong? Is it because they are not happy with your service? If it is something that is in your control, rectify it and then go back and ask again.
This may appear to be elementary stuff but it takes a lot of the go-getter attitude to get it right. By not assuming that the person across the table will find it rude, get offended, picture us as greedy, has no need for my product or service, we will do ourselves and our fledgling businesses a great favour. Sometimes, it just helps to not think too much and get down with the “doing’ bit.
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