Top sales tips for entrepreneurs

Selling is an important skill for small business owners and self-employed professionals, but even for seasoned salesmen it is a constant learning process.

Writing for online resource Complete Sales Management, Robert Estupinian notes that a successful sales strategy is imperative to small businesses as it means all parts of the organisation run smoothly and ultimately maximises profits. Many people who have set up their own businesses may not have a solid grounding in sales skills but, according to US businessman Harvey Mackay, it is rare for the head of any company, no matter how small, to not have to play the role of sales person from time to time.

Know your customer

Speaking to the Post Bulletin, Mr Mackay asserts that his top tip for any sales person is to know something about the individuals they are trying to sell to, as knowing what they really want and tailoring the pitch towards them can foster recognition and respect among consumers.

He also notes that having a good reputation can greatly benefit anybody looking to sell, adding: "Everything flows from your reputation - customer loyalty, referrals and more." According to Mr Mackay, one way to build a good reputation is to take measures such as writing thank you notes, remembering customers' names and taking a personal interest in them.

However, online news resource Sales Vitamins advises that sales professionals should be wary of letting the customer run the sale, noting that while it is good to build strong relationships it is vital to remember that the seller always comes first.

The seller comes first

According to Sales Vitamins, the sales professional is the best person to "direct the sales process and provide sales help when and where needed", as they can ensure that all involved parties get what they want out of the interaction.

"The sales professional knows how to sell to a specific customer and can put together the following mix of ingredients: customer relationship management, competitive benchmarking, product recommendations/information, budgets and timing," it states.

Don't get sidetracked

A third top tip for sales professionals comes from author and adviser Mark Winder who states that people must be careful to actually ask for the sale. While this may seem like an obvious thing to do, Mr Winder tells online news resource E Zine Seeker that when people get into a conversation with their potential customer they can all too easily miss out the sales pitch.

He adds that it is vital to ask for a sale, as it can cover a "multitude of sales sins" and ultimately people do not get what they do not ask for. Mr Winder claims that many people avoid this part of the interaction due to fear of rejection but reminds business people that in sales even rejections can be viewed positively and be turned into a "yes" at a later date.

This opinion is also expressed by Mr Mackay, who notes that asking for what they want is a key skill for sales experts.

Bring in the experts

If a business owner feels that they cannot successfully take these tips onboard they could consider employing somebody else to take care of their businesses' sales side. A recent article on the blog 'Stand Out Jobs' states that when looking to employ a sales person it is vital to see candidates' practical skills in action before making any decisions. It suggests setting up a mock scenario and asking them to sell something to see how effectively they deal with questions and pressure.

Solid training is key

Commenting through Complete Sales Management, Mr Estupinian notes that when taking on new sales staff it is vital that they are training effectively, adding that it must be the right sort of training.

Rather than teaching sales techniques, he advises implementing a sales strategy which will see people going into exchanges knowing exactly what they want to achieve. So, a successful sales team can help boost a small business's bottom line and if the business owner does not feel confident enough to start selling they can always employ somebody who can.

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