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The Number One Speed Bump to An Entrepreneur’s Success

Posted on: October 24th, 2011 by Beth Heilman

While it's no secret that going into business for yourself can be a challenge ( heck, it can be downright scary), but the number one speed bump on the road to success is one itty bitty word…sales.

For some folks, just the thought of having to sell something to someone makes them break out in a cold sweat like they have the latest strain of the flu.

Why is this? As someone who made the bulk of her living as a Real Estate Agent for 20 years, and making commission-only at that, the idea of helping a customer solve a problem with a product I represent makes me feel warm and fuzzy all over. Selling them what they need is actually serving them.

To withhold what I know will help them solve a pressing problem or make them feel better actually feels selfish…now.

There was a time however when I could completely relate to how my sales team and coaching clients feel.

Sales was scary. There were sales trainers teaching techniques that were in a word…manipulative. It felt unnatural to memorize 20 different closes (remember the Ben Franklin close?).

Today, sales is all about building relationships and to that I say, "Yipee!!"

For entrepreneurs that should be a breath of fresh air.

Most entrepreneurs are "people people" and creating and nurturing relationships is what we do best. Things change though when that "sales" words gets tacked to it.

It's time to stop all the weirdness and get comfortable with the idea of serving your customers by getting them involved with your product or service.

Want to feel comfortable with the sales process and smooth out the speedbump? Put the focus on serving your customer with what you have to offer and take the focus off feeling like you're doing something "to them". You'll succeed when it becomes about them and what they want. The result will show themselves in happy, repeat customers; a sense of pride and satifaction is your business and oh, a healthy bank account.

How do you feel about the selling process in your business? Are you satisfied with it or are there things you want to change? Leave a comment below and let's talk. Until then…Make it  wondermous day 🙂

To your Sales Success,
Sonrisas(smiles),

Beth
 

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The Secret To Sales Success Is Connecting With Your Customer

Posted on: October 10th, 2011 by Beth Heilman

Today I want to talk with you about how connecting with your customer is the secret to sales success…in ANY business.

How many times have you gone into a store or (gulp) stepped on a car lot and were met with one of two things? Either you were ignored totally while the clerks of said store gossiped amongst each other or horror of horrors…you stepped out of your car only to be descended on by a school of hungry piranha?


Neither scenario makes you feel like doing business there and the last one I mentioned makes you want to run for the hills!!

What's a person to do when all they want is to get a little help, get some questions answered and, big shock to the merchant, actually buy something.

What ever happened to good, old fashioned sales skills? I'm taking a stand for a sale skills revival and it's gonna start right here.

The first thing any dedicated salesperson needs to do is make a connection with their customer. By that, I mean greet them with a smile, find out their name and what it is they came to you for.

Here's one of the most important secrets…Ask them questions about what it is they need and what it is they WANT (yep, folks there is a difference). And then, here's the most important part…LISTEN.

It's been said many times and in many ways that we all have two ears and one mouth and they should be used in that proportion. In other words we should listen at least twice as much as we talk 🙂

Don't plan what it is you're going to say next. Don't have a laundry list of answers to their objections ready to rapid-fire back to them.

Really listen. Your customers will let you know exactly what it is they want if you'll just listen.

I remember a few years ago I was in the market for an SUV.  I'm an Acura girl from way back( I've had three of 'em, still own two)and I knew I wanted an Acura MDX.

Now here in Las Vegas we have one Acura dealer and I stopped at the car lot one afternoon to take a look. After checking out the inventory for a few minutes, a very well dressed gentleman came out and asked me what I was interested in. I told him. I wanted a late model used MDX ( I rarely buy brand new. Depreciation…ick!!) with low miles, Touring package, loaded. I'd done my homework (hint: your customers have probably been doing their homework, too. That's how they found you).

This guy didn't hear a thing I said. All he kept asking me (several times) was what color did I want. Color? I never mentioned color. Not once. He was fixated on the color thing (I guess women car buyers are supposed to only care what color the car is, huh?) to the point that I finally told him I'd take anything but purple  (there is no such thing as a purple MDX, by the way). At last, in frustration I left the lot, went up the street to the Honda dealership, found exactly what I wanted and I'm still driving it today.

The moral of the story? Customers today are smart, educated and more than a bit skeptical when it comes to parting with their money…especially large sums of money. Can you blame them?

The more you take the time with your prospects and customers to find out about them and what they want, the easier, more fun and more profitable the sales process will be for you and them. Now…got your questions ready and your listening ears on? Get to it!! Happy selling!!

Ever had a nightmare sales experience (or a really good one where everybody came out a winner?) Please share it with everyone below. It's just as important knowing what NOT to do as it is what works. Until next time…make it a wondermous day.

To Your Sales Success,
Sonrisas(smiles),

Beth 🙂

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Your Ideal Client: Narrow Your Focus For A Broader Reach- Part 2

Posted on: August 2nd, 2011 by Beth Heilman

In the last post we talked about narrowing down your focus when you’re looking for your ideal client.

We talked about how what’s called the “shotgun approach” to marketing never works. You can’t be all things to all people.

But how do you identify your ideal client? Who are they really and how do you find them?

Find Your Ideal Client

Find Your Ideal Client

For starters, look at all the customers you have now. Who is it you enjoy working with the most?

Are they in a certain age group? Are they men or women? What does your product do for them? Are they business owners or do they work for some one else? Are they single parents?

Demographics like age, gender. and family status and are just one part of the equation.

The other part and (probably the biggest part) of that same equation is:

What problem does your product solve?

If you have a great weight loss solution, do you work with people who have 5-10 pounds to lose and want to look fabulous for an upcoming class reunion or do they have 50, 100, 150 pounds or more to lose and if they don’t, they might not be here in 5 years.

How you talk to, market to and where you find those people who have a true obesity problem will be
light years different than the class reunion crowd.

Another example I can give you is my ideal client…you.

You’re more than likely here because you want to have your own business. You’re just starting out or most likely haven’t even started one yet. You probably aren’t sure yet what you want to do when you grow up, you just know that what you’re doing now isn’t it 🙂

You may have gotten the rug pulled out from under you when the housing market crashed like I did, but the thought of taking just any old job earning way less than you’re used to makes you want to cry.

You’re smart, you’re ambitious, you have tons of great ideas and things you love to do, but you’re not sure how to turn that into a business, a successful business, that not only earns you a great living, it allows you a great life. You’re who I love working with. 🙂

How can you find the clients you’ll love working with? You go where they are. We’re so lucky that with the internet, we have the whole world at our fingertips. There are online forums on nearly every conceivable topic, there are groups on social media like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

For those of you who prefer face-to-face interaction there’s are meet-up groups all over the country. Go online and search for the problem your product solves then add forum or blog (for a virtual online meeting) or meeting after it and then add your city.

Ex: weight loss + forum OR dog lovers + meet up + san diego

Easy peasy, right?

Here’s another example for you. Some of my ideal clients happen to be Realtors. They were really hit hard in the housing crunch and many are just barely making it, but they’re not sure what else to do. I also
happen to be a Realtor so I definitely speak the language.

(Hint: always speak to your ideal client in the language they understand(no, I’m not saying learn a foreign language). If you deal with folks primarily in one profession ie; doctors, mortgage folks,
attorneys, truck drivers, chefs; learn some of the “industry speak” that they use.

Bottom line…meet them where they are. They’ll appreciate the effort and will feel more comfortable talking with you.

And always, always, (did I say always?) come from a place of service, sincerity and authenticity. People are savvy and will spot a phony (or someone who only wants to make a quick sale) a mile away. I know that’s not you 🙂

Finding your ideal client is a breeze when you really narrow down who you want to work with and the problem you can help them solve.

Let me know any ideas or any questions you have about where you can look for your ideal client.

Then again how would you like it if your ideal client found you?…

I’ll show you how in some upcoming posts. Until then…

Make it a wondermous day!

Sonrisas (smiles),
Beth

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Your Ideal Client: Narrow Your Focus For A Broader Reach

Posted on: July 28th, 2011 by Beth Heilman

As small business owners, it makes sense to reach out to as many potential customers as we humanly can.The reasoning behind this is that the more people we can see, talk to or get to visit us the more we’ll sell, right?

Well…no.

It sounds counter-intuitive I know, but not everyone is your customer. That’s a good thing…really.

Let me ask you something…

Is it easier to write, video or speak a marketing message that tries to attract the attention of a huge group of people? Or is it easier to concentrate on a very specific problem that a specific group of people is having and speak to that.

Ideal Client

I’m thinkin’ it’s the second one. Here’s an example…

Years ago I was very active in a Direct Sales Company that sold skin care products. The products were fabulous (still are) and the general feeling of the powers-that-be of the company was that it should be a no-brainer to sell because “everyone has skin”.

Yes, everyone DOES have skin, but not everyone wants the sames results for their skin.

Some is dry, some is oily, some has break-outs, some is getting kinda crinkly around the edges. You get the idea, right?

The best and most effective way to sell in any business (yes, I said sell. It’s not a bad word) is to narrow your focus and identify the customers you want to work with and help the most. Direct all your marketing towards them.

Talk to them like you’d talk with a friend over lunch and see how easy (and fun) it is to build a relationship with them that will keep them a customer for years to come. Narrowing your focus won’t cut down on the number of people you serve. It will strengthen your relationship with the right people…your ideal customers.

How do you figure out who your Ideal Client is and where do you find them? Stay tuned for the next post and I’ll tell ya 🙂

In the mean time, your input is really important to me. Leave a comment below and let me know how I can help you in your business. Til next time…

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Selling By Intuition

Posted on: May 14th, 2011 by Beth Heilman

Intuition. What is it exactly and how can you apply it to your sales career? The dictionary.com definition of intuition is

–noun
1. direct perception of truth, fact, etc., independent of any reasoning process; immediate apprehension.
2. a fact, truth, etc., perceived in this way.
3. a keen and quick insight.

I define it as an inner “knowing”. In other words it’s not a head knowledge, but a “heart knowledge“.

Selling By Intuition

Selling By Intuition

Have you ever been working with a customer and they were saying all the right things, agreeing that what you have to offer is perfect for them and you’re thinking to yourself ka-ching…payday!! But, something deep inside you is saying that something’s “out”, something’s not quite right. Intuition…

You keep going, you proceed with your best close. They follow through and make the purchase only to call you the next day and cancel. Rats!! So close…but were you really?

Were you listening to them with your head or listening with your heart during the sales process? There is a difference.

Even if you tell yourself you don’t have a good intuition, you really do. Everyone does, some folks have just developed it more than others; that’s all.

So how do you develop your “sales intuition”? First, you have to acknowledge that you have it (you do).

Second, think of a time when there was something you “just knew”…

Maybe you were driving on the way to an appointment and all of a sudden you got the urge to turn left instead of turning right like you always do. At first you’re curious why the urge to make a detour was so strong, then you may get aggravated that now your trip is going to take longer. Later you find out there was a traffic accident on the route you were planning to take and traffic was backed up for hours.  Taking the detour meant you made it to your appointment on time. Hmmm…

Maybe it’s a phone call you know you need to make. You’ve been thinking of the person you had to call and then, brrrringgg.

The phone rings and it’s that person you were thinking of on the other end. Spooky? No. Intuition? Yes.

So how do you apply intuition in your sales career?

When you’re asking your customer what their wants and needs are, listen for the answers with your heart and not your head.

What I mean by that is, do the answers they’re giving you “feel” right? Do the words they’re saying, the tone of their voice and their body language all match up? Is there a real connection and flow to the interaction?

If so, great. Keep moving forward to the close.

If not, relax. Be patient, ask more questions, trust your intuition (your inner voice) and really listen. You know if what you have to offer is right for them and if it is, they do too. When you’re being your authentic self and letting your intuition guide you, you’ll always do what’s in the best interest of your customer (and you).

Develop your sales intuition muscle and sales success will naturally follow.

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