(you don't have to be this guy)
(Written by Guest blogger, Jane Garee)
If you’re a business owner, you may have come to the realization that your business is not making enough money. Often, people don’t see the direct correlation between “sales” and the revenue that’s coming in. Although I understand the bad rap selling often gets, it’s really just a way of saying, “My company is making money”. If you own a business, this is rather necessary, don’t you think? Although sympathetic to anyone who doesn’t want to sell, it still has to be done. Kind of like when you don’t want to do the cardio but want to eat the cake. So, here are two of the top items you may want to check off your list on your way to becoming a salesperson (also known as, “Hey, I can keep my company going!”):
1. Get comfortable with the language.
It’s become very popular to change the semantics so that we are no longer required to sell, we can just “share”, “explain”, “inform” or “educate”. The fact that people are now wandering around doing this and are surprised that they are not thriving financially may be the biggest sales job of all. If you share, explain, inform or educate anyone about what you do and they don’t pay you for it, is that going to keep your business afloat? The very definition of selling is that there is an exchange of products or services for money. I love goodwill as much as the next person but when it comes times to pay the bills, well. I don’t know about you but I’m only allowed to send money, not testimonials from people who say I’ve imparted great information. I’m of a firm mindset that you can’t say you want to prosper financially and hate sales and expect to see a happy outcome. If you keep in mind that selling is an exchange of something (money for goods or services) and that’s all it is, you’ll be one step ahead in embracing sales as a profession. Go on, just say it. “I sell!” “I’m in sales!” No one has to hear it but you.
2. Be you and not some cheesy “salesperson”.
You don’t have to be one of them to succeed in sales. Embrace sales as something you do, not some personality you have to become! We’ve all experienced the pushy, insincere salesperson who has you screaming for joy when they leave. That’s NOT what I’m talking about and in the long run, this doesn’t work anyway. You can be everything you strive to be in your business; real, sincere, caring, genuinely interested and still close a deal. To do that however, you will need solid sales training to get you the tools you need to be successful. Great sales people aren’t born, they’re made. When you get good sales training, you’ll understand there is a system and specific language that can influence the outcome so that your client’s life will truly improve. I can’t think of anything sadder than someone needing you and not having the chance to understand how much you can transform their life or business. What’s the downside of that? “Gee, Mary. I’d love to help and can but to do that, you’d have to pay me and that just goes against my integrity.” Really? Again, if you love being self-employed and love being able to pay your bills, start to love sales…fast. Believe it or not, good sales training with a good mentor will actually start this process.
The bottom line is, every business has a bottom line and that alone determines your success as a business owner. If you’re serious about your business, you need to get serious about sales. [hr] Jane is part of the Go2Girls 2012 Speaker Series!
Join us for her call, or download the recording: If you’re in business, you’re in sales: How to discover and unleash your inner Sales Rockstar!” [hr] Who is this “Jane Garee” Chick?
Known as the “Sales Strategist for the Non-Sales Person”, Jane teaches business owners and entrepreneurs how to discover, unleash and embrace their inner Sales Rockstar so they can earn the income they deserve and live the life they’ve always dreamed of. She is the founder and owner of Lilyflower Entreprises, which includes the brands Write Expressions Inc, Lilyflower Publishing and the widely popular “Rockstar Sales Strategies” courses. Jane helps business owners gain confidence to take their brand and services into the world through sales strategies that don’t feel sales-y or pushy. Her sales training teaches her clients how to uncover their strongest business traits, position themselves for success and how to stand out in a crowd so their companies prosper.