This post is one in a series of five guest posts authored by the super star bloggers pictured below. As part of a celebration of National Small Business Week we are asking readers to match all five guests posts up with the contributing blogger to be entered for a chance to win an iPad2. Read all five posts in today’s series and come back each day this week for five new posts in this great educational series and another chance to win.
Jim Connolly
Jim Connolly specializes in helping small businesses to make massively more sales and boost their profits, through common sense marketing. As well as having one of the world’s most popular marketing blogs, he has also contributed to programs on The BBC and ITV in the UK as well as CBS in North America. .
I Hate Selling, So Now How Do I Convert Leads 1
Many business owners attract sales leads, but feel uncomfortable converting those leads into paying clients. They are not salespeople and find the whole conversion process a little daunting.
If that sounds like you, fear not, (literally.) In this brief post, I’m going to show you a way to successfully convert leads and enjoy the process too.
The reason so many businesspeople hate selling, is that the typical sales process is pressurized. Prospective clients feel pressure because, as we know, people love to buy things but they hate being sold to. Businesspeople who hate selling feel pressurized, because they know they are about to encounter the pressure of “buyer resistance”, which the prospective client uses to protect themselves.
The solution?
To make this process as profitable and enjoyable as possible, simply be yourself – Not a salesperson! You’re an expert on your industry, your company’s services and how they help people, at least you should be. But you’re not a salesperson and that’s exactly what your prospective client needs to hear, so tell them! Let them know that you want to help them make the right decision, using your experience and knowledge.
Very quickly, the pressure evaporates on both sides.
You can now focus on sharing what they need to know, in order to make the right decision. Their buyers resistance dissolves as you earn their trust, by speaking with them, rather than trying to sell them. You then explain how your service provides exactly what they need, handle their objections and let them know you’d welcome the opportunity to look after their requirements.
Over the past 25 years, I have sold many millions of dollars worth of products and services using that approach. It’s a super-effective, low pressure and extremely enjoyable way to do business.
