June 14, 2012

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5. Don’t forget about the benefits.

Don’t start your pitch with how long you have been in business, and why you are great. Customers don’t buy drills because they have an undying urge to have a cordless drill on the garage wall. They buy drills to drill holes. They have a pain! They need a hole. Only after a customer is interested in the benefit your product or service offers will they pay attention to the features. Focus on the benefits!

David Wolf, Founder and CEO of InBusiness, Inc.

6. Use good tools.

Isolating who you spend your time selling to is essential. If you don’t you could spend their time and attention hounding the wrong folks. Your goal should be to glance at your pipeline and decipher who is “very interested” as opposed to “minimally interested.” The best way to start is with a great customer relationship management (CRM)  tool and excellent marketing tracking methods (analytics).

Joy Gendusa, Founder and CEO of PostcardMania

7. Create strategic messages.

Small business owners tend to focus on selling as a tool for distributing their product or services while overlooking the strategic value that a well designed sales team can provide in the long run. In addition to acquiring new business, your sales team should be communicating 2-3 strategic messages to customers. Take the time to identify these messages rather than focusing simply on revenue generation.

Willy Bolander, Assistant Professor at The Florida State University Sales Institute

What are some sales strategies and tactics that have worked well for your small business? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Photo Credit: BBNY

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