THE world of sales is forever moving and changing, and as a small business owner you will inevitability lose a percentage of your business, no matter how successful you are. This could be down to people moving away, sales lost to competitors or business closures but most significantly market trends and buyer behaviour changes.
As a professional business person, it is your responsibility to get new business. It’s not enough to wait for customer inquiries or leads to come from advertising. You need to develop a system to find new business. There are many ways to find new customers.
For example:
Existing Customers
First of all there are your present customers or past inquiry list. It is much easier to sell to someone you have already sold to, as there is already a relationship.
As people move all the time, it is important that databases and contact information are regularly cleaned and updated.
Changing jobs and roles means that you need to keep on top of who is your new contact; remember you’re doing business with the person, not the company. Your database is a valuable tool for your business – keep it updated and always add to it.
Working Smarter
There are numerous examples of working smarter, not harder in sales. One example is the burglar alarm sales person who reads his local paper and finds out where the burglaries have been, then phones every house in the surrounding area and tries to sell alarms. Keep vigilant for opportunities where there is a need you can tap into.
Referrals
It is important not to ask for referrals until you and your client are happy with your relationship. They should want to recommend you and not feel pressurised into it.
Referrals are the most successful and profitable way to grow your business. You should wait and develop a strong relationship before the subject of referrals arises.
Research
You should set time aside to research newspapers, magazines, trade directories and the internet to find new customers and opportunities. For example, if you sell furniture, be aware of buildings that change hands, office blocks being built, etc. These are ideal leads and inroads as you know there is a need for your product already.
Nurture your present customers and find new ways to win new ones – your success depends on it!
If you need help finding customers or going into new markets, TEDCO’s MintFresh service can help.
