Are you struggling with no sales or low sales and struggling to generate revenues from your small business? Are you a small business owner that wants to establish a business and generate a stable income every month but lack sales, marketing and advertising ideas & strategies? Today, we will reveal the secrets to increase sales for Small Business, so that you can increase sales and start generating revenues in no time.
Before we get started, let us tell you that if you do not go through this post thoroughly then you would miss sales secrets and how to overcome the objections raised by the prospects and customers.
So, read thoroughly and try to apply all the secrets to increase sales for Small Business and you would notice that it’s pretty simple to increase sales.
Best Strategies to boost sales for small business 2024:
Table of Contents
Gather Information by Asking Questions – Asking questions to the prospects help clear the doubts and give you a chance to better understand their vision and what they are expecting.
Do not ever rush to closing a sale as people only buy if they see any value. Think it this way – Would you ever buy anything if you do not see any value in it?
As a small business owner you have to understand that if a prospect gives you a call then he/she wants to inquire about your product or service first.
If you can show the value then you don’t have to push for a sale because a prospect would automatically close the deal with you.
But what type of questions you need to ask the prospects?
Never ask if they want to buy your service or product instead ask where they want to use your product or service.
If you have feedbacks to show them then ask them indirectly if they have read reviews about your product or service on the internet. New-age internet businesses that are into buying and selling online often have lots of customer reviews that help build credibility among customers.
Remember, always ask relevant and to the point questions. Do not argue or interrupt in between because when it comes to closing a sale, listening patiently goes a long way.
Learn how much small businesses make on an average
Most useful websites on the internet
Common Sales Objections that don’t let your sales increase
Now, we are coming to a very important aspect of sales that has never been covered anywhere in detail before – Objections in Sales and how to overcome those objections.
Sales objections are common and don’t let you increase sales for small business.
First let us tell you that objections that arise in sales from prospects are an opportunity as objections simply means that your prospect is engaged with you and your story.
Having said that, objections can lead to long and engaging conversations with a prospect and there are chances that in the end your prospect will be convinced to buy from you rather than simply rejecting and saying no within minutes.
For seasoned sales professionals an objection raised by a prospect is like an opportunity.
Overcoming sales objections is the key to making sales. We have listed some tips and tricks that will help you increase sales for small business by overcoming sales objections.
Most common Sales objections that prospects often raise:
‘Your prices are too high or you are too expensive.’
Solution: Don’t feel intimidated and continue the conversation with confidence.
How many times you felt like you have lost a sale once your prospect says “your prices are too high”?
It is quite normal for a small business owner or an entrepreneur to feel like that since you are just focused on closing a sale.
But here’s the thing, if you are offering a better value then it’s quite obvious that your prices will be higher than other.
Remember, people pay for the value of a product or a service and therefore, don’t ever think that you have lost a sale because your prospects are looking to hear from you about the value you are bringing in.
Another very important thing to understand here is that competition is usually a part of business.
It’s your job to show prospects the value by continuing the conversation and to help them understand why you are expensive.
Increase sales for small business by showing prospects the value that you can create for them.
‘I expect more.’
Solution: Present the facts.
Many customers want the perfect combination of exceptional quality, wonderful service, and low prices all handed to them on a silver platter.
We all know it is extremely difficult to provide the lowest possible price while simultaneously achieving the greatest quality and the greatest customer service.
Highlight your strengths to show a prospect what sets you apart and how would that increase sales for small business that a prospect runs.
Have a clearly articulated reason in your back pocket that clearly explains what makes you better than your competitors.
Highlight to your customers what they will receive and why it is, in fact, so great. In other words, sell the value that your product will bring to them.
‘It seems like your service or product doesn’t meet my needs.’
Solution: Present the facts about your service or product that actually complement a prospect’s needs.
Listening to a prospect’s needs carefully will help you highlight the facts about your product or service that a prospect is looking for and that’s what makes a successful sales guy stand out from the rest.
The main takeaway here is that when you truly see through your clients’ eyes, you can customize your approach.
You’ll begin making points that speak to both their emotions and the logical part of their brains.
‘I don’t want to change.’
Solution: Reshape the customer’s fearful mindset.
Show the potential buyer that you have a proven track record of tangible success. And give them numbers to latch on to. Point out your past successes and demonstrate why you are reliable and dependable. This approach will go a long way. Facts speak volumes, and they’re essential to overcoming sales objections.
Overcoming sales objections may take practice, but your skills will improve over time. Never panic, because it certainly isn’t necessary to lower your price to get the sale. The simple act of customizing your approach will put you on the path toward negating future objections before they even occur.
Show the Value by explaining the purpose of your product/service – When you explain the purpose of your product/service with prospects, it allows them to see how they can grow and scale their business or satisfy their personal need; it makes it easier for them to make a decision to buy what you’re selling because they can understand the purpose of it.
This is when references, videos of products and customer reviews come in handy.
Assume that you have already made a sale – One of the biggest secrets of closing the sale is to assume that a prospect on the other side of the phone has already made the decision to purchase your product or service. There are a few reasons behind this:
There are chances that your prospect has already done its research on your company or product, and, to a certain extent, already decided to buy from you.
There’s an extra level of confidence that comes from within by assuming the sale and that helps in presenting yourself to the prospect in a much stronger and better way. By the time you’re done, they don’t even realize they’ve been sold.
Video Tutorial explaining secrets to selling anything with the 4 Ps method
Most Valuable Secrets to boost Sales for Small Business Quickly
Make Everything Personal – Start calls, meetings, presentations, emails, proposals, etc. with something personal. Let them see your outstanding personal qualities so they like you. Winning is half the battle; get them to like you and then they’ll listen to you. Beyond that point, if you have the right product, it get’s much easier to complete the sale.
Show that you are different – It is much easier nowadays to find a product or service to solve a problem or fill a need.
You need to search online, ask friends and look on social media platforms about the companies, products and services that are similar to yours.
Because of this, it’s important that your message stands out from the rest so that your prospect is drawn to you to solve their needs.
Remember, getting prospects choose you begin with a unique first impression and the message that you convey.
- The message must speak to them: what is the pain they’re feeling (remember every customer has some pain areas).
- The delivery of your message must be compelling: make sure the messages you send are actionable.
Tip: Remember, People buy based on their emotions, not logic.
You have to use emotional words to appeal to your prospects imagination and connect to their heart not their head.
It’s been said that people buy based on emotions and then justify logically.
Add Visual Elements to your Story – People connect to the Visual elements more than the plain text and visuals help your message become actionable.
Work on things like videos, whiteboards, images or other pictures and info-graphics that show how a problem will be solved with what you’re selling.
By using images you create contrast, which can create the feeling of urgency, which will help you close the sale.
Try to understand what motivates prospects to buy – To turn rejection into sales is what each small business owner tries to overcome but the art of understating prospects and customers is what you are lacking.
So, here’s an ultimate tip to overcome that challenge.
Take time to learn more about your prospects and what motivates them to buy.
Learn about their needs, challenges, concerns, and fears. Serve them first without hesitation and you will be rewarded back.
As you spend time to learn about your prospects, you will also be able to educate them better and help move them quickly toward making a decision to buy from you.
People buy because they have some pain, or need. Understand your customer’s need, solve that need, and you’ll have a much better chance of making a sale.
Demonstrate Expertise – Show that you know how to solve your prospects problems so they know it will work. You can also reinforce your credentials with references, testimonials and case studies to help position yourself as a problem solver.
Put in Hard Word – There’s no substitute to hard work and great sales professionals work really hard to learn sales techniques that no business school teaches.
Every great sales person or marketer learns the hard way because sales is an art that you can only master with practice and hard work.
Deliver a prompt customer service – Think, how you feel when you have an issue with your credit card or with an order that you had purchased online and there’s no one to listen to you.
You feel frustrated, disappointed by the company and never want to use them again due to their lousy customer support.
While all your focus has been on selling and making a profit, making sure that you are available for customers and prospects when they need you builds a sense of trust and leads to subsequent sales.
People expect accurate, relevant and timely response to their queries and issues.
Provide information upfront – Don’t hesitate to share useful information with prospects as that’s what prospects are looking for.
Often small business owners especially in professional service industries do not provide enough information to the prospects thinking “what if the prospect doesn’t close the deal”?
Well, that’s not true because people are hungry to learn how their problems can be solved and if you can provide such information even before closing a sale then they would sign a deal with you in no time.
When you give more information than you’re comfortable with, you are empowering your customers and actually drawing them closer to your business.
Be clear about expectations – Often small business owners don’t set clear expectations for the customer due to the fear of losing of losing a sale.
Being clear about the expectations at the beginning helps prospects understand what they can expect from your service or product and set realistic goals in their mind.
These expectations need to be set by you (the salesperson) and your company and shaped around the product or service.
If you don’t set these expectations then your customers would set their own expectations which may not be realistic to achieve and may lead to a disappointment at a later stage.
Push for a decision -“Maybe” is a terrible place to be. It’s not good for you, and it’s not good for the customer.
You’re left unsure if the customer is (or will ever be) ready to buy, and the customer is in limbo waiting for a solution.
When you know that prospects have enough information to make a decision, push them to make one.
The next time you’re in a sales meeting with a prospect, don’t ask them to buy from you – just ask for a decision. There’s a difference.
And regardless of what that decision may be, find a way to serve them.
Deliver beyond expectations – If you want repeat sales from customers then delivering services and results beyond their expectations is critical to your success.
If you are thinking that you have to do something beyond your capacity for a customer then you are completely wrong.
Customers understand that they will only get what they are paying for and imagine if you can deliver exceptional results within that budget?
Your customers want to stick with you in the long-term and keep buying from you.
You can do something small that costs you less but maybe big for the customer. Over-delivering can be accomplished in different ways.
- An unexpectedly pleasant experience in services delivery
- A product that wows your customer
When delivering great service to customers, don’t think of it as a short-term transaction.
Instead, make a long-term investment in your customers, and build up the opportunity for repeat business.
Customers new and old should get the same experience, no matter how big or small your business is.
Consistency can be one of the most crucial elements of service for your customers.
If you commit to serving your customers and prospects (beyond just selling to them) not only will you realize increased sales, repeat business and happier customers; you will also achieve a less erratic sales processes.
Few more secrets to increase sales for small businesses:
Offer an incentive – Offer your prospect a unique offer that he/she can’t resist and make a decision quickly instead of waiting for weeks and the turning down the offer.
First-time incentives can be like “10 percent off with your purchase today” or “With today’s purchase, you’ll receive one free hour of consultation.” It’s one of the best business strategy to increase sales and can also help you increase sales volume.
Focus on selling benefits and not features – We often notice that the biggest mistake entrepreneurs make is by focusing on what their product or service is and not what is does to solve the problem.
To increase sales for small business you have to focus on showcasing the benefits of your product or service.
You should focus on informing the prospects how your product can beneficial in solving their problems and not what features it has.
Target the right prospects as it will be easier to sell to them – Your best prospects have a keen interest in your product or service and the financial resources to purchase it and it’s key to increase sales for small business.
They are the ones who will buy most quickly. Target those who are already using a similar product or service or to those you know would be interested in buying one.
Show them the value that you are offering and you are better than competitors.
Turn your Weakness into Strength – As a first-time entrepreneur or a business owner you may not have all the knowledge about sales and marketing but should that stop you from moving forward?
No, because everyone learns with time and by putting in efforts.
Try to figure out your weaknesses and work on them, in sometime you would notice the improvements and momentum in your sales.
E.g. If you’re a small business with limited resources that’s competing with large businesses that have deep pockets, it doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to create your space.
Remember, prospects look for value in exchange of money and not brand name. If your product or service tackles their pain well then your prospects won’t even look at the larger businesses out there.
Be Persistent in your efforts – There’s nothing like in this world that you cannot achieve or become but it takes persistent efforts and lots of hard work.
Most people don’t understand that, on average, it takes six or more calls to close a sale.
And that’s after you’ve provided the prospects with a constant stream of information through your marketing campaigns and follow-up calls.
Find the best buyers for your business – Another very good business strategy to increase sales, if you are into B2C business then you should know that your best buyers live in the best neighborhoods.
If you are a business consultant, a physician, an accountant, a chiropractor, a real estate broker, a financial advisor or a restaurant/cafe owner then consistently go after the people who live in the best neighborhoods.
They are the wealthiest buyers who have the money and the greatest sphere of influence.
If you send them offers periodically you would notice that within a year you’ll have a great reputation among the very wealthy.
If you sell B2B then your best buyers are both mid-sized and large companies and you must target them.
You should send them newsletters, email updates and offers periodically to remind that you exist on the market and you can offer them something valuable.
You can reach out to even the biggest companies where you think it’s difficult to penetrate if you are persistent in your marketing efforts.
People will not only begin to respect your perseverance, they will actually begin to feel obligated.
The secret is to never give up. Just keep going after your prospects again and again.
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Bottom Line
Sales are not tough if you are ready to spend time in learning the secrets that turn an amateur marketer into seasoned sales professional.
Follow the points mentioned above and apply them to you sales strategy to if you are looking to increase sales for Small Business.
There’s no hard and fast rule to sales, sometimes even pro marketers and sales guys fail and amateurs succeed in pushing the sales with their simple yet customized approach that motivates the prospects to close the deal.
We’ll be adding more stuff to this post on a regular basis to help you increase sales for small business, so keep coming back for more valuable updates.
References
https://www.infusionsoft.com/business-success-blog/sales/sales-process/how-to-increase-sales
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/51268
https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2016/02/03/increase-sales-online
Great post!