I meet a lot of entrepreneurs and business owners. Some are at the idea stage and some may be long in the tooth in business. 

But what many of them do not understand fully is; what they sell. Personally, I sell products as all things can be boxed this way. If you are a plumber you are providing a service but if you think by the hourly rate you can sell time as a product or a boiler service etc. People understand products as they have a price as opposed to a service which may not have a fixed price so make sure you do this as often as you can. 

Sounds simple doesn't it. I have advised numerous new ventures at idea stage that before they start choosing brands and developing websites, business cards and touring offices they should spend some good solid time on their exact proposition. Who will be the client and as importantly why should they buy from you?

At start point you need to understand your product in very finite detail as if you don't your client never will and why should they? What exactly does your product do for the client? And yes, it is exactly not generic. For instance, there are lots of emotive reasons why we buy certain types of cars, but the core reason and benefit are for the method of travel that they allow us. We want to get from A to B. That is the core benefit of a car.

They have lots of features and advantages that add weight to the buyer journey without doubt and will also preference one over another but if they did not move the features are pretty pointless. It is this we buy. You must think of what you sell in the same way. What does it really do?

Your job is to sell it to them not for them to have to work hard to understand it. Like buses another one will be along soon.

Too many businesses miss this very important point. I find too that some advice centres and business coaches and mentors do too as they have never sold so therefore don't understand the importance. If you cannot sell you likely will not succeed.

Now you get what it is you have made, invented or developed you need to now understand fully who will buy it and why would they buy it? What is it that this provides that they need or want? What problem are you solving and who has that problem? That’s your customer and your pitch all in one. Remember too we are all generally selfish and lazy so you need to know the features and advantages of what it is but, it is the benefit that sells it. 

What does it do for your client, save time, money, improve their life? This is what will cause an action to purchase in them. You will also need to consider how you sell it and market your product. This can be directly via mail order, the internet, advertising and employed sales people. Will you sell direct to the consumer or via a wholesaler or 3rd party such as a retail outlet. 

Going forwards don't forget some simple tasks like ask for the order. Often overlooked. And keep asking and keep telling clients what else you sell that they might buy. The easiest sell is to someone you have already sold to yet too many companies spend all their time searching out new unconnected clients rather than repeat or upsell the existing. 

There is also networking and alongside choosing your event wisely you should not expect to sell at an event. Take the time to build relationships and carry the chat onwards to another day when the pitch mentality can settle in effectively.

So, that's some of why I love sales and if you don't anymore, or have lost your way then maybe I can help you love it again.

You can view this article from Brian Bush, Business Growth Specialist here

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