Increasing Sales

Here's the steps to increasing sales:

1. Qualify Your Prospect -- Maximizing your time is important, so the faster you can determine if you've got a potential customer the better. Determine who the "Decision Maker" is, do you have a good rapport with him/her, is their a problem you can solve or do they know there's a problem? You may have the greatest hammer in the world, but if all this prospect uses is screws -- you can't sell your product.

2. Gain Trust -- Price and product benefits are obvious buying factors, but less obvious ones are intuition, impressions, and rapport. Prospects are just as apt to buy for emotional reasons as practical ones, so you need to show them you are most like them, you're sincere, you keep your word, and are honest. If you say you'll see them on Tuesday, make sure you keep your word. Don't make a promise you don't intend on keeping.

3. Define Your Unique Position -- Your product or service provides your customer with a specific benefit or group of benefits. Make sure it isn't the same as your competition. Why does your company stand out? Let them know the difference.

4. LISTEN! -- Most salespeople are guilty of "overselling", and often miss the sentence from the prospect that says, "You're right. We'll take it." Listen to your prospect as he answers open-ended questions, and even listen to his tone and inflections of speech. Uncover the problem, and then provide the solution and stop talking.

5. Stay Focused -- Too many small business owners spend all their time putting out fires instead of making sales. Spend at least 60% of your time trying to produce revenue. The sales window of 9am-5pm is small, so plan your selling time accordingly. Schedule non-sales generating duties outside this time.

6. Polish Your Presentation -- Don't take your sales presentation for granted. Practice your pitch. You've spent a lot of money perfecting your product or service, take the time to develop a comfortable, confident, effective presentation.

7. Do Your Homework -- Research your prospects so that you can ask better questions, show better under-standing of his business, and be more prepared and confident before your meet.

8. Learn From Success -- Many entrepreneurs have success in one industry with one type of client, and then don't focus on getting more of the same type. If you've been successful selling to doctors and publishers, call on other doctors and publishers and refer to the successes you've had. Prospects will trust you more if they know you have previous experience with others in their field. You also spend less time establishing your credibility with them.

These are just a few of more than 50 or more ways to increase your sales revenue, but they are valuable in helping you to accomplish one very important goal -- TO SELL THE MOST PRODUCT OR SERVICE IN THE LEAST AMOUNT OF TIME. Remember, the only difference between an average baseball player and an All-Star is just one more hit in every 10 at bats. Step up to the plate and sell, sell,
sell.