February 7, 2018 Why Everyone is Affected by the New Era of Selling
Whether you own your own business, you’re a solopreneur, a social media marketer, or in customer acquisition in a large firm, you’re in sales. You have a product or service. You want others to use it. It’s as simple as that.
Well…I wish it were that simple!
I worked as a sales manager at 3M for over two decades and saw a lot of changes…but those changes have accelerated over the past ten—or even five—years. Now, your potential customers can easily shop around and get to know your offerings and prices (and those of your competitors) before you even have a chance to reach out and engage them.
It’s also a social media-heavy marketing environment, and really hard to predict the next trend. Not to mention, with so many people elbowing for space on social media, it’s tough to get your voice heard.
It’s also a global society. You can hop on Etsy and buy a dress from a Japanese clothing company, or a pair of hiking shoes from Sweden.
In some ways, all these changes are great for consumers—they have a world of knowledge and products at their fingertips—but it’s not so great for small business owners or companies who are struggling to keep up.
HOW on earth do you approach sales in this new era?
I’ll admit, I’m not a marketer. I won’t tell you how to find your potential customers, but I will advise you on your approach once you find them.
Start with these five steps:
1. Believe wholeheartedly in your product
If you aren’t fully behind what you’re offering, it won’t sell. Potential customers are savvy enough to know when you’re not actually enthusiastic about the product you’re selling. Some of the most convincing ads I’ve seen on social media were for product that might seem ordinary (meals in a box, yoga pants, marketing webinars), but they were endorsed by very enthusiastic individuals who seemed to have a genuine stake in their product.
2. Pinpoint your audience with laser focus
Use data (and data analysts) to develop a deep understanding of who your audience is and it will be easier to find them and approach them. I’m talking not just about demographics (which is important, of course), but also your audience’s interests, their frustrations, and what makes them happy. Your product or service solves something. WHO benefits from your solution? When you know who, precisely, that is, you will feel good about selling them something that helps improve their life.
NOTE: You can utilize social media advertising to target people in a VERY narrow way. By having a precise understanding of your audience, you can take advantage of this ultra-targeted marketing.
3. Tell a story
If you’ve ever watched a crowding funding video on Kickstarter or IndieGoGo, you know that some of the most successful campaigns are ones that tell a story. It doesn’t have to be a personal story (although that can sometimes be effective); it could simply be the story of Jane Doe who travels for business all the time and can never sleep on the airplane…until she tried the Ultra Amazing Pillow!
When you tell a story in sales, you’ll want to make sure it feels natural (not over-rehearsed or awkward) and is relevant. Your story could be as simple as: “Mr. Jones had X Problem. Product ABC helped Mr. Jones in this way…”
4. Focus on education
This is the era of giving things away for free. Your customers will likely be used to getting free information (online newspapers, blog posts, eBooks, etc.), so why not take advantage of that mechanism? Offer a valuable (key word!) freebie and learn how to effectively use a sales funnel to turn interested individuals into paying customers.
5. Meet face to face
In our fast-paced, digital era, the most surprising “bold” move you can make is moving offline. Now, face-to-face interactions are more valuable than ever. It’s becoming a lost art to sit down with someone, look them in the eye, and tell them about what you do and what you’re offering. If you’re good at it, you will likely have an edge over nearly everyone else who is just playing the digital game.
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS®DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM
Tags: better sales, engagement in sales, everyone a salesperson, everyone is in sales, honest sales, improve sales, Margaret Smith sales, Margaret Smith Twin Cities, new era of sales, sell your business, storytelling in sales
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- Posted under Better Business, Communication, Sales
January 31, 2018 4 Strategies to Stand Out (Not Brown Nose)
This is your year! It’s time to earn that promotion, get your raise, or capture that leadership role you’ve always wanted. If you want to make big strides this year, you’ll want to make sure you shine in all the right ways. Remember, you never know when the right person will take notice of your abilities so it’s a good idea to always practice consistency—consistency in your attitude, work ethic, standards, and perspectives.
Of course, you’ll want to get the basics right first. Complete your projects before the deadline, show up on time, strive to make positive connections. But, beyond that…how do you stand out while being yourself and not seeming desperate?
Try these four tips:
Speak up
Your opinions and ideas are worthy. When you speak up during team meetings or during one-on-ones, you start to be on others’ radars. This is a great first step to earn your next big thing.
Dress impeccably
They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but guess what…everyone does. Dress well every day, as if your boss’ boss is going to step into the room and vet you for a promotion.
Don’t stoop to gossip
Keep your standards high and don’t talk badly about others. Gossip has a way of circling around, and it’s just not worth it. Demonstrate that you are trustworthy and above petty office rumors.
Take smart risks
Doing everything like everyone else will never get you ahead in the workplace. Set yourself apart by taking smart risks. Bring your ideas forward, speak up, take on big responsibilities, be a leader. Of course, you’ll want to make sure you’re making strides before you make waves.
How will you make an effort to stand out this year? Let me know in the comments or send me a message outlining your plan. This is YOUR year. Go get it.
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS®DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM
Tags: authentic leadership, better leadership, earn a promotion, Margaret Smith UXL, promotion 2018, promotion strategies, stand out, stand out leadership
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- Posted under Advice from a Life Coach, Personal Branding, Thrive at Work
January 24, 2018 Your COURAGE Workbook, Part 4: COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIP
The wrap-up of my COURAGE Workbook series dives into courageous leadership. Even if you are not a manager or “boss,” you can still be a leader. Whether you’re heading up a project or you’re the office go-to expert on a certain computer program, you are a leader and leaders must act with courage.
Why courageous leadership?
Without courageous leaders, the workplace stagnates. Bold ideas and innovation are ignored in favor of “we’ve always done it this way” methods. On the other hand, bold leaders embrace change, empower their team, and forge ahead, even when it involves some amount of risk.
Courageous leaders also stick up for their team. They are advocates for others, which means occasionally putting themselves on the line.
Bold leaders are not afraid to admit when they’ve made a mistake. Rather than try to blame others, they accept responsibility and then move forward, looking for solutions to the problem.
As a leader, how will you act courageously?
- Have you ever had someone advocate for you (recommending you for a job/task, sticking up for your abilities, trusting you to do something even if others had doubt)? How did it feel? How can you pass on the favor to someone else?
- Commit to embracing bold ideas. How will you encourage others to bring forward their thoughts? How will you foster an atmosphere of open communication and idea-sharing?
- Courageous leadership often involves speaking up, whether you’re discussing an idea, a person’s role, or a big change. Identify your next “speaking up” opportunity (a staff meeting, a one-on-one, a coffee meeting, etc.). How will you commit to speaking up, despite the risks?
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS®DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM
Tags: be courageous, career courage, courage at work, courageous leadership, Margaret Smith coaching, Margaret Smith Minneapolis career coach, Margaret Smith professional speaker
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- Posted under Communication, Leadership
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