Five Areas of Focus to Generate Sales

Five Areas of Focus to Generate Sales

There are many factors that go into the amount of sales you may generate in a given day, week, or month. Sometimes the difference between falling short of your goals and exceeding them is focusing your efforts in the right place. Here are five things to focus on that can help you generate sales:

Focus on:

People. Remember that you are in the people business, so focusing on the individual can greatly increase your chances of closing the deal. Figure out the person’s need or problem to be solved, reasons for hesitation, knowledge of the product or service, etc. Furthermore, remember that these vary widely from person to person. Listen carefully. Get a feel for what makes the person comfortable, and demonstrate your genuine desire to help. Being able to read people quickly takes practice, but will take you a long way on your path to success.
Results rather than effort. You may feel that because you have put in a certain number of hours or a certain amount of heart, that you are doing all the right things to generate sales. However, if your results are less than you’d hoped, all that effort may not be contributing to your success. If something isn’t working, look for different things you can try, and keep adjusting. Keep your results in mind to maintain motivation and continue moving forward.
Creativity. Although you may have a lot of competition in your business, there is only one you. Tap into your individuality to spark some creativity. Don’t be afraid to take more risks because playing it safe all the time may prevent you from learning and growing. For example, the owner of a dancewear shop has an extensive dance and singing background, which she incorporates into her business from time to time. During her slower times of year, she promotes certain items and puts them on special. Any time a customer purchases one such item, he or she is treated to a 30-second serenade by the staff. This seemingly silly practice has gotten the shop lots of attention and even more foot traffic.
Excellence and wowing your clients. A disgruntled client is usually one who won’t return. Make sure you put a great deal of focus on excellence and impressing your clients with your attention to their wants and needs as well as your ability to anticipate and extinguish any problems before they arise. Impressing your clients will keep them loyal and motivate them to recommend you to others.
Asking for the sale. So many people forget this all-important part of selling. You may have a whole strategy in place for making a prospective customer say yes, but none of that will matter if you don’t come out and ask for what you want. If nothing else, posing this obvious question will allow the customer to explain why he or she is saying no. Since each “no” can help you find a yes, don’t pass up the opportunity to hear it. And as is often the case, the customer wants to say yes, but won’t initiate that part of the conversation himself. It’s up to you to get it.

Ultimately, your main focus point should be the prospective customer. Incorporating these points, combined with improving your people skills, can have a profound effect on the sales you generate.

What would you add to our list? Please share your ideas below!

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Three Ideas to Improve Your Business Scripts

Three Ideas to Improve Your Business Scripts

It’s no secret that creating a script for a sales pitch or other type of meeting can be extremely helpful. A script can prevent you from forgetting to include important information, can make you feel more prepared, and can increase your confidence. All of these benefits increase your chances of achieving your desired outcomes. Here are some ideas for making those scripts even better.

Build in time to listen. Much of your presentation probably consists of you doing the talking and the audience doing the listening. However, there should be specific parts of your script where you engage the audience in a way that gets them thinking about something in particular. For example, you might pose a rhetorical question and give them time to silently come up with an answer for themselves. Encourage active listening as much as possible to maintain their attention.
Include a Q & A session. A question and answer portion of your script is a wonderful opportunity for you to gauge how effective you have been in presenting your information. The types of questions asked will give you some insight into how the audience perceives your message. Furthermore, a Q & A allows you to clarify important talking points and add new information where appropriate. To maximize the effectiveness of the Q & A, ask the client to be more specific with a question or to explain what is meant by it. This helps others who may have the same type of question in mind.
Allow time for your audience to process the information and provide feedback. Perhaps you can assign a small group activity where your audience breaks off into groups of 2-4 people to discuss a question you’ve posed to them. Doing so allows you to circulate, give each group some individualized attention, listen to feedback, and make suggestions and recommendations. For example, if you are training a batch of new employees on how to handle a difficult customer, consider assigning them a role-playing activity to act out and then discuss its outcome. As you circulate the room, observe each group, interject and guide them when necessary, answer questions as they arise, and offer positive reinforcement. All this increases the likelihood that your audience will get the most out of your message.

To maximize the effectiveness of your scripts, make sure they are well-rounded and allow the audience a variety of ways to engage.

What suggestions do you have for improving scripts? Please share your ideas below!

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4 Tips to Improve Your Public Speaking

4 Tips to Improve Your Public Speaking

If public speaking is a regular part of your role as small business owner, and you are like many people, it may be one of your biggest fears. Fortunately, it does not have to be that way. There a few easy ways to ease your public speaking fears and improve your skills at the same time. Here’s are some things you can do to improve your public speaking:

1 Prepare, prepare, PREPARE! There is almost no worse feeling than being unprepared. If you haven’t done the legwork before a public speaking engagement, you may feel flustered, nervous, and incompetent. These worries will be evident to your audience, so prepare as much as you possibly can. Write down or type out your content, and frequently rehearse using your notes; also, make adjustments where necessary. For example, if you find that you continually lose your place when reading from your notes typed on an 8 ½” x 11” sheet of paper, switch over to note cards, on which you can write just a few bullets before getting rid of that card. Find a system that works for you. You may also consider recording yourself on video to get a sense of your own body language, and how you appear to others.

2 Show confidence. This is easier than it may seem, especially if you have adequately prepared. You know the material, you are a successful leader, and you have been given the responsibility to speak in front of a group of people. Take pride in this role by holding your head high, making frequent eye contact, and speaking in a strong, clear voice. Give yourself a positive “pep talk” before going in front of the group, and tell yourself that you are well able to give your speech effectively. What you tell yourself matters!

3 Focus on key points, but provide personal stories to balance them. Your main focus should be on the key points, or main ideas, of your speech. If you nail those, the rest won’t matter as much. However, it is also important to give your audience a way to relate to you personally. So be sure to provide a few personal stories that will illustrate your main points. These are the things that people often walk away with as a result of your talk. So choose 2 or 3 of your main points, and plan a brief story you can tell that will illustrate those points.

4 End with a call to action. You don’t want your speech to fall flat because of a boring conclusion. End with a call to action from the audience. Doing so helps give your speech purpose and drives your point home. For example, if you are speaking to a team of employees about improving customer service, an effective call to action might be, “Ask your next customer for their honest feedback before you let them leave. Then the next, and the next, and so on. Make this your new protocol.” Concluding with a call to action also helps your audience figure out where to start.

With careful preparation, self-reflection, and a firm grasp on the content, public speaking can become yet another skill you master. And don’t be afraid to ask for feedback from others either in a practice setting or after the real thing. This will help you continuously improve your skills!

What else would you add to our list? Please share your ideas below!

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Five Ways to be Unforgettable

Five Ways to be Unforgettable

The most effective networkers and salespeople have certain qualities that make them unforgettable. Whether you are meeting a prospective customer or presenting a new marketing campaign to your staff, it is important that you leave a lasting impression. Your impression is as important as your content, so keep the following tips in mind when you want to leave a memorable impression.

1 Maintain a positive attitude. Your own attitude about what you are saying is the first thing that people will notice. Not only must you truly believe in your words, but you must display a positive attitude and enthusiasm as well. Demonstrate this with your bright smile and light-hearted tone of voice. Most importantly, let your personality shine through, and your positive attitude will be contagious.

2 Use logic in your presentation. Using facts and reason injects logic into your presentation, and if done effectively, can eliminate any doubt or hesitation. For instance, in a sales pitch to a prospective customer about high end cutlery, one experienced representative always asks the customer to show him the drawer full of cheaper, lower quality knives that are no doubt stashed in the kitchen. The salesperson then asks how often the customer must replace the utensils and how much it costs each time. After showing the prospect on paper the amount that has been spent on low quality products over the last ten years, he then presents the cost of his product to show that because it never needs replacing, the customer is actually saving money in the long run. Numbers don’t lie, so this is an effective way to use logic in a presentation.

3 Tap into emotions. Logic will take you far, but not all the way. Your prospect needs to feel something about your content in order to take immediate action. The cutlery salesperson can tap into a customer’s feeling of accomplishment after preparing a delicious meal for her family with ease. A team leader can tap into the staff’s excitement about beating out the competition with the new marketing strategy. Do your research ahead of time to find out the best way to appeal to people’s emotions.

4 Be concise. No matter how infused your presentation is with a positive attitude, logic, and emotional appeal, it will all mean nothing if you go on for too long. Say only what is necessary, and don’t lose focus by going off on tangents or straying from the topic at hand. Be respectful of others’ time and mindful of average attention spans.

5 End with a creative idea that has impact or something visually powerful. The ultimate part of your presentation must be memorable. Don’t waste the opportunity to pack one last punch by summing up what you’ve already said. End with a creative call to action or a stunning visual that will solidify your overall presentation. The cutlery representative, for example, strategically places his different product samples throughout the customer’s kitchen during the pitch, and ends with asking him or her to take a good look at this new and improved cooking space. Having given the customer’s kitchen a makeover of sorts has a lasting impact and provides a visual that is hard to refuse.

The keys to being unforgettable are to truly believe in what you are presenting and to infuse your own individuality into your pitch. What would you add to our list? Please share your ideas below!

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Eight Ways to be a Great Leader

Eight Ways to be a Great Leader

Effective leadership is not an easy skill to master. It usually takes years and years of experience, trial and error, and self-reflection. However, the more others respect you as a leader, the more successful your business will be. Here are a few tips on how to become the kind of leader you’ve always wanted to be.

1 Keep your word. It doesn’t get much simpler than that. If you say you’re going to do something, be sure to follow through in a reasonable amount of time. You may have unanticipated circumstances arise, but a constant pattern of not doing what you said you would do will quickly cause others to lose their trust and respect. Giving someone your word should really mean something, so be sure to follow through.

2 Be inclusive, welcoming, and make others feel safe. There is nothing worse than an intimidating leader who only seems to associate with a select few. Include everyone from entry-level employees to team leaders and executives within a work environment that rewards hard work and fosters a collaborative feeling. If others are afraid of you, their work will suffer.

3 Encourage creative thinking. You want your employees to think outside the box, so the best way to get them to do this is to model it on a regular basis. When assigning a project, give a clear idea of what you want the outcome to be, and reinforce your desire for higher level thinking and creative ideas. Don’t let others be afraid to take risks.

4 Allow people to share ideas and concerns. You most likely will not agree with many of the ideas and concerns that are brought to your attention, but it is of utmost importance that those who work under you feel free to express them. A business is not a dictatorship, and you want your employees to know that their ideas have value. Give others a voice within your business. You never know what you could be overlooking.

5 Support others and help them grow. When someone makes a mistake or doesn’t seem to be up to par with their colleagues, don’t use it as a chance to knock them down. Give them the opportunity to improve by providing practical suggestions, frequent support, and positive reinforcement when possible. The same applies to those who are consistent achievers; make sure they know you appreciate their hard work and that they have your full support.

6 Keep things running smoothly. Efficiency is the key to a successful operation, so although you may have assigned others to only focus on certain areas of the business, it is your job to ensure that everyone is working together, communicating with each other, and contributing equally to the business as a whole.

7 Maintain an exciting and fun atmosphere. Don’t let the day-to-day goings-on take over the feel of your workplace. Incorporate excitement and fun by planning team-building activities, allowing others to express themselves in a way that is professional and light-hearted at the same time, and even tapping into your spontaneous side. One office manager picks a random day of each month to reward one member of her administrative staff with an employee of the month type of award that includes a silly trinket, a funny song to celebrate, and his or her favorite lunch. Make your business a place that people look forward to working each day.

8 Hold others accountable for their actions. Bending the rules for some and not for others is a slippery slope. If your employees begin to feel that there are different rules for different people, morale will go down and productivity will suffer. When a person messes up, acknowledge it and act on it appropriately. The same goes for people who do something exceptionally well. Be sure to acknowledge it and encourage them to keep up the good work.

You can become a great leader who is well-respected by making sure you level the playing field and encourage creativity and hard work. What are some other qualities you feel make an effective leader? Please share your ideas below!

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Six Easy Ways to Attract More People

Six Easy Ways to Attract More People

Whether you’re looking to attract more customers, recruit new employees, or network with influential people, there are a few simple things you can do to increase your chances of success. Take a look at our list to see how you can attract more people to you and your business.

Engage everyone with a friendly greeting. Sometimes we get caught up in our own worlds and don’t take the time to greet each person properly. Initiate a friendly exchange by greeting each person. A simple opening such as, “How are you this morning?” or “It’s a pleasure seeing you again,” can suffice. More often than not, such pleasantries can lead to a friendly conversation. When people know you are genuinely interested, they will not only remember you, but will look forward to interacting with you again.
Focus on the individual. Although your ultimate goal may be to attract a certain number of people, forget that number when interacting with one person. For that moment in time, focus solely on the individual. What are his or her needs? How can you be of service to the person? What message is the person trying to convey to you? Don’t inadvertently turn people off by engaging them in generic conversations. Tailor your interactions to that particular person.
Avoid arguments. You will not always see eye to eye with each person you come in contact with. Arguing, however, is unprofessional and will turn people away. Be proactive and avoid potentially controversial topics such as politics and religion. Even if you do these things and a disagreement happens anyway, take the high road and “agree to disagree.” People will respect and appreciate your honesty and courtesy.
Assume everyone is good. By doing so, you demonstrate that you are a positive person who sees the good in others. This feeling is contagious and often reciprocated. Everyone makes mistakes, but giving others the benefit of the doubt will encourage a sense of trust and will likely strengthen your relationship. Besides, wouldn’t you want others to think the best of you?
Be helpful. This can be done in so many ways, and a good deed will definitely be remembered by others. For example, the owner of a local pizzeria found a gold bracelet on a table left behind by one of his last customers of the night. He had no idea who she was or how to contact her, so he put it aside in case she came in again. She returned a few weeks later, and he asked her if she had lost it. The woman was so grateful she was nearly in tears; it turns out the bracelet was left to her by her recently deceased grandmother. She told everyone who would listen how generous the man was and became a loyal patron of the establishment. It would have been just as easy for the owner to toss the bracelet or keep it, but his helpful nature earned him something that was priceless for his business.
Get involved. Reach out to your customers, your staff, and your community. Involving yourself in a good cause will show others that you truly care. People are attracted to others who are generous with their time and skills. Demonstrate your sincere desire to give back to those around you.

You can attract more people by treating others kindly and going the extra mile to show them you care. What can you add to our list? Please share your ideas below!

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Five Ways to Find New Opportunities for Your Business

Five Ways to Find New Opportunities for Your Business

By doing more of the things you love and are good at, you can actually maximize your chances of finding a great opportunity for your business. Tap into your desire to interact with and help others, and you’ll find that it benefits your business. Take a look at our list to start making the most of your talents right away.

Talk to more people. Perhaps it sounds too easy, but striking up a casual conversation can lead to countless positive outcomes. Whether you’re at a professional workshop, on the train during your evening commute, or in the waiting room at the doctor’s office, initiate friendly conversation when appropriate. Sometimes even just the mention of what you do for a living will evoke more questions from the other person, and you never know what lies ahead. For example, a former schoolteacher who operates a tutoring business out of his home initiates some small talk with a fellow customer while waiting in line at the grocery store. It turns out the person is looking for contributions to an article she is writing for the local newspaper about the pressures high school students face applying to college. Someone who works so closely with these students in a different way than their regular teachers would make a great addition to the article, and a mention about his business certainly would increase his exposure. Not every casual conversation will end in such an opportunity, but taking this step may lead to more opportunities, so stay alert!
Be more curious. Don’t be satisfied with the status quo. What else can you learn about running a successful business? What is happening in the industry right now that could directly affect you? How do your employees and customers feel about your business? Asking yourself such questions on a regular basis will renew your motivation to move your business forward. If you aren’t constantly looking to improve, you may be in danger of falling behind. Make a commitment to be more inquisitive in your pursuit of success.
Show your passion. What exactly is it that you truly care about? What drove you to start your business in the first place? The former teacher decided to start up his tutoring business after realizing how much he enjoyed the small group extra help sessions he used to hold after school. He was able to connect with his students, which in turn increased their achievements. The regular classroom setting didn’t allow for this, and he found himself wishing his job consisted solely of these after school sessions. Becoming a professional tutor has allowed him to do just that, and his passion for helping young people is finally being fulfilled. Demonstrate the things you are passionate about, and others will be drawn to your drive and enthusiasm.
Constantly ask for introductions. This is similar to asking for referrals, but on a much broader level. Ask friends and family to introduce you to people in their lives that could provide a business opportunity. Take it even further and introduce yourself when possible, such as when at a social gathering. Even when you’re “off the clock,” don’t forget that possible business opportunities can be just a conversation away.
Try new things. Have you ever snuggled up on the couch with your favorite blanket knitted by your grandma and thought about taking up crochet? Or maybe you have an adventurous side and always wondered what it would be like to go white water rafting. If you have other desires outside of your business, find the time to explore them. You will be exposed to a whole new group of people, and a host of possible business opportunities you may not find elsewhere. And hey, you’ll also have fun!

The best way to find a new business opportunity is to know where to look and how to grasp it. You may not always get one in the end, but being active in your search will certainly help move your business forward. How do you maximize your business opportunities? Please share your ideas below!

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8 Ways to Get Positive Results

8 Ways to Get Positive Results

In order to get more consistent positive results out of all that you do, the first thing you need to do is to maintain a positive attitude about every situation. Although we cannot control the behavior of others, we certainly can control the way in which we ourselves behave. Even if you are feeling less than enthusiastic, commit to finding the positive in every situation. Here are some ways you can incorporate being positive into your everyday routine and increase your chances of positive results.

1. Write down your expectation for the day. The act of writing down your expectation solidifies your commitment to following through. By doing this at the start of each and every day, you are making an affirmation that helps you focus your mind and maintain your motivation no matter what challenges the day may hold.

2. Make a plan and prioritize. Writing down your expectation is a great start, but it is only the beginning. How will you go about meeting this expectation? Create a plan and prioritize which tasks are most important; tackle those first. For example, if your expectation is to organize your cluttered office, create a list of what steps need to be taken and in what order. You cannot file pending paperwork away without first purging old files and making new ones. You cannot dust and vacuum the furniture and carpeting without first clearing out the clutter and putting everything in its proper place. Making a list will keep you from becoming sidetracked and will allow you to get the positive results you are looking for.

3. Smile at everyone you see. A little smile goes a long way. Smiling at colleagues, clients, and even strangers on the street will bring out the happiness inside you and will even encourage reciprocal smiles and happiness in others. When people see you as a positive person, they will want to be around you. You will also enjoy your day much more when everyone is in a good mood and pleasant with each other.

4. Make your conversations positive. When someone asks how you are doing, it might not be a good idea to start spouting off negative comments about your team or how stressed you are about tax season. There is a time and place for such venting, but in your everyday conversations with others in a work environment, emphasize the positive. Talk about how excited you are for an upcoming trip or how you can’t wait to debut a new product line. Positive conversation begets more positive conversation, and both parties will appreciate the good feelings.

5. Seek the good in others. Give people the benefit of the doubt by assuming they are good. Everyone makes mistakes, but by seeking out the good in others, you give them a chance to be their best and redeem themselves if necessary. For instance, if a client has made a payment late, only to give you a check that bounces, don’t assume the worst and make an angry phone call. Maybe the person is experiencing personal difficulties that are causing financial strain. Keep this assumption in mind when dealing with adverse situations.

6. Eat healthy and enjoy your exercise. There is a meme circulating the internet that says, “When I eat garbage, I feel like garbage.” We all need to splurge once in awhile, but don’t make it a habit. When you eat right, you have more energy and you feel equipped to take on the day. Furthermore, enjoy the exercise you get, whether it be walking around the block or attending a high-impact Zumba class. The endorphins you produce while you exercise can make you feel re-energized and freshly motivated.

7. Don’t worry about the small stuff. Not everything is a matter of life and death. Learn to recognize what things require immediate attention and deserve your stress, and what things are out of your control or trivial in nature. A leaky roof is a valid thing to worry about, but finding that you have run out of stamps isn’t something to get upset about.

8. Start a daily gratitude journal and end the day with what you are grateful for. At the end of your day, write down the date and jot down what you are thankful for. Do it in a way that makes most sense to you: in prose, stream-of-consciousness, a basic list, or just some key words. If the last thing you think about before going to sleep at night is positive, you will rest easier and be able to continue the positive cycle again tomorrow.

It isn’t always easy to remain positive all the time, but sometimes you have to “fake it ‘til you make it.” Committing yourself to positive behaviors each day will actually help you feel more positive and achieve the results you want.

What do you do to achieve positive results? Please share with us below!

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Three Quick Time Management Tips

Three Quick Time Management Tips

Managing your time can be one of the most challenging aspects of small business ownership, especially since you likely take on many roles to maintain a thriving business. However, by implementing just a few quick and easy suggestions, you will find that successfully managing your time can become second nature. Take a look at the list below to see how to start maximizing your precious time right away.

Make a goal and set a time limit. This goes for tasks both large and small. For example, if you need to contact three different referrals, this can most likely be done in the course of an hour. Give yourself a reasonable amount of time to complete the task, but not so much time that you wind up procrastinating. For tasks or projects that are more involved, such as creating a new marketing campaign, set short-term and long-term goals. A short-term goal might be to brainstorm a list of ideas to market your business, so give yourself an hour or two to generate a comprehensive list. A long-term goal might be holding a marketing or opportunity event, so give yourself a reasonable amount of time to plan and hold the event. By setting limits, you can allow yourself to stay focused and motivated to finish on time.
Find the best way to keep yourself on task. Identify your most common distractions, such as checking and updating social networking sites, or chatting with colleagues who stop by your office throughout the day. Once you’ve figured out what causes you to lose focus, identify what motivates you. Would it be a walk around the park on a sunny day during lunch? Your favorite frozen treat on the way home from work? Find someone or something that will keep you on task by helping you minimize or eliminate distractions, and use your motivators as a reward for staying focused. This takes a good amount of self-discipline, but what could be more worth it than your own business and financial success?
Know why it needs to be done and what rewards come from completing your task. After awhile, some tasks can seem truly mundane. For example, filling out paperwork, proofreading documents, filing invoices, and paying bills are types of tasks that can make anyone want to roll their eyes at the thought. When faced with dreaded tasks, keep reminding yourself of the benefits of completing even the most trivial of tasks. Filing your invoices makes your life easier because it keeps you organized and saves time in the long run. Paying bills keeps your vendors happy, your business afloat, and gives you the ability to continue doing what you love. These subtle reminders can be an effective way to keep you on task no matter what you are doing.

Managing your time well will allow you to continually improve your business and keep moving it forward.

Looking for additional time management tips? Start here:

What are your best time management tips? Please share with us below!

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Three Ways to Close the Deal

Three Ways to Close the Deal

So you’ve gotten that sales meeting, prepared for each possible scenario, made friendly conversation, and have conveyed your ideas and pitch to the best of your ability. Your job is not finished yet, however, because you still need to close the deal. This, for the majority of people in sales, is the most difficult part of the business. The key to successfully closing a deal is to be proactive about why a person may say no and to eliminate his or her reasons for doing so. Here are three techniques to help you close more sales

Understand hesitation and address it by solving the problem. From your point of view, there is no reason to hesitate. You know what a great value you are providing and have no reason to doubt yourself. So put yourself in the other person’s shoes. If you can understand the reason why they may be hesitant, you can deal with it head on, and may be able to overcome the objection altogether by demonstrating how your product or service can solve a problem. For example, a hair stylist and colorist operates her own business doing her clients’ hair in the privacy of their own homes. She is offering new and current customers a package for purchase in which they can have monthly coloring touch-ups, all paid for in advance. While pitching this service, a prospective customer seems hesitant to pay for services that wouldn’t be rendered for months into the future. The stylist validates this concern, and also points out that because customers wait too long in between coloring treatments, the service takes longer and costs more. So by having monthly touch-ups, money would be saved in the long run and hair color would always be properly maintained. She winds up closing the deal because she did not dismiss the client’s concern, but rather confirmed it and then followed up with a solution to the problem.
Fine tune your market and focus on a niche. In an effort to cast a wide net and appeal to as many customers as possible, you could be missing out on success within a niche. The hair stylist mentioned above certainly provides services that likely appeal to a broad range of people, but because she makes house calls and provides a monthly touch-up service, she focuses mostly on working mothers over age 35. This population of women have several things in common that make the stylist a valuable asset to their lives: they’ve started coloring their hair to cover up grays, they need to maintain a professional appearance, their work schedule is too demanding to regularly visit the salon,and when they are not working, they need to be home to care for their children, so an in-home appointment is most convenient. Knowing her target market allows the stylist to put the most time, money, and energy into attracting clients in this population for increased success. Think about a niche that might be most interested in what you have to offer, and come up with ways to specifically appeal to the needs of this market.
Take the focus off business/sales and make it fun. More and more companies are looking to gamification to attract new clients. Consider simple ways to incorporate more fun into a sales pitch or other type of client meeting. For example, to educate potential clients about your product or service, consider a mini-trivia game in which your prospect guesses the correct answers for a small prize. Use whatever fits the situation and personalities of those involved, such as music, video, gaming, comedy, etc. A sales meeting should not be an unpleasant experience for either party, so by making it fun, you are increasing your chances of closing the deal. However, be sure to balance fun with the professionalism needed for the situation.

Closing the deal requires that you understand the needs of the customer, and then highlight how your products or services meet that need. Remember to always be honest, and let the strengths of what you have to offer and your enthusiasm shine through. When the customer understands how your product or service fits their situation, and trusts that you have their best interests at heart, you are more likely to close the deal.

What tips do you have for closing the deal? Please share them below!