Business owners, marketing/sales

[IDVortex]

Out of the ordinary, use to work full time for myself, didn't do bad, but also, my weak point in my business is the salesman/marketing. I'm now going back to being self employed 100%, im wanting to learn more on being a good salesman and how to market more correctly. Anyone have knowledge or suggestions on where to go to get better at these things? Everyone salesman to sale a good marketing or salesman program nowadays, im wanting to actually learn how to grow so im not my own glass floor anymore.

Help?

 

[mattmann]

First off, congratulations on going back to work for yourself. I am a business owner as well, second generation in a general contracting construction world. I absolutely love my job. We have around 100 employees with 2 of them being my two brothers. I can tell you from personal experience and doing this for 25 years that when it comes to sales, you either have it or you don’t. Some people could not talk to a brick wall while others could strike up a conversation with anything and anyone. I am blessed with that. My wife laughs all the time because everywhere we go, I tend to talk to strangers and get to know people. I truly enjoy doing this and believe it is a gift that some people have and some people don’t. I’m sure there are plenty of places you could learn and get coaching, but unfortunately, that is what I have seen. I would be crazy to think that it cannot be taught otherwise but just giving you what I have seen in 25 years of doing this.

I will say that that’s why most business owners hire good salesman. Good luck!


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[Poser]

The expertise required for marketing and sales are fundamentally different. My experience managing a team selling digital marketing products has underscored this: digital marketers typically don't excel at sales, and strong salespeople rarely make effective marketers. Assigning fulfillment responsibilities to salespeople, or allowing the fulfillment team to handle sales conversations, leads to confusion and ultimately hinders both sales and fulfillment effectiveness. Clear separation of these roles is essential.

 

[mtnbiker208]

Maybe check out the association of your industry. Ie i am in the furniture industry and the Home Furnishing Association has all kinds of educational material, from books to podcast.

Most people think sales is the ability to bullshit well. That helps, but that is not the end all of sales.

start tracking oppurtunities and how many time you sell the oppurtunities. ie close ratio
start tracking what each sales brings in. then divide the total by amount of sales made: that is your average sale.

you can become a great salesperson when you start tracking the statistics. We have been doing this since 1998.

anyone can bullshit, but can you listen, get the person to trust you, solve there problem and ask them to buy the solution?

 

[hereinaz]

What industry?

Be an expert. Share your knowledge.

Be trusted. Don’t BS.

Reach out to similar businesses that are not competitors, and carefully ask for a few minutes of their time and stick with the time. You will find opportunities and partnerships.

 

[hereinaz]

Read and follow the book Never Eat Alone. That’s the best way to market and network, in my experience.

 

[180ls1]

My best marketing is just reliably doing what my job title is and I usually have no shortage of referrals and business. I don't mean that to brag. Insurance / Finance.

I would find one guy you click with and just run their model. I really like Donald Miller.

 

[Marble]

First off, congratulations on going back to work for yourself. I am a business owner as well, second generation in a general contracting construction world. I absolutely love my job. We have around 100 employees with 2 of them being my two brothers. I can tell you from personal experience and doing this for 25 years that when it comes to sales, you either have it or you don’t. Some people could not talk to a brick wall while others could strike up a conversation with anything and anyone. I am blessed with that. My wife laughs all the time because everywhere we go, I tend to talk to strangers and get to know people. I truly enjoy doing this and believe it is a gift that some people have and some people don’t. I’m sure there are plenty of places you could learn and get coaching, but unfortunately, that is what I have seen. I would be crazy to think that it cannot be taught otherwise but just giving you what I have seen in 25 years of doing this.

I will say that that’s why most business owners hire good salesman. Good luck!


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I agree.

I own a business and have 3 outside sales guys, me being one of them. My other two salesmen have struggled and I've been helping them, but I've come to the conclusion I put them in a position they can't do. So I'll have to make some moves to fix that.

Sales tactics vary. For me, and most salesman, you are building a relationship and maintaining it. You need to know your tech and product, but service is where my company shines. Because I'm an independent, I can do whatever it takes to make a customer happy or dump them.

Time in front of the customer is usually what will get you some success. Reliable service, ease in ordering and knowledge to help your customer either get quality, fast delivery or good prices. Whatever two they want.


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[mattmann]

I agree.

I own a business and have 3 outside sales guys, me being one of them. My other two salesmen have struggled and I've been helping them, but I've come to the conclusion I put them in a position they can't do. So I'll have to make some moves to fix that.

Sales tactics vary. For me, and most salesman, you are building a relationship and maintaining it. You need to know your tech and product, but service is where my company shines. Because I'm an independent, I can do whatever it takes to make a customer happy or dump them.

Time in front of the customer is usually what will get you some success. Reliable service, ease in ordering and knowledge to help your customer either get quality, fast delivery or good prices. Whatever two they want.


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100%. Service and quality are everything. There are a million fast food restaurants that sell chicken but chikfila is always wrapped around the building and down the street. Why? The service and kindness. I feel I have a talent of finding what someone likes and relating to it. I work in a ton of hospitals and most of the directors are hunters so that helps. Find a common ground and create a bond. It’s truly a gift. I work with architects and engineers that are like talking to paper bags but they are computer and design geniuses. Everyone has talents. When I see some of my guys can’t sale, I try to reassign them in an effort to not lay them off. Most of the time their pride gets in the way and they move on but I can sleep at night knowing I tried. Another huge mistake I see in my industry is people hire anyone. Hire quality. It comes at a cost but it’s well worth it. The one thing I learned to do better than my dad by watching is hire slow but DON’T overstretch your good employees. Always take care of them because just like your wife, if you don’t keep dating them, someone will!


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[StuckInTheEast]

Knowing the type of business your in would help.
Some types of businesses will lean heavier on one or the other...some really don't require much of either...more just expertise, honesty and simply the ability to communicate effectively. Some good input above already.

In my humble/personal opinion, based of 20+ years of direct customer service/sales, screening countless outside sales reps and everyone under the sun trying to sell me or the shop owners the latest and greatest everday...I think both of these things are highly over rated...unless sales/marketing are the core of your business itself.
I may be an anomaly and highly biased though as I find myself pretty well disgusted and disenfranchised with every form of mainstream marketing and targeted marketing that gets blasted out on email, print, social media, radio, TV etc. The main reason I pay for add free music/streaming services...the ridiculousness of 95% it genuinely just makes me angry anymore.

If you are good at what you do, make, manufacture, service you provide etc...and there is a genuine demand/need for said item or service...word of mouth, your quality, reliability and reputation will do the heavy lifting. Local sponsorships, community involvement, smart hiring and keeping a tight leash on your reputation and quality control will take you farther than any add campaign or sales course starting from ground level.
If your in a niche market or have a much smaller customer target base, that can changes things a bit, but the core concept still applies.

Another thing to consider as you look to grow is the mindset of sustainable growth. Growth and the ambition for it are great, in moderation. Growth that out paces your ability to maintain quality, consistency, reliability and a healthy work environment for you and your employees, among many other factors, is more often than not unsustainable and will result in negative impacts to your business short and long term.

This is all very general stuff, some specifics on your field of focus would definitely help folks offer some more tailored input.
Some concepts can be broadly applied, many will be much more specific to your individual business.

 

[woods89]

I do the sales and estimating for our construction business.

Understanding not only what customers want, but also why, seems to be the key for me in selling to residential customers. It's crazy to me how so few salespeople know how to listen.

 

[2ski]

First off, congratulations on going back to work for yourself. I am a business owner as well, second generation in a general contracting construction world. I absolutely love my job. We have around 100 employees with 2 of them being my two brothers. I can tell you from personal experience and doing this for 25 years that when it comes to sales, you either have it or you don’t. Some people could not talk to a brick wall while others could strike up a conversation with anything and anyone. I am blessed with that. My wife laughs all the time because everywhere we go, I tend to talk to strangers and get to know people. I truly enjoy doing this and believe it is a gift that some people have and some people don’t. I’m sure there are plenty of places you could learn and get coaching, but unfortunately, that is what I have seen. I would be crazy to think that it cannot be taught otherwise but just giving you what I have seen in 25 years of doing this.

I will say that that’s why most business owners hire good salesman. Good luck!


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I'll disagree with in that they can be made. Put yourself in uncomfortable situations and talk to strangers. The more people you talk to the more you learn to read them. And it takes talking to alot of people. I too enjoy talking to random strangers.

Learn that everyone wants to talk about themselves. So if you can get them talking about themselves the more they feel comfortable with you and the more they trust you. And when you create a personal relationship with someone they find it harder to tell you no.

 

[TaperPin]

The guy about to retire who took me under his wind was very practical and the words of wisdom that have served me well through a construction career is to work for best company in your industry and town, at least for a while - it shows you first hand what works, who their suppliers, customers and employees are and you’ll have the best chances to network. The misses is a well paid corporate sales type and having worked for a couple of the top companies in their segment gives her a number of advantages in understanding big clients, networking, and getting herself out there with the decision makers.

In every industry there are ways to make the phone ring and ways that are a waste of time. Don’t reinvent the wheel trying someone thing nobody else does until you’ve mastered the basics of what has made others successful. You can have your own voice in how you present yourself, but figure out what works for your industry.

In the end, the decision makers want someone likeble, easy to work with to fix their problem on time, on budget, and without drama.

 

[mattmann]

I'll disagree with in that they can be made. Put yourself in uncomfortable situations and talk to strangers. The more people you talk to the more you learn to read them. And it takes talking to alot of people. I too enjoy talking to random strangers.

Learn that everyone wants to talk about themselves. So if you can get them talking about themselves the more they feel comfortable with you and the more they trust you. And when you create a personal relationship with someone they find it harder to tell you no.

I get it and I hear ya. I’m just going off what I’ve seen in my career. Even folks that try and put themselves in that spot, it never seems genuine and most folks can feel that. I’m sure there is a way, I just haven’t seen it.


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[TaperPin]

A mentor also said to ask everyone you come in contact with a simple question about what they do or something they know about. It gets your focus on other people, gives them a chance to talk and you get a chance to listen. It is great small talk practice with strangers that pays off when connecting with clients. Eventually it’s automatic. If it’s the neighborhood kid that picks up dog poop I might ask what dogs are the easiest to pick up after that week, and if it’s the mayor I might ask what nonprofit project they are the most excited about. I enjoy asking mechanics who makes the most reliable truck, or the mailman if their routes are growing or shrinking.

 

[Steve300xcw]

I get it and I hear ya. I’m just going off what I’ve seen in my career. Even folks that try and put themselves in that spot, it never seems genuine and most folks can feel that. I’m sure there is a way, I just haven’t seen it.

Dunno 'bout that. I turned into a decent sales guy and I fugging hate people Too much invested not to be good at it though.

 

[TreeWalking]

Might be useful to take a step back to make sure are seeing the big picture in the way your customer does.

I was successful in high-tech and low-tech sales. I sold commodity items to businesses and I sold patent-protected items to consumers and businesses.

Consumers might buy something for reasons that may be confusing. Keeping up with the neighbors, wanting to be first to have something, trying to buy status, etc.

Businesses tend to buy something only because it solves heartburn that keeps them up at night for which they have budget to address or they need the item to use to resale or incorporate into a product or service they can make a profit on.

Relationships matter. Relationships with your suppliers, your contractors, your employees, and your customers. Is very true that people buy from people they like. It is also true that vendors facing a shortage of components will take care of the customers that they trust to pay on time with a smile on their face.

If you have to respond to competitive bids then your success with being likable can gain you a premium in some cases where you win the contract even though were not the low bidder. Perhaps you are trusted to get the job done on time and done correctly and not create conflicts plus communicate clearly and set expectations then meet or exceed the expectations including deadlines and quality.

If you are not good at mowing lawns, hire someone to mow your lawn was soon as have the budget to do so. Is you are not good at marketing, then look for a marketing resource. Same for sales. And Accouning so your A/R is not bloated and your A/P is being paid on time.

If you are not liable, and this is important, you will struggle. You might bring in a partner or two who are likable. I prefer three co-managers of a business. No reason to deadlock on any discussion because a vote is never going to be a tie if are equals. Partners with skills which mesh and offset weakness in the other partners grows the pie so is okay only getting part of the pie when have partners. You can go on vacations, get sick with a kidney stone, and watch a kid's soccer game without things coming to a standstill at the company.

Good luck and do not let your weaknesses sabotage allowing you to thrive with what you do very well.

 

[Davyalabama]

Books -- The Bible; How To Win Friends and Influence People; Think and Grow Rich; 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership.

Get good at digital creating; learn how to use Google Search to your advantage and get you on the first page of the search engine. Learn to use "X" and Facebook to your advantage.

Quotes, "No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care."
"In looking for people to hire you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And, if they don't have the first, the other two will kill you."
"Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom."
"Tithe your 10% this year, see if it doesn't come back two-fold."

 

[go_deep]

@IDVortex what business are you in? Marketing and sales can and is different depending on what you're doing.
Do you want to get better with face to face? Mass media? Social media? All the above?

 

[Marble]

100%. Service and quality are everything. There are a million fast food restaurants that sell chicken but chikfila is always wrapped around the building and down the street. Why? The service and kindness. I feel I have a talent of finding what someone likes and relating to it. I work in a ton of hospitals and most of the directors are hunters so that helps. Find a common ground and create a bond. It’s truly a gift. I work with architects and engineers that are like talking to paper bags but they are computer and design geniuses. Everyone has talents. When I see some of my guys can’t sale, I try to reassign them in an effort to not lay them off. Most of the time their pride gets in the way and they move on but I can sleep at night knowing I tried. Another huge mistake I see in my industry is people hire anyone. Hire quality. It comes at a cost but it’s well worth it. The one thing I learned to do better than my dad by watching is hire slow but DON’T overstretch your good employees. Always take care of them because just like your wife, if you don’t keep dating them, someone will!


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Dang, my thoughts exactly. I took over a business from my dad (he is still the owner, but retired) and I admired his ability to retain employees for decades. It does say something about his ability to make the workplace somewhere people want to be and not leave. But what I have found is certain behavior was tolerated to keep some of those employees, to the detriment of others in the company. I've been moving and/or replacing those employees over the past few years and each time I have done so, employees get fired up, and then within a month, they miss the employee, but do not miss all the issues they brought with them.

It's easy to recognize when my salespeople need to move out of their position, but challenging to then try to retain them in a position that makes sense for them and the company.

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