Let’s state the obvious: you’re in business to earn money. Yes, you want to help others as well, but you want to make a profit with your business, am I right? In order to make a profit, you need to sell your products and services. But is it enough to just create products and wait for people to make a purchase? Not at all. I like to call that “wishful marketing” and it simply doesn’t work. That’s a very passive approach to running a business as opposed to a proactive approach, which includes finding people in your target market, forming a relationship with them, introducing them to your business, and then asking for the sale.
Find Your Confidence
It sure is discouraging when people say “no” when you ask for a meeting or for the sale but there’s also a popular thought in the sales community that you need to hear 100 no’s before you hear a yes. Your business and your services won’t appeal to everyone; or they might appeal to someone who doesn’t have the money to spend right now. That doesn’t mean your business idea is awful; it simply means you haven’t found the right people yet.
If you have put careful thought into what you want to offer your target audience and you have created coaching packages and/or services to meet those needs, be confident in telling people who you serve and how you do so.
When the Time is Right, Ask for the Sale
Your customers will purchase from you when they know, like, and trust you, so coming on strong with heavy sales talk or pestering them like a used car salesperson will chase those promising customers away.
Instead, gently nudge these prospects down your sales funnel. If you have never heard of a sales funnel, it’s simply a visual representation of how you’ll guide prospects toward your higher-priced products. In this manner, you’ll have lower-priced items for sale for those who say they’re interested but don’t have the money. If they purchase your lower-priced item, they may find the money in the future for a higher-priced item, but only if they know about the other products/services you offer.
How do you ask for the sale? Here are some thoughts:
At the end of the day, if you listen to what your audience needs, there’s no harm in making the offer and asking for the sale. If they say no, move on while nurturing the relationship.
