Sales

Selling tips for the timid

While some of us relish every facet of the sales process, most people would rather get a tooth pulled without anesthetic then attempt to sell anything. Thousands of women are mustering up the courage to start their own companies every day, but all too many shy away from actually selling their products or services.

For everyone who has dreaded asking for business, here are some tips that will help you overcome your fears and get comfortable selling on your own terms… read more at Selling Tips for the Timid – WomenEntrepreneur.com.

Flickr photo credit: huntz

By |2012-01-05T07:39:48+01:00November 24, 2008|Blog, Small Business|0 Comments

Not your father’s marketing campaign

Press releases can be targeted directly to consumers, without the media filter. Here are 4 new ways to use press releases to win sales.

n a tough economy, with businesses and consumers cutting back on spending, even the best advertising may not be enough to sway shoppers. Right now, PR is an indispensable part of a campaign thanks to its influence over consumers’ buying decisions. When asked to rank the factors that sway them to buy a product or service, many Americans cite reading about it or seeing a recommendation. And though PR tactics that earn news coverage are still standard practice, these new PR tactics can help you gain credibility and grab the attention of customers.

It all starts with a press release. But it’s what you do with your release these days that counts. Here are four ways to use PR as a conduit to sales. …more at Not Your Father’s Marketing Campaign – Public relation tactics – Entrepreneur.com.

Flickr photo credit: *hiro008

By |2012-01-05T06:58:54+01:00November 17, 2008|Blog, Marketing|0 Comments

Turning value into customer requirements

Although armed with a carefully crafted list of 10 “unique” benefits to customers, a supplier of sophisticated network security systems learned they had lost a million dollar contract to a competitor with almost exactly the same list of benefits, but a 10 percent lower price.

Another company offering comprehensive Enterprise Resource Planning solutions emphasized their superior ability to promote operating efficiency. After losing a large sale, they were surprised to learn the customer wasn’t especially interested in efficiency. Instead, customer executives had bought into a competitor’s offer of flexible, modularized SAP solutions–a perfect fit for the firm’s strategy of growth by acquisition. By then, it was too late for the original vendor to explain that they could match and even exceed the competitor’s flexibility. …more at Turning Value into Customer Requirements – Inc.com

Flickr photo credit: MikeNeilson

By |2012-01-05T07:39:48+01:00November 7, 2008|Blog, Small Business|0 Comments
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