Help I need to become a "Salesman"

[TheHun]

I think we should calm down guys and try to help the OP with our comments...

Attila

 

[beasty]

This is me calm I am not here to collect a bunch of pals, I am here to offer my unedited opinion and have I.T. stuff explained to me over and over.

This forum has a block feature, I use it regularly to block people who post stupid things, it is there for all to use

 

[DavidWH]

We're a small family business (4 members of staff), and don't have the budget to go throwing at marketing.

Yes we're competing locally, 2 of our nearest competitors don't even have a functioning websites, and other than the franchises our other competition aren't on the ball, they're typically one man bands who can't do everything efficiently.

We have had meetings, quoted and got the order before some companies have even responded to the original e-mail (yes it's really that bad).

 

[TheHun]

We're a small family business (4 members of staff), and don't have the budget to go throwing at marketing.

Marketing doesn't necessarily cost you a fortune. A lot can be achieved by being creative and focusing on your ideal customer. Segmenting your target market will help in this a lot.

Yes we're competing locally, 2 of our nearest competitors don't even have a functioning websites, and other than the franchises our other competition aren't on the ball, they're typically one man bands who can't do everything efficiently.

We have had meetings, quoted and got the order before some companies have even responded to the original e-mail (yes it's really that bad).

That sounds promising. Still, I would recommend reading the Bettger book I was mentioning above. It will give you a considerable leverage over most people in sales...

Attila

 

[telemax]

I don't know about you, but I keep receiving calls about this and that fantastic opportunity, so forth.

This is just pushing sales without trying to learn about my needs at all.

Attila

The OP, suited and booted, with business cards

Knocks on the doors of local industrial estate businesses.

'I'm local to you, but we have never spoken before' is that ok?

99% will say yes,

OP shakes hands

'We run a local printing company who pride ourselves on quick turnaround and great work' How do you rate your current Printers on a scale of 1 to 10?

That's all it takes to start a conversation!

 

[DavidWH]

@telemax that about sums up what I'll be doing.

Already a good start to the year with a local dealership looking to find a more reliable vehicle graphics supplier.

 

[AllUpHere]

We're a small family business (4 members of staff), and don't have the budget to go throwing at marketing.

Yes we're competing locally, 2 of our nearest competitors don't even have a functioning websites, and other than the franchises our other competition aren't on the ball, they're typically one man bands who can't do everything efficiently.

We have had meetings, quoted and got the order before some companies have even responded to the original e-mail (yes it's really that bad).

You don't need to throw money at marketing. I think the mistake you are making is that when you think of marketing you are actually thinking about advertising (or promotional marketing).

A properly formulated marketing plan will give you results indefinitely for very little spend.

'Sales' is a very expensive and time consuming way of selling.

 

[telemax]

@telemax that about sums up what I'll be doing.

Already a good start to the year with a local dealership looking to find a more reliable vehicle graphics supplier.

Keep at it for half an hour every day and you will have more work than you can handle in 3 months

 

[TheHun]

The OP, suited and booted, with business cards

Knocks on the doors of local industrial estate businesses.

'I'm local to you, but we have never spoken before' is that ok?

99% will say yes,

OP shakes hands

First, I think your scenario is a decent one. Such an opening could absolutely work, however, it will not give the OP the expert position I was talking about. With this approach, the OP will tell that he is the "new kid on the block" which is absolutely honest and honourable but it will not make him the point of reference that he would need to be.
This scenario will not help him much when the objections start to pop up or at the closing.

Secondly, I was doing cold calling for years, but on the phone, not in person and also not in the UK. So, I will not argue with your experiences about the reception. I, still, can't help to make one remark: I would be very much amazed to learn that your 99% estimate is not overly optimistic.

Attila

 

[TheHun]

A properly formulated marketing plan will give you results indefinitely for very little spend.

'Sales' is a very expensive and time consuming way of selling.

I agree with the first part and don't get the second.
How is sales the bad boy?
Marketing raises the awareness to the problem and sales gives the solution to the client. Which part of this is unnecessary?

Attila

 

[TheHun]

Already a good start to the year with a local dealership looking to find a more reliable vehicle graphics supplier.

Congrats! Heads up and full throttle!

Attila

 

[AllUpHere]

I agree with the first part and don't get the second.
How is sales the bad boy?
Marketing raises the awareness to the problem and sales gives the solution to the client. Which part of this is unnecessary?

Attila

If the OP is using marketing purely to raise awareness of his business (and it's services) then that's the reason he thinks he needs to be a salesman. In his industry it's fairly simple to have his marketing efforts delivering him pre-sold leads. All he needs to do is book them in and take the money. Adding a 'sales level' to the interactions with clients is just an unnecessary over complication of what could be a very simple process.

 

[Faevilangel]

I didn't think I would ever say this but I agree with Beasty, sales / marketing is only being able to feed the buyers need at the time.

No one buys vehicle print because they want to, it's because they need to, just like when I go to kfc, it's because I need to eat (and I am desparate).

You need to get into the companies and be on good terms with decision makers so when the need is there, they come to you. Cold calling can help but imho the best way is actually meeting the businesses at exhibitions, networking meetings etc, you get to speak to the right people and can tell them what you can do for them.

It's a long process though, I spoke to 3 businesses 3 years ago, only in November did they need my services as their current developers let them down. It takes time and patience to build a relationship where the business has the need.

As my mate Brad Burton says, you only need 2 things in business to get sales, shoe leather and big balls. Get off your 'arse' (that's the name of his book) and get meeting people, the more you meet, the more connections you make. I have clients that go back 5/6 levels from an original client. Let's say I buy some business cards from you, the order is tiny but I have 200 clients who could need some stuff, now each of them businesses have 500 clients, and them 500 have 2000 clients. You now have thousands of people singing your praise to their contacts.

You can easily spend 8 hours a day crafting nice emails and cold calling, but the person who shakes the business owners hand is more likely to win the business. Who would you remember more, some faceless company which called you or someone you met, exchanged cards and got to know their business and discussed your needs.

There are so many opportunities to meet other business owners, networking meetings, exhibitions (as a delegate, not sponsor) or even just walking into their office.

Be the positive person, make sure they know of you first before your competitors.

 

[Faevilangel]

Just reading an article on the BBCwebsite (here) on Ikea in Poland and this quote sums up my post above:

So why is the flatpack furniture company such a sensation in Poland and how did it manage it?

"We have created a very deep understanding of how people live," Evelyn Higler, the chief executive of Ikea Retail in Poland, tells the BBC.

"The starting point is to listen to people and be in their homes because we do thousands of home visits yearly. We look at what their needs and dreams are. We are actually creating products that fit people's home lives."

Provide a solution that solves their issue, that is what all marketing or sales is about

 

[telemax]

[

Provide a solution that solves their issue, that is what all marketing or sales is about

Sometimes they don't know that they have an issue. Finding out what that is is what sales is all about..

 

[Sushi9105]

Hi Dave,

Have you considered using an outsourced sales company to generate leads for you in the first instance to help get you started?