How To Get Better At Sales | 10 Sales Tips for Online Business Owners12 min read
Closing more sales as a service-based business owner doesn’t have to be an overwhelming task. By implementing the 10 sales tips discussed in this blog post, you can transform your sales process and achieve immediate results. Keep reading to learn the 10 best sales tips to land the client every time!
Are you struggling to close more sales and get clients in your service-based business? Whether you’re a coach, a consultant, or an online service provider, don’t worry, you’re not alone! We’ve got you covered with 10 sales tips to help you close more sales and create success in your business. By the end of this post, you’ll gain invaluable insights on why sales can be challenging for service-based entrepreneurs like you and how to overcome these hurdles immediately. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll get out of reading this article:
- Understand the common reasons why sales feels difficult for purpose-driven entrepreneurs and learn how to shift your relationship with selling to make it more enjoyable and authentic.
- Discover 10 specific and actionable changes you can make to your sales process right now, to boost your sales success
- Gain a step-by-step breakdown of the exact discovery call structure used by a successful 1:1 coach to build a quarter-million-dollar business, empowering you to replicate their success in your own service-based venture.
If you’re ready to close more sales, grow your client base, and build a thriving business without compromising your values, then read on and unlock the secrets to selling successfully.
Why closing sales feels so damn hard (and that you’re perfectly normal)
I’m guessing you didn’t get into business to sell. And that’s exactly why sales can feel so challenging for purpose driven entrepreneurs. Sales is not the career you chose and it’s certainly not how you want to be spending your day.
But, the catch with entrepreneurship is that in order to do the work that you’re passionate about, you have to have clients to work with, and clients only come when you sell.
Let’s normalize the fact that sales is right up there with bookkeeping and legal contracts when it comes to Things We Don’t Want To Have To Do. If you’re resisting selling, it doesn’t mean you’re not cut out to be an entrepreneur. It just means you have to review your relationship with sales and find a process that’s going to feel good for you.
So, don’t worry. There’s nothing wrong with you and you are certainly not the only one struggling with sales. So let’s talk about 10 very specific and actionable changes you can make to your sales strategy to close more sales consistently.
10 very specific and actionable changes you can make to your sales process RIGHT NOW to close more sales instantly
Sell more consistently
The biggest problem I see with entrepreneurs who aren’t meeting their revenue goals is that they just aren’t selling consistently enough. Sales calls might be something they put a big push on once a month when they realize they’re not at their client goal, but in the day to day of their business it isn’t getting prioritized. And I get it, sales can feel uncomfortable. It’s way easier to write marketing copy or answer emails. But… People won’t know that you can help them unless you have a conversation with them about how. So start incorporating regular calls to action in your content, sharing sales posts, and reaching out personally to invite people onto sales calls!
“Be as consistent in your sales efforts as you want the money in your bank account to be.”
Ana McRae
Shift your relationship to sales
The most common objection I hear to sales is the fear of turning into a “sleazy used car salesman”. If you think salespeople are sleazy, you will avoid ever selling in your business, because your brain won’t let you become something you hate.
In reality, sales is a service. It allows your potential client to experience a transformation that wouldn’t have otherwise been possible for them. They’re not going to change their lives reading your social media posts, but they will most certainly get results if they work with you.
So start seeing sales as a GOOD thing, and realize that not selling is actually selfish (in that you’re prioritizing your own comfort over the ability to help someone achieve an important result…) If you’re worried about coming across as “sleazy”, define the distinction between sleazy sales and authentic sales so that you have a process that feels in integrity with your values.
Related Post: Negative Words: How To Not Let Them Affect You
Navigate objections | Don’t shut down
Most new entrepreneurs think pitching the price is the end of the sales call and that crossing your fingers and hoping for a yes is the best strategy. Your potential clients will have plenty of objections to working with you and that is both normal and okay. The pitch is not the end of the conversation, it’s the very beginning! The pitch opens the door to explore what’s preventing them from investing in the support they deserve so that you can help them work through those objections and make a confident decision.
If you hear “I’m not sure”, “maybe later”, “I’ll have to think about it”, that is NOT the time to get off the call. You might be uncomfortable but as soon as you can approach those statements from a place of curiosity and dig into what’s coming up for your potential client, the more information you’ll have on what’s really getting in the way and how you can help them move through that.
Focus on the client not the features
You need to be crystal clear on your service and your unique strengths, but in your sales call it’s important that you’re making the link between what you do/are good at and HOW that actually gets your potential client what they want. Make sure you fully understand their goals and that you’re tying together how your service will help them achieve those outcomes.
Envision closing more sales instead of overpreparing
If you don’t have a lot of experience with sales calls, you might be tempted to overprepare for your call by spending hours typing out scripts, or re-reading your notes, or trying to come up with the perfect sequence of questions.
You’d be better off putting your energy toward visualizing the call going very smoothly so that you feel confident heading into it. Your confidence and energy is the biggest factor in the success of that sales call, so if you’re feeling anxious or worried about closing the sale, you need to do your mindset work and get in the right headspace before the call.
Related Post: Starting A Mindset Routine To Explode Your Business Growth
Detach from the outcome
Your job on the sales call is not to close the deal. Your job is actually to learn about the person in front of you, build a relationship, and see how you might be able to help them. When you approach the sales call from a place of curiosity and release the pressure around needing a “yes”, you’re able to really pay attention to the person in front of you and your energy won’t be graspy or desperate. Do not define success as getting a yes on the call. Instead, define success by how you showed up, how well you listened, how confidently you talked about your services, and how comfortably you addressed their objections. The sale will be gravy on top.
Make sure your brain isn’t afraid of actually landing the deal.
Fear of success is a funny thing, but a real one. If this is your first client and you desperately want to close the sale but also are absolutely terrified of what that will actually mean for you (having to get your processes sorted out, actually being responsible for delivering the work, having to add things to your plate, etc.) then you will not close the sale. You must be so excited to land this client in order to show up in the right energy to close the sale. If you feel any resistance to succeeding, that needs to be addressed first.
Pitch on the call not afterward
Do not wait until after the call to send a proposal. Chasing someone’s decision over email is not effective and a huge hassle. Have a clear idea of your offers and what you will pitch based on how the conversation goes. Make sure you have lots of time on the call to talk through your proposal and address any questions/objections. Help your potential client make a decision on the call rather than giving them an overload of information to process on their own.
Related Post: How To Do A Discovery Call | Avoid These Common Mistakes!
Set up processes for success
Jumping onto a call with a stranger and pitching a service is not the way to go here. Set up processes, like a pre call questionnaire, to help you get the information you need to prepare for the call. Ask key questions so that you know what you’re heading into, what your potential client is struggling with, what they’re looking for, etc. You can review their responses and dig deeper on a sales call, but having this information up front will help you better understand what direction to take the call in. You don’t have to walk in blind.
Remember your job is to sell
You are a business owner. Your job is to sell. And in fact, the people getting on a sales call with you EXPECT you to sell. They would be confused if they got off the call and you never pitched your offer. Don’t feel guilty about taking time to sell… the pitch at the end is an even exchange of your time for their attention. And remember that they’re reaching out because they want to be sold to. They want to know more about how you can help them and it would be weird if you didn’t tell them. Don’t get all up in your head about sales.
Follow up & build relationships
A shocking percentage of sales happen after 5 follow ups. But if you’re afraid of “bothering someone” or sounding needy, you’re likely not following up at all. And that’s exactly where you’re leaving a lot of money on the table. Make sure you’re following up after the sales call until you get a decision (if you didn’t get one on the call), and make sure you continue to build a relationship with that lead even if they said no. You never know how things might change in the near future.
The exact sales process I used to build a quarter million dollar business
When I first became a coach, I knew nothing about sales. By no means am I now an expert, but after 5 years in business, and over a thousand hours coaching other entrepreneurs, I’ve learned what works, what doesn’t work, and how to sell consistently to get results. It’s why I’ve been able to build a quarter million dollar business working 25 hours a week – because I am focused on the right things and not filling my calendar with busy work that doesn’t move the needle.
Related Post: How to Find a Life Coach | What to Look for in a Life Coach
If you’re just starting out as a coach, consultant, or other service based business owner, I’m sharing the exact step by step discovery call structure that has helped me build a thriving, booked out coaching business so that you can be one step closer to getting more clients consistently.
In conclusion, closing more sales as a service-based business owner doesn’t have to be an overwhelming task. By implementing the 10 sales tips discussed in this blog post, you can transform your sales process and achieve immediate results. Remember, sales is not about being sleazy but about providing a valuable service that helps your clients achieve their goals. Download the provided PDF, apply the advice to your sales approach, and get ready to see remarkable improvements in closing more sales and gaining more clients consistently in your service-based business. With dedication and the right mindset, you can achieve your revenue goals and build a thriving and impactful business in no time.
If you’re ready to grow your business to the next level and want the guidance and support of a coach that has helped dozens of entrepreneurs build thriving businesses while working less, book a discovery call to explore whether you’d be a good fit for my 1:1 coaching program.
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