If you are a “roll up my sleeves and I’m gonna get it done” freelancer or business owner, this post is for you. You are smart enough to know that overnight successes are rare. You believe that starting and growing a business will take work. Time. Resources. And you are not afraid to roll up your sleeves because you know the rewards are great.
But it would be nice to see more wins! Especially after sleepless nights, endless networking events, and hours spent learning.
So here are a few questions to get you started:
What is your sales plan?
I remember when I first started my business. I worked with companies who would hire my company to create and deliver youth programs.
I was always happy with sales during the summers or the conference season. Companies, nonprofits, and schools would reach out and hire my company.
But, once those seasons were finished, it was HARD to find business. If you would have called in January, I would have delivered a 50 hour program for 1/3rd of my normal prices. And be happy about it!
#cashflowproblems
Thank goodness I learned about the importance of creating a sales plan. It starts with setting your sales projections. Thinking about the marketing you’ll need to do to reach those goals. And then metrics that help you track your activity.
It’s easy to get caught up in the day to day activities that keep you busy. But make sure you stop every quarter and plot out your sales plan.
Who is looking over your shoulder?
A few years ago, I hired a business coach. She turned out to be a BEAST when it came to sales and I learned so much from working with her.
Now, if I’m honest, it took ALOT for me to hire someone to get this help. I knew that I would have to get very honest about what I was doing – good and not so good.
And let’s be honest. Humans don’t like change!!
But, the hard parts were worth it. She helped me examine my goals. Get honest about how I spending my time. And share with me better ways to communicate my value.
It’s hard to see your own patterns. You need someone more skilled. Looking over your shoulder. Encouraging you where you are doing well. And being honest where you might need to tweak/edit or adjust to see more results.
So think about adding someone to your team to help you with this!
What do you REALLY believe about sales?
This one is my favorite question to dive into. Because it’s the one that we often don’t think about.
What is it that you REALLY believe about sales?
- Is it hard?
- Are you not smart about sales?
- Do you dislike sales?
- Think it’s slimy or icky?
- Wish you could wave a magic wand and it would happen on its own?
- Believe that sales people are unethical?
Consider taking a deep dive into the thoughts you think about in regards to sales. Consider getting up in the am and journaling. Or pay attention throughout the day whenever your mind wanders to the topic of sales.
Be honest. Write down EXACTLY what comes to mind.
Why?
There are tools to help you sell better. For example, you can examine your target market. Find out EXACTLY how your business solves their problems?
We could dive into that one question for 12 months and uncover some serious wins!!
Buttttt if you have an aversion to sales – and are not clear about what it is – it will affect your sales.
I’ll share one of my own mindset shifts. I always thought that sales had to be “hard”. In other words, if I wasn’t working hard that I didn’t “deserve” to get a sale.
It was also coupled with believing that those who didn’t work and had huge…didn’t deserve their sales. That they were “cheating”.
So it affected how my company growth. Even when I heard sales strategies, I always found a way to talk myself out of implementing it. Considered it “cheating”. Or didn’t understand what was at play.
Now, I get it. My work is mission driven. If my company is not present, there are people who are not going to get their problems solved.
And we need solutions!!!
So yes, it required a shift in thinking. A shift in what I spoke. The activities I engaged in.
But after listening to some mentors and doing the mental work, I have seen the shift happen in my business. And others that I coach.
So consider it! It might be the key to helping you take those next steps.
