subject: How to Increase Sales – part Three [print this page] When it comes to how to increase sales, there are so many important factors to implement that I could not adequately deliver them in all one lesson. Therefore, this series of lessons on how to increase sales is comprised of five parts.
The first lesson on how to increase sales discussed how to deliver exceptional customer service. The second lesson focused on how to upsell and the importance of teaching your employees to upsell.
Today's lesson on how to increase sales discusses adding value. How can you add value for your customer? What can you give them for free that would add value?
Ask yourself: How does what you do for them add value?
Forget about making the sale right now. Just think about how you can give something to your prospect or client, totally free, no strings attached.
I know, it seems like a very strange strategy! But trust me, it works. There's a lot of truth in the expression "The more you give, the more you get."
I have had many sales managers tell me not to spend time chatting with clients about "frivolous" things like our kids, hobbies, and so on. But I have found that relationship building is very important and, quite honestly, I couldn't NOT talk to my clients about their personal lives because I care about them and I am genuinely interested in our friendship.
People choose to do business with you mostly because they like you and only partially because of what you sell. I would say it's 90% YOU.
Adding value can take many forms. Here are some of the ways you can add value:
- Forward newspaper or magazine articles to your clients that might be of interest to them
- Write a whitepaper or e-book summarizing common questions and give it away on your website
- Send them a book you recently read and think would be helpful to them
- Refer someone to them
- Newsletter if you don't already send a free monthly newsletter, start now
- Depending on your industry, any of the following: free marketing analysis, website analysis, proofreading or editing their marketing pieces, advising them on various aspects of their business
- A free sample of your product or 30 minutes of your service
- A free workshop
As you can see, adding value can take on many different forms, but the key to it is that you don't keep track, you just think of ways to give.
And once you get in the habit of adding value and giving back, you will see a shift in your business and your sales. You will start to get more referrals and more sales. It will become easier for you to come up with ways to add value for your clients and your prospects.
As author Bob Burg says, "Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment".
If you can do something useful for your prospects and clients, they will appreciate it. It will add to your own personal value as well, and show them that you are truly trying to help them succeed.
