WTF Is A Sales Strategy & Do I Need One For My Small Business?

 

You know what I’ve noticed? All too often, when it comes to sales, people will have you believe there are lots of trade secrets. Well - not here! Really, driving the sales you want in your business comes down to having a solid sales strategy. 

A what now? What is a sales strategy? And, ummmm do I need one? 

 
 

Let’s start at the beginning… What actually IS selling?

Selling is (IMO) THE most important skill to master in business. Being able to sell your services is an essential element for any business owner that wants to thrive. It’s what differentiates profitable business owners from talented hobbyists. It is the means by which we book clients and make money. 

Our sales goals are the starting point for any content or marketing plan and our strategy to fill our books with the clients we desire is the crucial set of actions we need to take to actually make it happen. 

It’s taking ownership of the success of your business. It’s the vehicle we use to show clients we have the energy they need. It’s the vibe and the atmosphere only you can bring.

Selling is the process of demonstrating relevancy and trust and having the self-worth to allow it to flow naturally, over and over again. Selling is not a one-off thing, it’s a continuous, rolling process.

It’s providing an incredible client experience before any money is exchanged. The more we sell, the more transformation we create and the bigger the impact we can make overall. Pretty cool, huh?!

What selling is not

Selling is not ever about being pushy, manipulative, full-on or any other cliche you can imagine. 

It’s not something to fear or to be cringed out by, because when done right it’s a natural and effortless and JOYFUL way to connect your energy with the people who need what you have. 

Selling is not about getting on a call with someone and following a script, its everything you do before that point. It’s not to be avoided, nor is it about trying to do what other people do, because what works for them won’t work for you. Selling is an energy that has to come from us, and I’m here to help you find your own way of doing it brilliantly.

But, I’m a creative - do I really have to learn how to sell?

Well, put simply, while I firmly believe that your success is inevitable, it isn’t going to happen by accident. 

Whether you are a maker, coach, designer or online business owner, your products and services aren’t going to sell themselves, and expecting your clients to do the hard work finding out all about you so you don’t have to put yourself out there does not a successful business model make. 

If you want more clients, more consistency and for everything to feel easier, a sales process is how you get there. 

Does it mean you have to dedicate your life to selling? No. 

Does it need to be complicated? No, in fact I champion keeping it simple. 

But do you need a plan to get the right clients and to keep you on the right path, month in, month out? ABSOLUTELY!

But here’s a very important point I need you to get on board with right now… you do NOT have to turn into some kind of extroverted, pushy sales person who is always blathering on about why they, and their business is amazing. Absolutely not! 

We’ve all seen selling being done badly and in a really full-on way and I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be sold to in that fashion.  

In fact if I had my way I’d LOVE to see more regulation in the online business world, but until that happens we have a fantastic opportunity to present and provide an altogether higher standard of service for our clients. 

All too often when it comes to “selling” we’ve been presented with endless examples of what it is and how WE MUST do it. But people are having great success all the time without any of that bro marketing stuff, so let’s just be ourselves and get the work in our own way, OK? 

We know that whatever your area of expertise, having an online profile is a key part of today’s toolkit, and our energy around the way that we show up is mega-important, but that doesn’t mean showing up as something you’re not.

Selling is only done well if you’re being yourself and leaning in to your own individual personality - it’s not a one size fits all approach and what works for someone you know, won’t work for you. I’ll help you find your ease with being visible, however that looks for you.

If you’re feeling uncomfortable about selling, it’s putting a real block between you and working with your dream clients, sharing your brilliance, and creating the change you want to see in the world. 

The function of selling is to find the right people to work with, so we need to find a way to do this that doesn’t make us feel awks or the limitations start to spiral. 

Sometimes it’s the reason you haven’t been charging your worth. It could be that you’re brimming over with ideas for courses but you aren’t giving yourself permission to put them out into the world. Whether your goals are to earn more money, be able to forecast more consistently.

And to do all of this, you need a sales strategy! And it really is a whole load simpler than you’re thinking right now. 

WTF is a sales strategy?

A sales strategy (or you could call it a sales plan) is the process of connecting your brilliant products and services with the people who want and need them. It’s a set of actions you take to support your audience through the buyer’s journey so that they can make an easy, informed and empowered decision about whether they want to buy from you.

Simple. It’s not complex, it’s not a trade secret… - but it’s an ESSENTIAL task you need to act on in your business. 

Right now, your sales process might look reactive - Being spontaneous and selling when you feel in the mood OR when you freak out because you business needs a cash injection 

Or proactive - Taking specific actions to bring the right clients in, using your sales strategy. 

If it’s the first one, it’s time to brush up your sales strategy. And I’ve got some resources to help you do just that…

The most important thing I want you to take away from this post is that, in business, it is necessary to sell consistently, but it is also important to find a way of doing it that fits with your business, your values and your personality. And most importantly, you can sell in a way that you actually enjoy, that brings you energy and lights you up. That’s my mission - to help business owners figure out what that looks like for them so that they can increase their income and the world can see more examples of female business owners doing their thing!

Sara Dalrymple