Because nobody wants to be that sleazy car salesman.
(Apologies to all the non-sleazy, genuine and trustworthy car salespeople out there – I know this can be an unfair stereotype…)
In seriousness, though, amongst all the challenging things about running a small business, do you know what I find the toughest? Selling.
The process of convincing other people that they should choose my business over other similar service providers can feel uncomfortable, intimidating, and downright icky. Not to mention those inconsiderate bouts of Imposter Syndrome which make you wonder why anyone would even consider hiring you, and make the sales process even harder (although that’s a whole topic for another day). And I know I’m not the only one to feel this way.
Believe it or not, I actually used to work in sales in a fancy five-star hotel. It was one of the toughest jobs I’ve ever had and I wasn’t at all suited to the role or the lifestyle, but I learned a lot in the process – if only what NOT to do.
Since then, I’ve taken what I learned and found my own way of selling which feels authentic and non-icky, and these are my top tips for doing just that:
If you’re a one-person band, say ‘I’ instead of ‘we’. This is a big one for me, and I’m not alone in this opinion. Often solopreneurs feel that marketing their business as ‘we’ adds credibility, but most people won’t be fooled by your attempts to make your company sound is bigger than it is, and it will feel as though you’re trying to be something you’re not. And in a world of consumers who are increasingly keen on buying from small businesses, why would you try to pretend to be bigger?
Be proud of the fact that you’re single-handedly running a business and making a darn fine job of it!
Set realistic expectations. One of the hallmarks of the world of dodgy sales is the over-inflated promises and unrealistic expectations. Nothing gives you a worse name as a business owner than being unable to deliver in practice what you’ve sold in theory.
I don’t think this actually happens in small businesses quite as much as it does in larger organisations, because it’s a lot easier for the sales team to sell something unrealistic to hit their targets, leaving operations colleagues to try and deliver the results. In a small business, you’re likely wearing different hats and selling and delivering are more likely to be carried out by YOU. I don’t expect you to put yourself in a difficult position on purpose. However, when we desperately want to secure a sale, we may even convince ourselves that we’re capable of producing a massive piece of work and meeting an impossibly short deadline. It’s only when the dotted line has been signed that we might remember how unrealistic a task we’ve undertaken.
So, to avoid unnecessary stress and potential client disappointment (not to mention the possibility of unfavourable online reviews!), always under-sell and over-deliver. Exceeding expectations results in happy clients and glowing testimonials.
Let your portfolio and/or testimonials speak for you. This can be tricky when you’re starting out, but if you’re able to provide some sort of evidence of what you do – even if it’s unpaid work you’ve done for someone you know, or your own project, such as a blog – it goes a long way in the sales process. It’s a bit like the ‘picture is worth a thousand words’ concept.
Avoid salesy language – you know the sort of thing – those words and phrases that get caught up in email spam filters because they’re normally attached to something dodgy:
- Discount
- Mutually beneficial
- You need
- Act/buy now
- Have you seen my previous email?
- Limited-time offer
Whether it’s verbally or on written channels such as email, be genuine and don’t feel you need to try too hard. You can speak about your services in a positive way without ‘pushing’ them.
Know that you can’t be all things to all people. You don’t need the stress of struggling to manufacture a healthy working relationship with the wrong client. Marketing your business in an honest, authentic way isn’t going to secure you 100% conversion, but the sales you do make are going to be the right fit—for you AND for your new client.