Launching This Biz: Stupid Naivete and the Chance for Glory

I’ve been tossing around this business idea in various forms for about a year now. And it dawned on me a few weeks ago that, in the 12 months since I first conceived it, that’s all I’ve done: toss it around. Sure, I’ve developed a web presence, honed my writing skills a bit, and refined it a little. But ultimately, I’m only a few baby steps beyond where I was the first day. I’m ready to do something about it.

I’m not sure my business idea is going to make any money at all. I don’t even know if I’m going to find a single client. I kind of have a hunch that my target market has too shoestring-ish of an operating budget to even consider paying for the service I am developing. There is at least one sizeable, previously established organization in my area that does pretty much the same thing I want to do, and they do it for free as a nonprofit. And with the necessarily low pricing structure I think I would initially need, I certainly will not be quitting my day job on that profit anytime soon.

So why am I even investigating what could be a flop of a small business idea? Because I think it would be a blast. It could mean a lot of fun for a lot of people, and some great experience and exposure in a field I one day want to call my career. It could attract customers for businesses I have been dealing with for years. It could eventually mean a location independent lifestyle. It could be amazing.

My point is this: I may have a million reasons why something won’t work. But until I actually try it, I won’t know for sure. And it will eat at me if I don’t know. So what the heck.
Here’s to stupid naiveté and the chance for glory.

Why You Can't Close a Sale, and What You Can Do About It

Do you know a salesperson who never seems able to close a deal, no matter how hard they try? They may be very outgoing, they may have more product knowledge than the engineers, and they may be tossing around discounts left and right, but they are missing out on some of the keys of selling in a modern market. Inc. Magazine recently had a good article that detailed a few critical mistakes that young salespeople often make. Here are a few more tips from my personal experience.

1. Shut up. Your prospect is the important one in any sales call. They should do most of the talking. Most communications experts agree that one key to building trust in any relationship is to listen before you talk. Asking open-ended questions and keeping a lid on it allows the prospect to share information with you, which a) creates a bond, and b) helps you figure out how you are best able to help this person.

2. Sell a relationship, not a product. The goal is to sell yourself and your company, not your product. If you engage your prospect as a human being, learn things about them (not in a psycho-stalker way though) and make realistic promises and always over-deliver (as a friend would), you will have a repeat customer for life.

3. Most great sales are a marathon. Sales are not a sprint. Strong business relationships, like strong personal relationships, are not made overnight. I find the most effective strategy is to start out small with a new customer, especially one who is timid about switching suppliers. Sell them something great and inexpensive, then call them after they’ve had time to use it and ask them how it’s working out for them. Inform them that, if there is anything they need, you are only a phone call away.

What habits and tips do you find useful when trying to make sales? Can you name any other mistakes people make when courting a prospect?