Are you in business or sales and looking for a tip to help you increase your sales? Well here’s a sales trick that isn’t a trick.
MAKE YOURSELF KNOWN!
In my opinion, your network of influence remains one of the best tools for selling what you have to sell. Whether or not you’ve mastered sales techniques (it’s still better to master them), the mere fact of being “known” will automatically increase your chances of selling. I’m not talking about magic here. I’m simply talking about the law of numbers, simple mathematics. So, always seek to increase your list of names.
Example: You have a new product to present to your customers and potential customers. You obviously want to let them know. Whether by mail, e-mail, fax (that still exists) or other means, you want to make this new product known to your network of contacts. That’s what selling is all about. If you have 1,000 names on your list, only about 5% of those 1,000 people may make a purchase. But if you send your information to 10,000 people, it’s still the same 5% who’ll react. You don’t have to be a Papineau to understand the principle.
Let’s get back to your daily routine. As a salesperson, part of your job is to continually expand your contact list. To do this, you need to be in “name-seeking” mode at all times. At work, in the restaurant, on social outings, at leisure, in the elevator, the waiting room, etc… you have to constantly smile, introduce yourself, shake hands, strike up a conversation and get that new person to give you their name and contact details. Some will call it PR, others networking, whatever.
It’s this action of meeting people all the time that will determine your future success. “Never eat alone”, a friend used to say to me. “Build a network of contacts worthy of a prime minister,” said another. “Tell me who knows you and I’ll know your level of success.
Happy networking!
