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Hint: decision makers ARE buying, but it’s all about value

So How Do You Sell When Nobody’s Buying?
Hint: decision makers ARE buying, but it’s all about value

In spite of cutbacks in staff, and budgets or perhaps because of it, people are buying – they're simply taking more time and raising the bar of vendor standards before they choose. There are three axioms in sales:

Nothing happens until someone sells something.
There are fundamentals of selling that have not changed.
People still buy from people they like and trust.

My career(s) and the success of my business has been solely based on my ability to sell and deliver on sales commitments. In fact, selling has become so important to my business I only rely on three people to do it: me, my clients, and my network of providers and colleagues - in that order.

That's right, as the CEO – your number one job is sales. You're selling employees, customers, prospects, investors, regulators, and community and industry colleagues on the value of your firm and why they should support it.

Each and every one of your clients should be advocates and referrals for your business since your products or services have been beneficial to their operations.

Your suppliers, vendors, agents, and others whom you do business with also have a stake in your success and should be encouraged to recommend you and your business in a favorable light.

So what's changed these days?

First of all, here's what hasn't changed: people buy based on improvement. Improvement to their sales, cash flow, profits, reputation, quality, time-to-market, customer attraction and retention, operations, staffing, process, and/or to risk and/or compliance infractions.

Secondly, improvement means value. Improvement means "I'm in a better place or will see a brighter future because I am buying this or that from you."

And thirdly, if you can't truthfully, confidently, and persuasively stand before a potential customer and describe, defend, and distinguish the quality and benefits of doing business with you, don't worry, a competitor will.

Now that the economy's turned tougher, a lot of firms are discovering their sales people have forgotten what it takes to compete.

We've developed a completely customizable, on-site, live and in-person program to help increase revenues. It's an affordable one-day solution with a lot of follow-up support.

This is a combination speaking/consulting/training/coaching package all in one. Find out more by typing the following into your web browser: http://www.reachdevelopment.com/3-steps-to-success.php

For anything to succeed, selling value is mandatory!

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© Copyright 2000-2008 Vince Crew/REACH Development Services. All rights reserved.
This article may be reprinted with expressed written consent from Vince Crew. Vince operates
REACH Development Services and is a conference speaker and adviser who works with business owners and executives on the critical issues of leading people and organizations.
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