So you’ve decided to start your own home-based business—congratulations! Welcome to the world of selling.
“What?” you ask, “I just want to do my work. I don’t want to be in sales!”
Ah, there’s the rub. I’ve seen so many newborn entrepreneurs gleefully buy their computers, set up their web site, get stationery and business card printed, go to networking groups and give out their cards, put their ad in the yellow pages. And then wait. And wait.
When nothing happens, they moan and cry and wonder what went wrong? Why isn’t the world beating a path to their door?
Because, now you’re in the world of sales. Now you have to sell your wonderful product or service. Now you have to find people who want what you have and are willing to pay you to have it. This requires action—positive action on a daily basis, reaching out to people who may or may not want to buy from you. Gulp!
The good news is selling isn’t as difficult to do as you might think. We are all natural sales people. Everyone is in sales. When you convince your significant other to go with you to the movie you want to see, that’s a sale. When you convince your child to stay in school, that’s a sale. When you convince a friend to stop drinking, that’s a sale. You just need to buy a sales book or two, or take a sales training course and learn some of the techniques, so you can sell on purpose instead of by accident.
I’m reminded of a conversation I had one day with a boyfriend named Bobby. I was trying to convince him to go with me to a movie. Well, Bobby was a salesperson too, and all of a sudden noticed all the sales techniques I was using on him. He said, “Chellie, you are closing all the time and you don’t even know you’re doing it!”
When I said, “Well, you know you want to see me,” he said, “That’s the Assumptive Close!” I continued, “And we could either go see that romantic comedy or the spy movie” and he said, “That’s the Alternative of Choice Close!” I said, “We would have fun, get to laugh, eat popcorn, have some balance in our lives, and the only down side is taking some time away from work.” “Benjamin Franklin Close!” Bobby hooted. “So what do you think?” I said, and stopped talking. Bobby didn’t say anything either. After a long silence, Bobby said, “Final Close, and The Next One Who Speaks Loses. I guess that’s me.” And so we went to the movies!
We’re all making sales every day. You use your powers of persuasion in many ways: to convince others to contribute to your charity, organize political action, improve the schools in your community, or help you turn a hobby into a money-making home business. You are a marvelous, creative human being and endless opportunities await you. Look for them. Then sell your way into them.
©Copyright Chellie Campbell. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.