How to Channel Your Inner Salesperson

I don’t like sales. Period. I detest the idea of pushing products or services on people – at least that’s what it’s always felt like sales was to me.

I spent eight years as an advertising sales representative of a major corporation selling advertising space to their clients. Most of the time clients contacted me knowing what they wanted already, and I preferred it that way.

A co-worker had noticed me struggling with this, pulled me aside and explained that I needed to change my way of thinking about sales. She said, “Think of the services you’re selling as a way to help our advertisers improve their business, sell their houses, fill a job vacancy, etc. Think of what we’re doing as providing them solutions.” She was right. It worked. I still never embraced the “pushy” sales approach. I liked thinking of myself as more of a consultant helping them choose the best service to meet their needs.

When I quit the newspaper job, I thought I was saying goodbye to sales forever. I had dreams of starting my own business. Little did I know just how much sales would figure onto my business venture.

As a business owner, you have to constantly sell yourself and your business. There’s no way around it, and as I’d learned your attitude plays a huge role in your success. Successful sales also involves being able to show the benefits of doing business with you. Your customers want to know, “what’s in it for me?” and it’s up to you to show them.

Most people tend to confuse benefits with features. Features are the qualities of a product or service. Anti-lock brakes are a feature of a car. Mahogany wood is a feature of a dining room table.

Benefits show what your product or service does for your customers. The benefit of a wireless printer is being able to print from your laptop anywhere in the house. The benefit of a canvas sofa slipcover is being able to wash toss it into your washer and dryer whenever you need to.

Forget trying to be clever or hyping customers up with exaggerated promises. Most people are wary of that type of sales tactic anyway. Be genuine and actually show your customers why purchasing from you is the best option.
Muslimahs Working at Home was created to provide women with an alternative to earning an income outside of the home. Our objective is to share resources and tools necessary to operate a successful, profitable, home-based business.

photo credit: HikingArtist.com