Page 107 - 101 Ways to Market Your Business

101 WAYS TO MARKET YOUR BUSINESS

36 Can your staff sell (I mean really sell, not
just take orders)?

One of the greatest tragedies that I witness in most busi-
nesses I visit is that the people serving don’t know how to
sell. Very few businesses have well trained sales staff.

There is no way that this book can possibly address the
detailed area of sales—thousands of other books around the
world do—but there is one issue that I can address. If you
spend thousands of dollars setting up your business, pur-
chasing stock, advertising and marketing your heart out
only to have a potential customer walk through the door
and then walk out the door because the sales attendant
couldn’t close the sale, why bother?

Sales attendants should be able to recommend a product
to any customer based on their individual needs. They
should also be able to up sell. If a customer buys a fishing
reel, how about some new fishing line and, while you’re at
it, how about some hooks, sinkers, bait, a new rod, Esky,
hat, book and a boat to put it all in.

If someone has walked through the door there is a good
chance they want to make a purchase. It is up to whoever
is serving that customer to help them make the purchase
and leave your business feeling satisfied and happy, to the
point where they will not only return but also recommend
you to their friends.

Spend a few dollars and enrol your staff in a sales
training course. Talk to other people in business to find a
recommended course or trainer they may have used. Give
your front-line staff the skills and expertise to sell your
products to the best of their advantage. Saving a few dollars
by using inexperienced and untrained staff is not only false
economy but a sure-fire way to go broke.

McDonald’s annual sales are increased by a staggering
$200 million per year simply because the staff are trained

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