November 16, 2023 | Last Updated on: December 4, 2023
Small business owners and entrepreneurs face unique challenges when it comes to sales: namely, they have limited resources and must compete with larger, more established companies that have instant name recognition. And yet sales are essential for success—without sales, your business doesn’t exist.
In this article, we’ll look at eight proven sales strategies you can use to help your business thrive:
Building rapport with your customers should be the cornerstone of any sales approach! But to make this your strategic focus, look for ways to offer a personal touch and outstanding customer service that larger competitors often struggle to provide. While loyalty programs are easily available for almost every business these days, small businesses can find advantages in things like including handwritten notes in packages, or simply in the fact that customers will interact with the same small staff persons every time they engage with your company.
Most small businesses try to do too much with too little when it comes to their social media presence and paid ads. A well-executed digital campaign will be highly targeted and precise in what you’re trying to accomplish.
For example, I ran a highly focused geofencing campaign for a chain of local coffee shops in Santa Barbara. The ads targeted intersections with high foot traffic and offered a discount on lattes. Clicking on the ad on your phone opened Maps with walking directions to the coffee shops. The campaign resulted in a huge increase in foot traffic to the stores.
There can be only one low price leader in an industry, and it’s almost never a small business. If you compete on price, this can lead to a race to the bottom. Instead, emphasize the value your product or service provides. Highlight unique features, quality, and benefits that distinguish you from competitors. Customers are typically willing to pay for quality, peace of mind, and expertise.
One of the best ways to increase sales and stand out to your customers is to have the best sales team in your region and industry. This means investing in your sales team—knowing that it will pay off when the implement new techniques and become better than your competitors. Well-trained salespeople can convert potential customers into loyal patrons. Conversely, a poorly trained sales team can result in bad reviews online that drive people away from your business.
If you have the best sales team in the world, but your company can’t deliver on what they sell, you’re in trouble. Make sure that you are setting clear expectations with your salespeople on what your company can and can’t do, but then you also need to ensure that your company and live up to these expectations. Develop a comprehensive training program that covers product knowledge, customer service, operations—anything that is necessary to running your company and onboarding new staff when they are hired.
For small retailers, the rise of mobile and online shopping almost necessitates having an e-commerce website that is mobile-friendly and easy to navigate. Make it convenient for customers to shop from anywhere with as few clicks as possible.
For example, a small retail store can set up an e-commerce website where customers can browse and purchase their products online. Offering options like curbside pickup and local delivery can also enhance the shopping experience and cater to the modern consumer.
Data is a valuable tool for small business owners and entrepreneurs. Use analytics to track sales trends, customer behavior, and the effectiveness of your sales strategies. While this might seem tedious at the outset, it can really aid how you adjust your approach based on the insights you gather, which can ultimately lead to thicker profit margins! You’ll want to look at things like, which products and features garner the most interest, which customer segments have the highest customer lifetime value, and if you have a sales team, which team members convert the most leads to sales (you’ll want the rest of the team to learn from their expertise).
Collaborating with other small businesses in complementary industries can open new doors for sales opportunities. Look for ways to use cross-promotions and partnerships to tap into each other’s customer bases, while providing a customer experience that goes above and beyond what competitors are offering.
For example, a local restaurant could partner with a local winery for a wine-and-dine event with the winemaker and chef. Or a marketing company might partner with an SEO firm to offer package deals that track the effectiveness of a marketing campaign while at the same time improving organic search results. The possibilities are endless!
All in all, success in sales for small business owners and entrepreneurs is achievable with the right strategies. No matter what goods or services you’re providing, the key is to stay customer-centric and always be on the lookout for innovative, yet focused, ways to connect with your audience and provide value.
