Successful salespeople are a prized asset to any organization, be it a startup or a multinational corporation. We also know that this is not everyone’s piece of cake. Identifying the core components of a successful sales strategy defines how you will take steps to promote your business. Consulting businesses can increase sales with a strategy. Which often consists of solid testimonials and a trustworthy track record.
These businesses require salespeople who can bring in leads and are open to challenges. They care about consultative selling, what the customer thinks and pitch to them accordingly. When you are talking to a good salesperson, it appears like your business goals are as important to them as they are to you and they will do whatever it takes to help you fulfill these goals.
If you’re running a business in the consulting realm, you need to find these passionate individuals and make them a part of your team. Here are some ideas your team can apply to increase sales and impress your customers with your consulting business.
Regular follow-ups
The easiest trick in the books is to followup with your clients regularly. This is one of the simplest methods of getting commissions. Don’t call them when you’re going through a rough patch. In ecommerce ideas, educational institutions or financial institutions, clients are made by follow-ups. Instead, call them regularly at important events to remind them that your company genuinely cares about them.
"Persistence, when done respectfully and consistently, breaks through. It reminds [customers] that you are there with a solution to their problems. It gives them multiple chances to connect. And, though it may take half a dozen times to get a response, land that meeting or open a discussion, they will thank you in the end.”-Michael Mehlberg, co-founder, Modern da Vinci
Your call can remind the client about a problem they were facing recently, to which you can present a solution.
Nowadays, clients feel that a salesperson was nice to them only throughout the duration of making a deal. It feels like the moment a deal is closed, the salesperson would forget all about you. Your company needs to break this stereotype by being there with the client at all times.
It is more important to retain customers because customer retention is proven to be more profitable than new customer acquisition. 44 per cent companies focus on customer acquisition while 18 per cent focus on retention. Only 40 per cent companies keep a balance between acquisition and retention. It was also calculated that the probability of selling to an existing customer is 60-70 per cent while to a new customer it is 5-20 per cent.
You can widen the circle of clients who trust you and want to continue being your customers. If clients feel your trust and value your services, they will never move on to another business for help.
"In today's marketplace, most customers are much better informed and educated before reaching out to a vendor. Simply providing specs and product data isn't enough. A sales professional with a consultative mindset identifies customer needs and seeks to tailor custom solutions that fit those needs."- Rudy Joggerst, digital marketing manager, Janek Performance Group
Online availability of comparative options lead a customer to choose wisely, based on the exact services they require from a business. You can cash on this opportunity by educating your audience first and turning them into strong leads. The client needs to make a confident decision to try your services. Why not educate your audience first and then slowly start pitching them?
There are many ways to do this. You can create a company blog and write articles, post videos and hold webinars about topics in your niche. The easier it is to access this content, the stronger are your chances of turning people into loyal customers. You can offer training to your customers for free or for a small amount as well. The point is to nurture this audience so they can regard your presence as industry influencer.
Your consumers will be well equipped to decide when you have trained them well. When people see your blog and the amount of content you are willing to offer for free, you are bound to receive some calls. Your sales team can take the responsibility of educating the audience, be it over the phone, on social media or through the blog.
If your business deals with complex services, the client will feel hesitant in making a decision to buy from you the first time. Clients require more time to think and research if their decision is valid. You can begin this process by selling something small at first, to build the relationship with your customer. Your sales team can bring these clients in the loop and increase their trust over time. However, it is important to charge them at first so they know that you can’t offer them free solutions at the time.
In business, you know that the most important part of the deal is your customer. You have to make decisions which benefit the customer in one way or the other. Gather information through your sales team on customer feedback about pain points so your next strategy can cater to a larger section of the audience and create marketing campaigns that click. Be proactive and initiate a great service from your end, so the leads can trust your service and expect an even greater result in the future. By focusing on these ideas, you can increase sales for your consulting business.
