Selling made easy

      Free daily tips, information, advice and ideas
      to help you better manage your small business. 

     No business will make it unless someone sells the soap. Or the advice. Or whatever it is that inspired you in the first place.

     Business is selling. And owners who shy away from selling are ignoring their own childhood and adolescence. You learned to sell every step along the way. 

     We sold our parents. We sold our teachers. We sold each other. In fact, every time we met someone, we were selling something.

     Today, you don't even need to meet someone face-to-face to sell. Use social media to put your message out there. Or use other means.

     Example: Walker got his law degree, passed the bar exam, and tacked up a brass plate on his door. Then he waited. And waited. It's one thing, I told him, to have great credentials, but it's another thing to rein in clients. Every client expects a lawyer to be smart, educated and resourceful. But when they walk in your door, I explained, it's all about them--not you. Walker joined the local chamber of commerce and several networking groups. He offered to lead free discussions at senior centers, organizational meetings, and other gatherings. There, he talked about the simple concerns of people--what to do when you get a traffic ticket, how you handle an elderly relative, what to do if you get sued, how to conduct yourself if you end up in court. Soon, Walker's phone began to ring, and his law practice began to blossom. 

     Example: Freida loved to bake. Something about creating cookies and cakes fascinated her. She opened her small bakery and waited for people to discover the place. Some stopped in and returned from time to time, but it was not enough. Freida worked out ways to promote her bakery and sell the goods without doing face-to-face selling. She set out a fresh sample table every day--free cookies. She put her bakery on Facebook. She began holding baking classes--teaching people how to bake, giving them tips and information and recipes. All this activity created a buzz in the community and beyond. She offered to give talks at organizational meetings. Freida's reputation spread as customers spread the word for her and her bakery. 

     You can do many things to promote your business without face-to-face selling. Sell yourself and your business by getting others to think of you when their needs arise.

      The trick is to find the method that works for you. Selling yourself and your business becomes easier when you focus on the ways you can help other people.