Increasing your sales

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     The days of the hard sell are long gone. Yesterday's used car salesman is dead and on the way to being forgotten. 

     Social media has turned people loose. Today, it's all about the buyer, not the thing being sold. Services and products have become almost an afterthought. It's all about "How can you help me?"

     People today search out ways to meet their interests--just like they always have. But the ways and means differ. Older conversations across the picket fence have been replaced by likes and tweets and selfies. 

     Brands are still important. Those enjoying success, however, have now taken on a new dimension. It's not about what's being sold. It's about who's buying. 

     Pushing a product or service today has more to do with the pushee, not the pusher. Big business has been a big pusher in the past. Today, the siren song they sing is more likely to reflect the target's tune. 

     People in small business have always done this. It's because they are closer to their clients and customers. Today, the space between them has been reduced even more. Small business is truly a community player.

     Owners of small businesses answer the concerns of their clients and customers. After all, they are usually standing face to face.

     Social media has brought buyer and seller even closer together. Social media gets them up close and personal. The distance between pusher and pushee has been revolutionized by social media. 

     Small businesses have been quick to understand the promotional power of social media. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and all the others bring large numbers of people together, becoming better informed and educated and more anxious to participate.

     Get the information out there, and the product or service will follow. Clients and customers already know the brands. They are now drilling down to match their interests with your products and services. Social media fills the gap between your website and the sale. 

    Branding is still important, but your small business is its own brand. Selling is all about who's buying. It ain't the product or service.