Closing the Deal When You’re not a Salesperson

I am not a salesperson.  It’s funny.  I’m an entrepreneur, and I need to sell myself and my services, yet I am not a salesperson.  I’ve read articles about how to close deals, and while some of the advice may be good, it just doesn’t fit me.

I am good with the networking portion of sales.  I love to go out and meet people, and while I’m a little shy and reserved, I can get myself to go up to someone and say hi and introduce myself.  I’m also a pretty good listener.  I don’t mind a bit listening to someone, and I find most people quite interesting.  Networking fits me.

The most successful approach for me hasn’t the often top quoted tactics like creating a sense of urgency or using the threat of competition or preparing late breaking news. 

The first thing I learned early on was to adjust my business from what I initially thought it was.  I originally thought of myself as helping people market their businesses, but soon, I discovered that I was better at certain components of marketing.  I quickly adjusted my business to web design and web promotion as well as desktop publishing services.  My talents really were in certain segments rather than in the broad spectrum of marketing.

The next thing I learned was that I really offered value in a particular niche.  Most larger companies were attracted to larger web design firms.  They barely gave me a nod.  Of course, I could have made the choice to aim big and adjust my strategy to lure them, but instead I saw a need.  I realized that the larger web design firms were out of the league of small new businesses just starting up.  Many new businesses were scared by quotes of thousands of dollars for a web site.  I saw my niche, and I began selling myself as a professional solution for small businesses just starting up.  I found that I like that approach better too.  I liked helping people succeed.

How do I close a deal?

I listen to the customer.  I find that listening to what a customer has to say matters.  Don’t try to put words in their mouths, but do try to ask questions when they are unclear to you.  Also, if they seem confused about what they want (many often are), try to offer them options and ideas based on what they are telling you.  It’s a juggling act to not over or under sell.

I offer some free advice.  This can be a double edged sword.  But I find that if I offer some little bit of advice, I do two things:  I build trust, and I show my knowledge in the field.  It can work against you because they make take your advice and not engage your services.  Other times, it will lead the customer back to you after they have found that others did not do the same for them.  They learned that you can be trusted.

I bow out gracefully when they’re asking for more than I can do.  The biggest no-no in business is promising something you cannot deliver.  There are simply some projects that are too big for me or too complex.  I keep my name intact by bowing out gracefully when they are asking for something I’m not sure I can deliver.  At those times, I refer them to my competition (companies I trust and I know can do what I can’t).  That has gone a long way in keeping my name good in the business community, and interestingly, some of my competition has actually outsourced to me because of this.  Remember, competition doesn’t mean adversary.

I thank the potential customer whether I get the sales or not.  Be a good loser.  After all, if their first choice doesn’t work out, maybe they will come back to you.  Some of my clients have come to me after they found they didn’t like their first choice.

I may not have the highest sales, but I have a business that continues and grows.  You can have skyrocketing sales in your first year, but what really matters is building relationship and a sustainable business.  You want your name to survive, so build your sales carefully.  Find a way to make sales work for your personality.