Make It Happen If you're expecting business to come to you—you've got another thing coming.
By Julia Miller
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
I've learned over the years that the most successfulentrepreneurs either have an innate sales ability or just figure itout," says sales and direct marketing expert Alan Test.
If you, like most, fall into the second category, Test says themost important thing to do is "get out there": Talk to alot of people and determine the need for your product orservice.
But keep in mind there's a right and a wrong way to talk topotential customers. "If I walk into a business and say,'I sell sales training. Do you want any today?' I'mprobably not going to get a very positive response," Testexplains. "However, if I ask whether they're satisfiedwith their sales results and ask a lot of questions to determinetheir problems, needs and desires, I'm going to get a muchbetter response. The problem is, many entrepreneurs are so enamoredwith their own businesses, fancy brochures and logos, theydon't see the importance of [going the extra step]."
What's important, he says, is to ask a lot of questions.Just by talking things out, you can get crucial information.Specifically, you should:
1. Find out what people need. How might they use yourproduct or service? What are they using now?
2. Find out what makes them tick. As Test points out,"People don't buy a red sports car because they need it.They buy it because they want others to react when they seeit."
Test recalls a client whose commercial photography business grewbecause he knew the secret of turning potential clients into repeatbusiness. "When parents came in to have their children'sportraits taken, he would ask questions about thegrandparents," Test says. "When he found out, forexample, they were coming for the holidays, he suggested a familyportrait."
3. Find out where your prospects are and go after them.According to Test, the number one reason people fail in selling isthey don't make enough sales calls. And he's not justtalking telemarketing here. If you've got a product you'retrying to sell, get a list of distributors for that type ofproduct. Also, make yourself known in the community. Get active inyour local chamber of commerce or rotary club; write and/or pitcharticles to sales and marketing magazines.
In short, says Test, "Flood the marketplace."
