| The recent economic downturn has decreased the | | | | before you pick up the phone to make a call. |
| number of incoming leads for many service | | | | |
| businesses. With less business to go around, | | | | 1. Contact each customer for whom you have |
| forward-thinking business owners engage with | | | | prepared a proposal. I recommend emailing the |
| prospective customers rather than waiting for the | | | | prospect first with a few main points from your |
| phone to ring. Those who adapt to the new slower | | | | proposal and a notice that you will be calling soon to |
| economy will have a better chance of surviving a | | | | speak with them. Include your phone number and |
| business downturn. | | | | address in your email. |
| Before you read on, get a pen and pad of paper - | | | | 2. When you call, confirm that your offering meets |
| the ultimate survival tool. Then, schedule some time | | | | the needs of your prospect. |
| to think. | | | | 3. Schedule a meeting to discuss your proposal in |
| Step 1 - Identify Your Strengths | | | | detail. Get specifics - date and time are required. No |
| Even though your business is declining, your first line | | | | vague follow-up request will do! |
| of defense is to remember what makes your | | | | Step 4 - The Meeting |
| business great. Customers probably rave about your | | | | You have done your research, polished your proposal, |
| attention to detail, your quality, and your responsive | | | | and set a meeting time. Now, it's time to put the |
| service. Take some time to review your most | | | | finishing touches on your proposal. |
| rewarding customer relationships for clues to your | | | | |
| strengths. Usually, the strengths of your business are | | | | 1. Think through any objections your prospect might |
| directly related to your own personal motivation and | | | | raise to your proposal and answer them in writing or |
| values, and motivation is at a premium when facing | | | | verbally using a friend who understands your |
| difficulty. | | | | business. Don't try to memorize your answers or the |
| Answer the following questions in writing: | | | | questions, you are doing this to ready your mind for |
| | | | real dialog, not to provide canned answers. |
| 1. What customers do you most enjoy serving? | | | | 2. At your meeting, discuss your proposal to confirm |
| Why? | | | | once again that you are meeting a real need for your |
| 2. What problems did you solve for these | | | | prospect. |
| customers? | | | | 3. If you are confident that your proposal is on |
| 3. Are there other customers facing problems that | | | | target, discuss pricing and ask for a buying decision. |
| your business can solve? | | | | Step 5 - Close the Sale |
| 4. Who are the top three prospective customers you | | | | |
| can approach confidently with a solution to one of | | | | 1. If your prospect does not feel ready to purchase, |
| their problems? | | | | ask questions to determine the part of your proposal |
| Step 2 - Create Written Proposals | | | | to which they object. |
| Create a written proposal that describes how you | | | | 2. Address any concerns in detail and ask for the sale. |
| intend to solve each of your potential customers' | | | | 3. If the customer does not want to buy, you may |
| problems. Proposals can be only a paragraph or two, | | | | either keep pushing though the cycle of answering |
| or they can be many pages depending on the | | | | objections or use another cycle of proposal writing to |
| complexity and cost of your services. Whatever | | | | address your prospect's objections formally. |
| form your proposal takes, it will be a valuable way | | | | 4. Never leave the meeting without either closing the |
| for you to think through exactly how your gifts can | | | | sale or setting a date and time for your followup |
| benefit potential clients. This is a great exercise in | | | | proposal review meeting. |
| positive affirmation that will get your mind off a silent | | | | The steps I have outlined above will get you moving |
| telephone and empty email inbox. | | | | towards making sales for your business even in the |
| Step 3 - Make Contact | | | | hardest of economic times. You may need to work |
| Planning and wishing for better times is no substitute | | | | for less money than you want. You may have to do |
| for action. If you are an introvert, reaching out to | | | | more work than you prefer, but you can still make |
| potential customers can be overwhelming. For you, it | | | | sales. When you truly believe in what you do, you |
| is especially important to reach out as quickly as | | | | owe it to your potential customers to sell them on |
| possible. Do not wait for perfectly formed ideas | | | | your services! |