Mindset – “I don’t do sales”

I often hear business owners say “I don’t do sales”. This is an attitude I have found surprisingly common among many of those in business and is quite often a reason they could be being held back from reaching their full potential.

Many businesses have been started by those with special skills and knowledge and with the business being built purely on their expertise. In most cases, these owners have not come from a sales background. Quite often, their attitude to the sales process and selling is holding them back. Consequently, they resist opportunities to learn about selling and expanding their businesses further.

In any market, good or bad, there are sales opportunities to be made by all businesses. The important point that needs to be understood is that unless a business has a sales-orientated approach, opportunities will be missed as the survival and growth for any business is dependent on selling their goods or services to maintain cash-flow. Sales are the lifeblood of any business and success will only come if the importance of the sales process is developed and learned from the top down.

Owners and management of an organisation who see themselves as salespeople, understand and give priority to these five activities in developing a strong profitable business.

• Continue talking to customers – without them you don’t have a business.
• Obtain new customers and sales – you must replace, expand and build relationships.
• Maintain prospecting & marketing – continually develop new markets & customers.
• Improve strategies – competition & economic change is always with us.
• Capitalize on increased market opportunities – identify & build on their competitive advantage.

“All of us are involved in selling every day. Whenever we present a product or a principle, inform a client, or instruct a child, we are engaging in the art of effective persuasion. Selling is professional persuasion.” – Zig Ziglar