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Your company is in the middle of a sales drive and you need a little extra kick. Maybe your bottom line hasn’t been as cushy as in past months or you recently hired a few new sales staffers with strong goals. Regardless of the reason, it is always a good time to boost sales.
Here are a few tips to help build momentum.
Entrepreneurs often dedicate way too much time finding new business when, in reality, their loyal clients have the potential of being a treasure trove of sales waiting to be seized. Spend time looking at metrics around your clients and identify three different customers: those that have been with you longest, those that have expressed satisfaction with your product or service and those that are in constant communication with you about how to improve your offering.
Call or email all three of these groups immediately. Think in advance of how you can upgrade the amount they are using your product and why they should consider it. Chances are good that you’ve built solid relationships with these people over the years. Not only will they listen to you, they will likely buy more from you.
The faster you respond to qualified leads, the more sales you will land, simple as that. According to a study performed by Lead Response Management, leads that were responded to in five minutes or less proved 10 times more profitable than leads responded to in one hour. These are staggering statistics and a harsh reminder—especially for online-based companies—of the importance of responding to leads immediately.
Why else should you respond so fast? Because, consumers do their research before they reach out. This means that by the time they are contacting you, they’ve likely narrowed their search to your firm and a few others. And the minute after they contact you, they will contact others. It’s a race to be the company that reaches back first.
We’ve all seen business websites filled with written testimonials from “Tony in Des Moines, Iowa” or “Carla in Upstate New York.” Today’s web users are savvy enough to know that, while these could be legitimate quotes, they could have just as easily come from the desk of the company’s CEO.
Increase the credibility of your consumer testimonials by videotaping your clients. Ask a few of your happiest clients to sit down in front of a camera and explain why they love your product or service (if they show themselves using the product, all the better). This can be as easy as using a camera phone and sending a file over email.
For better quality, purchase a camera and film them yourself. Can’t get to your client? Ask them to participate in a Google Hangout. Post the video on your site’s page specific to the product or service that your client discussed.
Extra tip: If the video goes well, ask your client to sit down for a longer conversation and write up a case study, then post a PDF file to your site.
Providing a money back guarantee is an excellent way to reel in new customers. Offer a 30-day trial to allow potential customers to try out your offering. Make sure they pay up front, but promise to refund their money—no questions asked—if not satisfied. This shouldn’t backfire, especially if you have confidence in your product.
Quiz: How much of your day is comprised of activities that directly impact your bottom line and how much is taken up by ancillary duties? Take out the latter, start delegating and watch your sales increase almost immediately.
Yaniv Masjedi is the vice president of marketing at Nextiva (@Nextiva), a leading provider of cloud-based, unified communication services. In his role, Yaniv manages the firm's marketing and branding efforts by working to create strategies that drive awareness, strengthen the Nextiva brand and share the story of the company's unique customer-centric culture (dubbed "Amazing Service").
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