If you aren’t actively marketing your business, in the right ways, you are losing out on business. Potential money is slipping away and you may not even know it! And some small adjustments can be all it takes to make sure your potential customers know who you are AND where to find you…
In business, YOU are your best sales and marketing person because who else knows exactly what you do better than YOU?! In fact, we are ALL in sales, no matter what industry you own a business in and no matter what you do. If you are in business, you ARE in sales.
You are a walking product catalogue, customer service department, frequently asked questions and encyclopedia on your products. And when people have confidence in YOU, then it’s more likely they will do business with you.
Whether you have a small or large team of staff, – people ‘notice’ how you as a Manager, Director, or Business Owner speak about your company and services, how you manage your team, and how you ‘are’ the business.
An extremely important skill in business is being able to market your business and what you do, so how do you do that?
Here are 4 practical, effective ways to sell and market yourself better so you can stop losing out on business:
1: How do you Talk about your business?
If I was to ask you – So What Do You Do? – what would you say? Do you come back with a lot of ‘features’ about your product / service / company or do you highlight the ‘benefits’ of doing business with you?
Often we go into ‘auto pilot’ about what we do. Eg. I’m an Accountant, a Lawyer, a Plumber, Electrician etc. But what people are interested in is not so much what you DO but the benefits of doing business with you.
2: The Power of Client Testimonials or ‘Third Party Selling’
When one of your customers recommends your product or service – it appears more credible, and ‘real’. So when a friend or business colleague 
recommends a company – most people will place value on that and develop a positive opinion about the business before they’ve even had dealings with them. Word of mouth and referrals are the cheapest and most effective marketing for a small business, which is why testimonials are so important!
These are a great sales and marketing tool, and we need to remember to regularly ask for testimonials to build your credibility in the market place. Remember – you have to earn the right to ask for a testimonial – by giving great service first and ensuring your clients are happy with your product /service.
3: Provide a Guarantee
One way to give prospective clients confidence in your business is to provide some sort of guarantee or ‘promise’ of your services. Some business people are reluctant to do this, but I feel you should be able 
to stand behind your product or service.
It shows commitment from the business to clients, and helps to build trust quickly, give reassurance to doing business with you and helps to differentiate you from other companies in your industry.
You need to be careful as to what you include as a guarantee and must be able to deliver on this time and time again. This is a fantastic way to market you / your business and give people a secure reason to do business with you.
4: Get Online
If you aren’t online, you are missing out on a huge opportunity to reach your customers. You can bet your competitors will be! The Internet is usually one of the first places customers look when trying to find 
more information on a business, so you want to make sure you have a strong profile and can be found easily. Think about the on-line platforms where your customers are. Don’t just set up a full range of social media platforms because you think you should, and then don’t do anything with them…. Think about where your ideal customers are, and focus on doing 2 or 3 on-line strategies well. LinkedIn is a great resource for professionals and businesses, Facebook can have a great reach for you, and remember to blog regularly through your website.
If you find this time consuming, or not sure where to start – consider outsourcing and getting an expert to help with this. This is money very well spent, and adds strength to your sales / marketing business.
