July Newsletter
Welcome to your Quarterly Free Advice Newsletter from Marksman Business Development.
(www.marksman.nz Servicing: Waikato, BOP, Auckland.)
This edition I am focusing on how to survive and actually grow your business during this recession utilising astute sales methods, rather than spending money on advertising/marketing.
As a business owner during the last recession with many clients, I have successful first-hand experience, knowledge and advice to share with you on how to survive and grow during these trying times.
The information in this newsletter contains some helpful tips, and if you would like some more advice you are welcome to contact me, Mark Nogaj, any time: info@marksman.nz, 027 552 5346.
I am also a registered Business Advisor with New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (see the end of this newsletter for how that can benefit your business significantly)
SURVIVING AND THRIVING IN THE RECESSION:
This first step is to have the correct mind-set.
We all accept the fact that all industries have shrunk due to the recession.
Your way ahead is to increase your market share in your diminished industry!
To Thrive And Grow: essentially you need to gain more of your market share.
As the last recession proved, two types of businesses/people emerge during a recession.
The first and largest group are those that go into doom & gloom mode.
They essentially give-up and never really recover.
That happened to many businesses during the last recession and I’m seeing it happen again during this recession.
The second, and smaller group very pro-actively go on the “front foot” straight away and very assertively improve every and all aspects of their business: gaining a larger market share.
That is crucial: you need the right mindset to survive and thrive during a recession.
Take this time to significantly improve your business in all regards!
The business that grew: After readjusting their business in terms of expenditure, and etc (the common-sense stuff) to grow their business they paid special attention to their sales aspects because proactive sales during a recession is the number one difference between success and failure! (getting more slices of that small/medium size pizza)
Start with: Your CUSTOMER SERVICE
During a recession CUSTOMER SERVICE is an extremely important part of the sales aspect because:
-It means customers will come back to you
-And recommend you to others
KEEPING customers is in itself powerful Sales.
Getting customers to RECOMMEND you is in itself powerful Sales.
Your goal with every single customer is for them to experience outstanding customer service.
Be the best in your industry: lead the way in every way in terms of customer service.
If your level of customer service is poor during a recession your business will suffer badly!
NOT ENOUGH NEW CUSTOMERS? HERE IS THE SOLUTION:
If you are not getting enough customers (sales) this is the model to adhere to, to fix the situation:
Level Of Activity x Behaviours = Results
I am yet to come across a business/client that has not been able to fix their Results (more customers/sales) without in the first instance significantly and proactively increasing their Level of Activity (contacting more leads).
The Behaviours aspects are the skills involved in the sales process, and they need to be very good to be effective.
To start off with you need to significantly increase your database of leads to contact.
If you would like the Quick Easy Tips For Finding Leads (in ways that do not cost money), send me an email and I will send the details straight to you info@marksman.nz or phone 027 552 5346
How To Communicate To Achieve Sales To Leads
Now you have all these leads, the next step is- what to do with them:
The Behaviours part of the equation.
This will be down to personal preference for each person; some prefer face-to-face, or phone or email.
If you really dislike cold-calling (and many do!) I have an easy method even the most extreme hater of doing cold calls can use effectively and it’s proven popular with many. Email Mark Nogaj at info@marksman.nz for the details, or phone 027 552 5346
Quick tip:
Do not be offended if you email or call a lead and they do not respond.
The most common theme I get from salespeople is that they called someone, left a message but they never returned the call, or email.
That is life, always has been, always will be.
Do not get offended
Do not give up
Do not think it is because they are not interested.
Life gets in the way- people do not always respond, especially Kiwis as we can take an absolute age to make a decision or respond.
Accept this crucial sales aspect:
It Takes At Least 6 Forms Of Sales Contact & Communication To Achieve New Customers/Make A Sale.
That not to say its can’t be done sooner than that, and it does, but for most it simply doesn’t.
Too many in sales give up too early.
You need to be professionally persistent, without being annoying. (contact me and I will let you know how to do this)
The quality of each of communication, be it email phone, face-to-face needs to be:
- sincere,
- professional,
- and expressive of how your service or product will benefit the lead.
NOT pushy, slick, manipulative, or hard-sell. But very sincere and professional
Contact me and I will let you know how to do that: info@marksman.nz, 027 552 5346
Quick tip:
The most effective times to makes sales calls in NZ:
Tuesday – Thursday, between 10am – 3pm
Quick tips:
Verbal communication
When meeting with leads, be aware of personal space, do not get too close- some hate that with a passion. And always be weary of personal touching.
SMILE! This one simply aspect when you are communicating is vitally important and works very effectively.
Be energetic, but not to the point it is like you have eaten a box of rubber bands for breakfast.
Dress relevantly professional for your industry and be clean. It does make a significant difference.
When answering phone– this is an important sales aspect.
I will let you know how best to do this. Email or phone me for more information info@marksman.nz , 027 552 5346
Sales To Different Personality Types
There is so much information on this available.
However, none of it is based on Kiwis- we have our own distinctive way of doing things.
Email info@marksman.nz for the instructions on how to communicate with different Kiwi personality types, and ethnicities.
Quick tip:
How To Build Rapport
Rapport is not about becoming someone’s best friend to get a sale.
Rapport happens when someone really likes dealing with you due to your professionalism in all regards that is of benefit to them.
Nothing builds rapport better than providing results/solutions/products/services that effective benefit someone, coupled with superb customer service.
Certainly, take Leads for coffees, get to know them better, build somewhat of a friendship and relationship, but all of that is for naught if you do not provide them actual results in terms of what they are wanting.
How to overcome objections
The key is to think in advance what your Leads objection(s) might be and then pre-empt and mitigate that in your initial communications.
BUT– you must be careful here not to offend!
For example, you can offend a lead by assuming price will be an objection.
So be mindful, sensible and non-judgmental, but subtly try and pre-empt objections earlier in your communications. Do your research.
Contact me for more details on how to overcome objections and also how to ascertain if someone is giving you a false objection. info@marksman.nz 027 552 5346
How To Close The Deal/Ask For The Sale
Do not get into the cliched mindset of: “our product or service will sell itself”
It can for some, but now we are in a recession, so more work needs to be done to ensure the sale.
When it comes down to closing the sale, all the pre-sale work you have done is crucial!
It is actually the groundwork initially done, that will make for the sale.
Every business/industry is different to how they need to close the deal, but a common one is to phone after a quote/proposal has been sent.
Ask them this question: “has the proposal and quote met your requirements”
Wait for an answer.
If they say: “yes” then do an assumptive close and say “great, we will make a start asap/Get the products to you/send you invoice etc” (which ever is relevant)
If they say “no”, ask them polity what aspects do it meet their requirements. Then, if it is possible for you to meet those requirements state you can do that and will get the details to them promptly.
Do not be afraid to ask for the sale: JUST STRAIGHT OUT ASK THEM! It works.
Too many are afraid to ask for the sale. Just do it!
There are different ways to Close A Sale depending on what industry you are in. Contact me and I will let you know the best, proven ways for your industry info@marksman.nz 027 552 5346
We are out of space/time for this newsletter- I have much more to share with you as I do with many businesses
Please see www.marksman.nz for more details. It is our job to help your business gain more customers, easily and cost effectively.
Benefit From: NEW ZEALAND TRADE AND ENTERPRISE (NZTE)
Marksman Business Development is a register Business Advisor with NZTE and this is good news for your business because they can potentially pay 50% of the fees (up to $5000).
Or: hopefully very soon the Govt will announce a next wave of funding for businesses to utilise specific registered Business Advisors (such as Marksman Business Development) to assist businesses affected by the covid-19 led recession.
When they did this in April via NZTE they paid 100% of the fees up to $5000 and many businesses benefited from this via Marksman Business Development and I’m proud to report they are all thriving and growing now!
If you would like to express your interest in either of these options, please let me know asap before spaces or funds run out: info@marksman.nz, 027 552 5346.
We look forward to hearing from you and growing your business.
