For any small business owner, being able to sell is a must. It is also one of the hardest parts of the job.
Why? Because we didn't leave our jobs to be salespeople. We left to do what we love.
Here's the problem though. Without clients, you don't have a business - you have an expensive hobby (more on this here).
Sales is also hard because we were never trained in selling. We have training in our respective professions, but not in selling.
Here are three laws to help guide your mindset when it comes to your sales activity. They are laws because, while you can break them, the penalties are severe (more severe than just bending some rules).
Law #1 - They won't let you know
We've all said this, or sent this in an email.
We've had a great conversation with a potential client. We've articulated the value of the service we provide. We followed up after the meeting.
And we parted ways with the enthusiastic invitation to "let us know if they want to talk more".
We've also had this one - "thanks for this, we'll let you know when we want to move forward".
They won't.
Your clients will not let you know. Not out of malice or lack of consideration though. They are busy, and you are never at the top of their priority list.
What does this mean? It means you have to follow up, and follow up again. It means you have to guide them on their customer journey.
It means you have to sell, and sell consistently.
Law #2 - You are always selling (even when you're not)
Let's pretend that you disagree with the statements I made earlier - that you have to sell if you run your own business. Let's say you get your business exclusively through referrals.
You're still selling.
From the initial email introduction through to working together, a client is always evaluating whether they want to work with you.
Whenever you are in front of a prospective client, or a client you've had for years, you are selling.
Selling is the removal of hesitation that you are the right person for the job. Therefore, any interaction you have with anyone on a professional level is selling.
You are always selling. And you are either selling well, or poorly.
(And since we're doing it all the time, my preference is to sell well.)
Law #3 - There is no immediate consequence to ignoring Laws 1 and 2
No, you did not misread that.
You can ignore both of the above Laws today, tomorrow, next week, and next month, and there will be no real downside.
Until there is.
Consider the Graduate in his first salaried job.
He gets his first pay check.
He thinks he has made it.
He has cash to burn.
And is then broke one week later because he 'mismanaged his finances'.
He had a great time in the short term. But long term he is in for a hard time.
The consequence of ignoring the Laws of Sales sneaks up on you and snacks you around the head. (Much like the realisation that you have no more money.)
Why? Because new business isn't achieved overnight. It takes time. Depending on your industry, it could take months or years. So you have to be disciplined, you have to be forward looking, and stick at it.
Because if you don't, you'll end up with less revenue than you need to see you through until that next deal comes in.
And that is a lonely place to be.
This is why selling is so difficult. It requires discipline, consistency and patience. But if you can be those things, you will always have options and opportunities.