Let’s face it. Selling isn’t easy, is it?
Persuading prospects to become paying customers can often be a challenge.
This is especially true when it comes to entrepreneurial selling. Whether you’re a brand-new entrepreneur or a highly seasoned business owner, selling is something that can pose a challenge.
If you’re reading this post, it’s probably because you want more insight into how to get people to buy from you. It’s likely that you are looking for more effective ways to make your business more appealing to your potential clients. Utilize psychological triggers like scarcity and social proof to increase conversions. According to a study by Cialdini, scarcity can increase value perception and demand.
What this means is that you understand that there are things you can do to make it easier to get potential customers to become more receptive to considering your offer. This post is going to give you 5 things that you need to make sure your prospects are aware of if you want them to buy from you.
As you read this post, you’re going to find out why these 5 things are so important. You’re going to see how these things can relate to your business.
One thing to keep in mind is this: it’s not about just knowing what you need to tell your prospects. It’s about knowing how to articulate these things in a way that gets your prospects to connect to you and your brand. As you implement the advice given in this post, you’re going to experience a more powerful connection with those you wish to do business with.
The Issue
The biggest mystery in marketing your services to potential customers is understanding what a prospect needs to know about you. Many entrepreneurs do not know their target audience and how to represent themselves in a way that is effective.
It can be a huge problem, right? Continuously A/B test your sales strategies. VWO reports that A/B testing can improve conversion rates by up to 49%.
Making an impression that will earn your prospects’ trust is important for any individual and business. Whether corporate or non-corporate, the customer needs to be your priority every time.
Remember, it’s not about you, it’s about them. This is the mindset that should be present in all of your sales and marketing efforts.
Earning the trust of your potential clients or customers is not easy. However, it is very important for your sales efforts. The main issue that arises is not being able to connect with your prospects and customers.
This prevents you from earning the prospect’s business. Most businesses or individuals are not skilled in differentiating themselves from their competition.
The solution lies within how much your prospects know about you. This will increase their trust in you and will help you to connect with your potential customers better. Focus on the long-term value of a customer, not just a one-time sale. According to Harvard Business Review, acquiring a new customer is 5 to 25 times more expensive than retaining an existing one.
As the trust grows, chances are that you will earn your prospects’ business will grow as well. As we move on, we will talk about the most important things your prospects need to know about you in order for you to gain their trust and earn their business. According to Nielsen, 92% of consumers believe recommendations from friends and family over all forms of advertising.
1. You’re There To Help
“You can have everything you want in life if you will just help enough other people get what they want.” – Zig Ziglar
If you’re aiming to earn your prospects business, they need to know that your first priority is them. You need to connect with the prospects and let them know that you’re there to solve their problems. They should know that your ultimate objective is to make their lives easier.
The selling aspect should not be present when you’re trying to connect and earn the prospect’s trust. Your entire approach should focus on getting the customers what they want.
Offer value beyond your product or service. Give them something extra that will help them. This will show your prospects that you are truly there to help them get what they need. A 5% increase in customer retention can increase a company’s profitability by 75%, according to Bain & Company.
Consider the impression this will make on your prospects! Showing them your commitment to their success will make them feel like they are taken care of.
Make sure you sell the customers according to their actual needs and not what you assume would be helpful to them. This will ensure that the customer comes back to you. If you succeed in helping your prospects how they want, it is likely that they will refer your services to other people as well.
2. Your Services Are Useful
Make sure that your customers know that your services can be useful. Promoting your services and boasting about your achievements may allow you to grab your prospect’s attention, but it won’t help you hold onto it.
If you want your customers to trust you, make sure you lay the foundation based on credibility. You must prove to your customers that you can provide high-quality services that deliver on the claims you have made.
This is where storytelling comes in handy. Use quizzes or interactive videos to engage potential customers. Interactive content generates 2x more conversions than passive content, according to Kapost.
Think about the challenges your prospects face. Remember the times when you have helped other customers deal with these challenges.
The point isn’t to just tell stories that show how awesome you are. The point is to tell your prospect a story that they can relate to. You want them to be able to identify with the “characters” in the story you tell.
That’s why you have to make sure that the stories you tell need to resemble your prospect’s situation as closely as possible. Even if it doesn’t mirror their situation exactly, you can draw out certain points that are similar to what your prospect is dealing with.
When you do this, you will see the “light bulb” turn on in your prospect’s mind. You will have given them a more concrete example of how you can bring value to them.
3. Your Mission
This is one of the most important components of this post. When you are able to communicate a clear mission that goes beyond your product or service, it gives your prospects something to connect with.
Remember, consumers don’t connect with products or services. They connect with you and your brand. The point isn’t to constantly brag about how wonderful your offering is. The point is to show them who you are. When they connect with you and your brand, they will buy your products or services.
Your prospects need to know that you stand for something.
If you want your services to be appealing to prospects, you need to show them that you have a mission. You need your customers to know that your vision is more than just what you’re offering.
According to author and speaker Simon Sinek, people don’t buy what you do. They buy why you do it.
Even if they don’t know it, your prospects want to see the “human” side of your business. They want to know that you’re a brand with a soul, not just some corporate machine.
What is the change that you want to make in the world? What is the impact you desire your company to have? Why?
These are the questions you need to answer in order to identify your brand’s purpose. The purpose is what people connect to, not products. Highlight your company’s ethical practices as a selling point. Cone Communications states that 87% of consumers will purchase a product because a company advocated for an issue they care about.
Simon Sinek says that the key isn’t to do business with those who need what you sell. The key is to do business with those who believe what you believe. Your beliefs are your brand.
4. How You Can Make Their Lives Better
In every sales interaction, your main objective should be to let your prospects know how your services make their lives better. You need to be able to show them how they will be better off after buying your product or service.
Sounds obvious right? Not really.
You’d be surprised how much this point gets overlooked.
With reference to your services, you should explain the parts of your prospect’s life that will be affected positively. Make sure that you personalize with the customer as much as possible. According to a study by SmarterHQ, 72% of consumers only engage with personalized messaging.
Making a prospect’s life better can mean several different things:
- You can make them happier.
- You can make them more educated.
- You can save them more money.
- You can relieve stress.
- You can eliminate a problem.
The issue isn’t identifying every single solitary benefit your prospect can expect to enjoy. The issue is discussing the specific benefits that are most important to your prospect.
When you know exactly what your customer wants and needs, you can tailor your approach appropriately. As you start to get better at asking the right questions and identifying their true needs and desires, you will see how much easier it will be to show them the value you bring to the table.
5. You’re Not A Robot
Lastly, you need to be a human, not a robot. This is related to point 3. As stated previously, consumers don’t connect with products and services. They connect with humans. They connect with purpose.
It’s immensely important to take the time to “let your hair down” and show them your human side. You have to build rapport. Spiegel Research Center states that displaying reviews can increase conversion rates by 270%.
The focus shouldn’t only be on getting your prospect to give you their money. The focus should be on establishing an actual relationship with your prospect. Think about how much easier it will be to get your prospect’s business when you show them that you value them as a person, and not just a paycheck.
Not only will this earn you more sales it will also cause you to feel better about what you’re doing. You will find that your sales interactions become more fun and enjoyable.
Don’t be a corporate machine. Be human.
This will help you connect with your prospects. If you’re personalizing with your potential customers, you show them that there is more to the services you render than just selling products. Relax and talk in a conversational tone.
This will create a harmonious relationship between you and your prospect. This way, you can also find some areas of common interest, helping you connect better with your prospect.
One of the best ways to connect with your prospects is to encourage them to talk as much as you can. Keep the focus on them. Ask great questions.
The more interest you show, the better the response will be. Including video on a landing page can increase conversions by 86%, according to a study by EyeView Digital.
The Long-Term Value of a Customer
Many businesses pour resources into loyalty programs, yet few grasp their financial significance. Research by Forrester indicates that members of loyalty programs outspend non-members by 30% annually. This segment will explore the return on investment for these programs and their role in amplifying long-term customer value.
Customers serve as network hubs, contributing more than just direct income. Their recommendations, social media endorsements, and participation in collaborative consumption schemes like group purchases can exponentially increase revenue. This segment will dive into the far-reaching financial benefits of the network effect.
As AI and machine learning technologies advance, businesses are increasingly able to identify customers with high future value. This section will examine how data analytics has become a revolutionary tool for understanding long-term customer worth, supported by case studies and practical applications.
While revenue loss from customer attrition gets a lot of attention, the hidden toll—such as decreased staff morale and added pressure on customer support—is frequently ignored. This part will offer an in-depth analysis of these concealed costs and their lasting ramifications.
In a time when environmental consciousness is rising, companies that adopt sustainable practices not only distinguish themselves but also achieve greater customer loyalty. This segment will outline how prioritizing sustainability can be a profitable choice, supported by data from the Global Reporting Initiative.
The Bottom Line
You started reading this post for a reason. You’re an entrepreneur and you want to learn how to earn more business.
What this means is that you’re looking for things you can do that will make your prospects more likely to trust you. When you start using the advice given in this article, you will realize how powerful an impact it will have on your conversations with your prospects. You will find yourself closing more business.
