Brandmerry Blog Archives
How to Sell Authentically Online (3 Changes to Make Today)
Do you sell products or services online and notice that every time you have to have the “conversation” you feel gross or freeze? No worries, we’ve all been there, however, if you’re not selling you’re not making money so let’s fix this belief!
How to Sell Authentically Online
(3 Changes to Make Today)
BY MICHELLE KNIGHT
I’m really passionate about the topic of selling because I see so many entrepreneurs struggling with the idea of selling their products and their services.
Many of the clients that I work with, especially in those beginning stages, are really worried about sounding sleazy or sounding pushy or being aggressive with their audience in any way. And, and a lot of that really comes from the way that they look at selling.
I’ll give you an example...I call her Susie.
Susie as the girl in the Facebook group who sees that you're also in the Facebook group, maybe her Facebook group maybe not. About one day after joining the group you receive a message that says, “Hey, I'm also in this Facebook group [inserts Facebook group] and I'm just wondering, do you build sales funnels?” She then proceeds to pitch her mini-course she just created or her freebie or her masterclass or whatever.
And of course, you’re like, “Ok, but I don’t know you and you don’t know me!”
It's these types of strategies that people are using that we're on the receiving end of that give us this bad taste in our mouth when it comes to selling or promoting our services.
But at the end of the day, if you want to create a revenue-generating business, a profitable business, you have to sell, right? You have to talk about your products and your services.
So how do we do that? How do we do that in a way that feels authentic to us and that is focused on our community and as a result leads to what I think is a more reputable, a more energetic, a more attractive brand overall.
I promise there is another way to sell online that doesn’t feel gross to you or your audience and increases your conversions and we’re going to dive deep into that today.
YOUR MINDSET AROUND SELLING ONLINE
We all know that strategy is so important when it comes to building a profitable business, but if your head is not in the right space, those strategies don't work.
The biggest block that I see entrepreneurs have when it comes to selling is their view or belief about selling.
The sooner that you change your mindset from selling in terms of pitching and you focus more on the connection, the easier all of this will become.
When you’re focused on connection, over selling, you’re focused on your audience.
When you’re focused on selling, you’re focused on the product or the service. If in your mind you're like, I'm going to sell this person. I'm going to get this person into my program because then I'll hit my number. Or then I'll hit my monthly goal. You're just focused on the product and the service.
But things start to really shift when you decide that you’re going to show up and you’re going to listen to this person tell you their pain, their struggle, their problem, then you’re going to offer up what you have as a solution to that problem and they have a choice to take it or not take it.
When you can switch your mindset in this way, I am telling you it changes everything, not just for your audience, but also for you because the process doesn’t feel inauthentic.
This simple change in your own mindset, your own belief on what selling really is will have a big impact on your conversion rate and the success that you experience from selling your products and your services.
YOUR MARKETING IS THE SALES PROCESS
When you think about online marketing and sales, it’s crazy. We are asking people we’ve never met before to invest in our product or service, often sight unseen. And the reality is there are a lot of people offering the same thing, so not only are you asking them to do this but to also make the decision to choose you.
And that’s really what it’s about...the brand as a whole.
This is where your marketing comes in; more specifically relationships and human marketing.
The selling is happening long before the pitch or sales conversation. All of the branding, content and interactions that are part of your marketing strategy are meant to lead people closer to buying your product or service.
Zig Ziglar says, “If people like you they’ll listen to you, but if they trust you they’ll do business with you!”
The foundation of every sale you make comes from the consumer trusting you over another brand, and that trust happens long before you make an offer, send a link or have a phone call.
IT’S NOT A SALES CALL, BUT A SALES CONVERSATION
Look, I no longer have sales calls - I have sales conversations.
This small shift in my mindset and in my actions changed my conversion rate from not so great, to 90%.
Let’s break this idea down.
When you’re getting ready for a Sales Call, you’re prepping for that call. You’re mapping out how and why they should buy from you, what you need to say in order to close the sale and once again all of your focus is on the service or product.
When you switch to having a conversation you actually listen!
When you frame the conversation to listen more, it is no longer about you and your product, it’s about your audience and your problem.
It’s no longer about what my product offers, but what about my ideal customer specifically needed.
When you’re listening to your ideal customer, it’s important to listen for a few key points (p.s. This counts for email communication as well).
What are they struggling with?
What do they want?
What obstacles are standing in their way?
And because you’ve listened to these three main points, you’re able to frame the offer specifically for them.
If you’ve ever struggled with what to say in a sales conversation, try listening and you’ll discover they will tell you everything you need to know.
5 SALES OBJECTIONS
Zig Ziglar states that there are 5 core sales objections, and I’ve got to admit I believe him 100%.
No need
No money
No hurry
No desire
No trust
Why is this important? Because not only can you address these objections in your relationship marketing leading up to the sale, but you can also use this knowledge to pinpoint where your ideal client is on a sales conversation.
When you have this information you’ll become a better marketer and you guessed it...sales queen!
CONCLUSION
When you look at the info above, you’ll notice it comes down to three core areas; mindset, relationships and sales conversations. It’s important that you identify the area you feel you need to put the most energy in your business to start seeing better results and feel more aligned with the process.
Selling is so important, because without there’s no money! That’s why in my signature group program Roadmap to Freedom, we dedicate an entire phase to the Art of Selling. I know how important it is to not only work on confidence around selling but also how to prepare for sales conversations, how to handle objections and so much more.
To learn more about Roadmap to Freedom visit brandmerry.com/freedom.
P.S. If you want to watch this blog content + learn 3 of my favorite selling strategies be sure to watch the video below.
P.P.S. I’ve got another video on boosting your Confidence While Selling, which you can read and watch here.
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MEET MICHELLE
Hey there, I'm Michelle Knight and I an online branding and marketing consultant for female entrepreneurs.
I believe in the power of storytelling and using that superpower to brand and market yourself online...oh and to set yourself free.
I'm obsessed with living a life of freedom, so much so, that my family and I now travel full-time while running my business from the road.
This blog serves as a home base for all things branding, marketing, content creation and more.
How You Can Sign 3 Clients in the Next 30 Days
How You Can Sign 3 Clients in the Next 30 Days
11/22/17
The doors to Roadmap to Freedom are open, and the biggest objection I receive is that women tell me it’s not the right time because they can’t find clients.
So today, I want to help you move your business forward so you can sign 3 clients in the next 30 days. Before we dive in, I want you to know that you’re not alone; it’s scary to invest, I’ve been there and so many of my clients have been there too.
To support you in feeling amazing about your next investment (because investments are necessary in your business) you need to stop downplaying your business.
Stop downplaying the services you offer.
The second you dive fully into what you do and take your business seriously it will take off.
Now, let’s get into these tips.
1. What you're currently doing that isn't working:
Inconsistent promotion
Your very inconsistent with what you’re offering and how you’re sharing that offer with your audience. If you want to sell, you have to be consistent with your promotion. Your audience needs to hear it 7x on average to take action.
Not clear on offer
It’s not that you don’t know what you offer, but you’re not clear on why your offer supports your ideal client - why they need that offer right now. I want you to know your offer so well that you could sell it to your mom or someone who’s definitely not your ideal client.
Don't fully know your audience
When it comes to selling, you have to know your ideal client like they are your best friend of 25 years. You have to know what they’re struggling with, present your offer in a way that fixes that struggle and gives them the desire to buy.
No urgency
If someone thinks they can sign up later, why would they sign up right now? There has to be that urgency. This can look like special pricing, special bonuses, cart closing, etc.
2. It's not working because…
Your audience thinks they can just take action later.
Your audience isn't hearing about your offer enough. I want you to put your offer our there at least 7 times. Research shows people need at least 7 touchpoint before they join.
Your audience can't see the benefit. Everything you create needs to be benefit driven.
3. What you need to do:
Become clear on your offer and how it supports your audience AND you need to write down the RESULTS they will receive if they follow what you’re offering them.
Create a plan to consistently promote your offer. How are you going to show up and consistently promote that offer? How many times per week? Where are you going to show up? How are you going to present your offer? You need to be talking about your offer at least 3 times a week. At least.
Add urgency to your offer. You’ve got 30 days to sign 3 clients. That means your offer ends in 30 days period :)
4. 3 Actionable Tips
1) Offer an assessment for your business
Assessments work because your audience is coming to you, and you get to show them what it’s like to work with you.
2) Use video to promote and encourage DM's
Live vide is an excellent way to connect with your audience and talk about your offer, give guidance and encourage people to message you.
3) Create a free offer direct to your paid offer
This is for the action takers. By this stage, you should know your paid offer so well, so now you can create a free offer that leads them to the paid offer.
You have all these big desires for your life and right now it feels like you are being pulled to something more than your current story; your current situation. This is just the beginning for you. We go over all this and way more in so much more depth in my program Roadmap to Freedom.
Just like you I had a desire to...
• Leave the 9 to 5 life for good (goodbye to a life of shoulds)
• Travel the world and not have to ask for permission to make it happen
• Work from a laptop, wherever and whenever I damn well pleased (yes, vacation, but more importantly next to my son while he plays)
• Exceed my 9 to 5 income without having to sacrifice the life I had created + live a life greater than I had ever imagined before
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY I WANTED TO DO IT ALL WITHOUT HAVING TO SACRIFICE THE VERY REASON I STARTED MY BUSINESS IN THE FIRST PLACE...my desire for freedom.
Roadmap to Freedom
Roadmap to Freedom is a 6-month group coaching program for the new female entrepreneur who is ready to launch an online business that allows her to make money on her own terms.
I HAVE TO ASK...
↠ What would it feel like to have all those missing pieces laid out for you?
↠ To be able to pick and choose the ones that work best for you, your life and your business?
↠ To have the support to ask questions & brainstorm having someone who has been exactly where you are now helping you dig deeper than you could ever do on your own?
↠ How would it feel to create a life that allowed you to work with location independence; to travel, to take off when needed and not ask permission?
↠ How would it feel to have the time to do the things you truly enjoy; to go to yoga, to spend time with your child to go on dates with your husband?
↠ How would it feel to have financial freedom to be able to pay off debt, to be able to live a life that doesn’t revolve around paycheck to paycheck?
All of this is possible for you, and I’ve got the roadmap to support you in making it into a reality.
If you are feeling that pull for more, for something different, I encourage you to learn more about the program or join here: https://www.brandmerry.com/freedom
Head over to my Facebook Page and be sure to like and comment on the video while you are over there to help more people see this information ↠ https://www.facebook.com/brandmerrycoaching/videos/964729903735847/
And as always please share and comment on this blog post, I love connecting with you!
