Let's face it, in the entrepreneurial experience, there are plenty of bad days to go around. In fact, sometimes it seems as if nothing can go right. Often, the discouraging things occur little by little and accumulate slowly over time, though occasionally building to a seemingly intolerable level.
This is where persistence and a positive outlook come in handy.
The good news is that things can turn around and the turnaround is often abrubt. It could be a beta trial that goes well and clears the path to commercialization, a key strategic partner that finally signs that contract, the large purchase order that comes in after months of delay, or a vendor who finally gets that nagging quality problem corrected. These positive developments are often the opening of a floodgate... a floodgate to your future.
Keep this in mind as you face discouragement. One day can make a big difference. I have seen it happen many times!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Sell, Sell, Sell
If you want to be an effective entrepreneur, you must be an effective salesperson.
Almost everything that you do will entail a sales effort: getting people to invest in your idea or company; getting a shop to produce your prototypes; recruiting employees; recruiting mentors; getting a loan; securing strategic partnerships; working out advantageous payment terms with your vendors, and obviously-- selling your product or service.
Nobody is born with sales process knowledge and the skills to apply that knowledge. The sales process is not taught in school. Knowledge of how to sell, how to recruit and manage a sales force and how to properly incent others to sell for you is usually acquired in the workplace.
The key is to understand that if you have not done it before, you don't know how to do it and must go get that knowledge. It is unwise to assume that you automatically understand this complex and important process just because you started a business. It is also unwise to assume that the ability to create a couple of initial sales means that you know how to extend this out to many prospects and to ramp it up "big time."
You must also have or assume an outgoing personality to be an effective salesperson.
Fortunately, you can gain a lot of knowledge by reading books on the subject, attending sales training seminars, working with mentors, etc. Please, please take the time out of your busy schedule to learn about sales if you have not previously been a salesperson and sales manager in a capacity similar to what you are attempting to do and build to.
Almost everything that you do will entail a sales effort: getting people to invest in your idea or company; getting a shop to produce your prototypes; recruiting employees; recruiting mentors; getting a loan; securing strategic partnerships; working out advantageous payment terms with your vendors, and obviously-- selling your product or service.
Nobody is born with sales process knowledge and the skills to apply that knowledge. The sales process is not taught in school. Knowledge of how to sell, how to recruit and manage a sales force and how to properly incent others to sell for you is usually acquired in the workplace.
The key is to understand that if you have not done it before, you don't know how to do it and must go get that knowledge. It is unwise to assume that you automatically understand this complex and important process just because you started a business. It is also unwise to assume that the ability to create a couple of initial sales means that you know how to extend this out to many prospects and to ramp it up "big time."
You must also have or assume an outgoing personality to be an effective salesperson.
Fortunately, you can gain a lot of knowledge by reading books on the subject, attending sales training seminars, working with mentors, etc. Please, please take the time out of your busy schedule to learn about sales if you have not previously been a salesperson and sales manager in a capacity similar to what you are attempting to do and build to.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
