Sales preparation

Treat every sales effort as a campaign requiring careful planning if it is to succeed and bring in the necessary orders. If you are visiting prospects, samples are a must. These should be perfect in every way and presented in a neat professional case. The best sample in the world loses all its credibility if poorly presented. Similarly, you should have literature about your product or service; preferably clean, bright material with not too much copy.

Remember to stress the unique selling points (USPs) of your business. Don’t be afraid to boast about these benefits, but you must tell the truth or they will bounce back on you with disastrous effect.

Sales literature

The literature that you leave at every call or send to every telephone or mailed contact should have a number of basic items, preferably on one page:

• the company name;
• what the company does or makes;
• the address;
• telephone, fax, e-mail and mobile numbers if applicable;
• the USPs of the product or service;
• a promotional word or phrase where applicable, eg:
  • new;
  • special;
  • unique;
  • original;
  • introductory offer;
  • free quotation without obligation; or,
  • free fitting.
• price where possible or practical;
• business hours where applicable;
• invitation to contact or call; and,
• include a picture where possible. It is said, 'a picture is worth a thousand words'.