I started my sale career in 1984 as a sale representative for a famous French appliance supply company. For just under two years I managed their booth at the Galleries Lafayette in Paris. That was long time ago and so many things have changed ever since. But that is another story.

I started working with absolutely no sales experience.

 
 

Previously I studied law for two years, but didn’t really liked it so ended up taking the first job I found. No one taught me how to sell, but the brand was so famous that I didn’t really have to work hard. People came to the booth, I explained how the product worked and it sold itself. I had some competition, but because of the brand recognition I was always the one with the biggest sales number.

After my first sales job I became a sale representative for an office supplies company. This time I had some sales training. Although, selling pens, pencils, papers or inks is really not complicated. My clients were corporations; they needed and used supplies every month. I just had to visit them on a regular basis and take the orders. It was so easy that after about a year after I built my clientele, I was working only 4 hours a day, 4 days a week and the money was pouring in.

A few years later even though the money was great, I got bored to being a sales rep. I wanted more responsibility and I wanted to focus on something that interested me. I became the sales manager for a smaller company where I felt I could make a difference. Since this company was smaller and had more competition and didn’t have the extensive advertising budget I had been accustomed to, I had to work harder.
Even though I had to work harder, I realized that everywhere I went, people were always telling me the same thing: they liked my style compared to other sales people, because I never tried to push a sale but always advised them on what
they should order.

In 1998, I started my own business, this time I was not selling a product, but services – my telemarketing services. I had to find a strategy to show the differences between my services and my competitors. I kept the same strategy: advise, but never push a sale. This perspective works because customers don’t feel pressured; they know I’m confident and that I’m capable of getting the job done. My job is to promote their businesses. The clients understand I will use the same strategy promoting their products and will get the same results. Clients will buy their products because of the way I was presenting them and not pushing them.
In 2003, I started my second business teaching clients how to grow their businesses by networking and organizing events. Once again, I didn’t have any networking training when I started but I learned how to adapt my previous business strategies to get the same results. To this day, this is exactly what I do, I advise people instead of selling to people.
I teach people how to use proven strategies to attract clients instead of chasing clients.
Don’t try to sell your product or service. Promote your free offer instead. What goes through your mind when you go to a networking event and someone that you just met three minutes ago tries to sell you something; You don’t like it, right! You don’t know the salesman’s reputation, product or service and no one referred him to you. You can’t rely on testimonials about the benefits of his goods or services as you haven’t had time to check. So think about it when you are the one tying to sell to others. It has the same effect, they don’t like it.

On the other hand, if you offer a sample of your services to your new contacts or prospects; if you offer them a free report, free CD, or free consultation, they have time to get to know you and your products: Who you are, what you do, how you do it. They have time to check your references and decide if your product or service is right for them. They will be very confident with you, or they will refer people to you, because they know you and trust you. I have 25 year’s ’sales’ experience, but I’ve never liked to sell. I inform, guide and teach people about the products or services I have to offer. I much prefer to have people coming to me to buy my products or services than trying to push them or to beg them to buy my services. The level of relationship is very important; it is crucial.
Once you have set up your free offer, don’t expect people to buy from you the next day. You need a follow-up system to keep in touch with them on a regular basis. You must continue to deliver free advice, for example: articles, free tips on your newsletters to further build the relationship.

Show people what you can do for them and people who can use your product or service will begin to purchase within few weeks, or few months but for others it might take a few years. People will buy from you when they will be ready, and when they will need your product or service – They won’t buy just because you want them to buy. If you have a follow-up system in good working order, clients will buy from you instead of from someone who doesn’t communicate with them on a regular basis. Keep your customer base informed over and over. It is your job to keep reminding people about your services and not their job to remember about you and your business. Try it. Promote your free offer to bring people into your marketing funnel, build the relationship and you will attract a lot more clients.

Need help attracting new clients?
Then get a copy of “Power of Networking Secrets”. I’ve outlined each strategy step-by-step, so you too can implement them right away to get results. I’ve included a workbook with an assignment after each strategy, just follow the program one step at a time, so you won’t get lost and will attract more clients.

You can get yours at www.powerofnetworkingsecrets.com