8 ways to boost sales of your small business services

1. 8 Ways to Boost Sales of Your
Small Business Services
By Caron_Beesley, Contributor
Published: October 22, 2014

2. • http://www.sba.gov/blogs/8-ways-boost-sales-
your-small-business-services

3. • Struggling to differentiate your businesses’
services against the competition? Hoping to
close more sales, but not sure how to do so
with your limited resources? Here are eight
surefire ways to increase your small business
sales.

4. • Narrow Your Target Market
• Focus in business is everything, but doing so is
often hard for small businesses owners who
worry that narrowing down their target market
will leave them with very few customers left to go
after. But going after a specific slice of the market
is a great way to get customers to notice you
among the fray of companies competing for their
business.
• The easiest way to do this is to…

5. • Become an Expert in your Market
• Being an expert in your field brings credibility, business and referrals. But
you’ve got to work at it. It takes more than simply listing your credentials
on your website; you need to be out there positioning yourself as a
trusted advisor.
• This happens all the time around you. Small business owners are writing
blogs, hosting free workshops, and giving away white papers and
newsletters – all great channels for sharing information with your target
market and positioning yourself as a credible expert in your field.
• Here are a few tips to help you position yourself as an expert:
• Tips to Help You Start, Maintain & Grow a Small Business Blog!
• Developing a Content Marketing Strategy
• How to Market Your Business with Public Speaking
• How to Talk to the Media Like a Pro
• How to Market Your Business with an Event

6. • Rank Your Targets
• Another way to zero in on your target market is to rank prospects
according to profitability. Anyone can do this, from accounting firms
to freelancers. Take a look at your client base – which are the most
profitable for you? This will help weed out those whose work you
really don’t need and those it makes sense to pursue.
• Alongside profitability, identify the client profiles that have proven
to be your most satisfied. These are the ones who are referring your
business to friends and neighbors. Do they represent a particular
demographic or live in a certain neighborhood? Perhaps they have
a common challenge or need that can help you fine tune your sales
focus.
• This is market research at its simplest. And it works.
•

7. • Showcase Your Differentiators
• Now let’s add a little introspection to the mix.
What makes you different? Understanding and
communicating this can really boost sales, and
shift the focus away from price alone. Here’s
an entire blog on just this topic: 5 Tips for
Using Differentiators to Increase Your Small
Business Sales.

8. • Fit Your Messaging to Suit your Targets
• Once you’ve identified your target and nailed you
differentiators, review your messaging and
marketing programs to make sure you’re touching
the right customers with a relevant message. You
might also need to consider your company name
and branding to ensure it hits home and reflects
your niche.
• For more tips on getting your message right in
the context of your target market, read 7 Tips for
Getting Your Marketing Message Right.

9. • Sell More to Existing Customers
• Here’s another exercise that can ride on the coattails of
your customer ranking research. Once you’ve identified
your loyal and top-spending customers, think of ways
to offer them more.
• It’s not as perplexing as it sounds. It can be as easy as
setting up a loyalty or VIP program that offers
incentives such as promotions, early access to new
products and services, rewards points, etc.
• This form of customer appreciation is great for keeping
you top of mind, driving repeat business, and referrals

10. • Have a Plan for Each Stage of the Sales Cycle
• Does your business have a marketing action plan?
Do you know how to deal with aware prospects
versus interested prospects? Every stage of the
buying cycle is different and deserves a marketing
plan all of its own so that you are ready and
prepared to nurture those leads further, until you
close a sale, and push for referrals.
• For ideas on what your action steps should look
like, read Rieva Lesonsky’s post: Creating a
Marketing Action Plan.

11. • Optimize the Conversion Process
• So you have an interested prospect? Make sure your sales and marketing teams have the tools they
need to close the deal. Marketing automation software can really help with this process, but it’s not
an absolute must. As mentioned above, start by creating a marketing plan that addresses each
phase of the sales cycle – awareness, interest, engagement and sale.
• Then think about the timeline that accompanies a typical sale and ways you can match your
outreach efforts to keep warming your lead. For example, use your blog or a workshop to generate
awareness and earn trust. Then, use social media and your website to encourage prospects to sign
up to your email list with the promise of more information and/or special offers.
• Now that you have an email address and basic information about a prospect, tailor a personalized
marketing outreach campaign to them. Send staggered emails (once a week) and offer more
information. Invite them to check back in for a demo, webinar, or other “learning” experience.
• If they still aren’t ready to convert, consider mailing them an offer or promotion and follow-up with
a sales call.
• All through this process, you are deepening your relationship with the prospect by offering value –
not just chasing a quick sale. This type of “guided selling” can really help improve your conversions
dramatically.
• Good luck!