Business Brew Work-From-Home Edition #14
The 14th edition of Business Brew Work-From-Home featured guest Rich Laster from GrowExpand.com. Rich brought his extensive background in sales and business development to talk about how to sell without selling.
While you should watch the entire discussion below, we took the time to pull out some of the key takeaways.
What is Sales?
First, we asked Rich to define sales. His definition is simply wonderful, “sales is converting qualified leads and prospects into clients.” Rich went on to say that sales should be about helping people and not about “the close”.
Is There a Difference Between Sales and Business Development?
Yes! Business development is the art of working the sales funnel (here’s an article all about the sales funnel). Sales is the conversion, which is typically the last step in the sales funnel. Think of Business Development as the umbrella term for all the aspects of finding qualified prospects and leads and building relationships. Don’t forget, Business Development overlaps your marketing and advertising efforts.
How Do Sales, Marketing, and Advertising Overlap?
Each of these business-building activities needs to play nice or you won’t get “all the milk from the cow.” Rich gave us a quick definition of marketing and advertising, “marketing makes you aware. Advertising is the cousin to marketing that goes out and finds you.”
Here’s a previous webinar from Tinderbox Marketing on Marketing, Advertising, and Sales.
What if I Own My Own Business But Hate Sales?
Then you don’t understand your business very well. You LOVE sales. Sales is what drives revenue and profit. Without sales, your business wouldn’t exist.
Biggest Mistakes in Sales?
Rich blessed us with a list of the most common mistakes business make when it comes to sales.
- A business that doesn’t have a process for sales
- Salespeople (or businesses) that don’t communicate clearly
- Not reaching the right customer (trying to aim at everyone and hitting no one)
- Not using a Customer Relationship Management Tool (CRM)
- Salespeople who aren’t authentic
- Salespeople who don’t do the work and don’t endeavor to get better at it
Tips for Closing
Rule Number 1 is don’t talk about price right away*. Ask what their need or want is and tell them how you solve their problem.
* Unless you want to use price as a lead or prospect qualifier. Sometimes, leading with price can weed out the tire kickers.
BONUS CONTENT: ZOOM Chat
Here is the full chat transcript from the ZOOM call. Check out the great conversations that took place during the Business Brew.
07:59:52 From Emidio “Mid” Mariani : Emidio Mariani NEMR Total HR outsource HR services https://www.linkedin.com/in/emidio-mariani/
07:59:57 From Jason Ryan @ Omnia Creative Studio : Omnia Creative Studio – Custom Web Design & Development, SEO, and Digital Marketing – https://omniacreativestudio.com
07:59:58 From Kirsten Toler : Hey there! So happy to be here this morning. I love connecting with people and encourage anyone to visit my website at https://www.kmtconsultingllc.com/contact to schedule a time to chat. Wishing all a beautiful holiday weekend.
08:00:17 From Jason Ryan @ Omnia Creative Studio : hello@omniacreativestudio.com
08:00:40 From Jason Ryan @ Omnia Creative Studio : Get in touch if you are interested in doing a 1-2-1 😃
08:01:42 From Cindy Holmes : My name is Cindy and you can find me on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/cindykholmes
08:03:14 From Josh King (He/Him) – Tinderbox Marketing : Sales funnel: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/296526
08:08:59 From Josh King (He/Him) – Tinderbox Marketing : https://www.strategyzer.com/canvas
08:10:13 From Josh King (He/Him) – Tinderbox Marketing : I also like the lean Canvas: https://leanstack.com/lean-canvas/
08:11:01 From Katrina Rogers : Leanstack is great!
08:18:09 From Andrea Frye : Huge pet peeve – people thinking sales and BD are the same. It’s like finger nails on a chalkboard when people think sales, marketing, communications, and BD are all the same. Truly appreciate you deliberately defining the difference between each.
08:18:48 From Katrina Rogers : Hire the professionals you need to save your time and energy for your highest value add!
08:19:05 From Jason Ryan @ Omnia Creative Studio : Sales and marketing should be synonymous to help ensure the message and the brand are consistent
08:21:29 From Jason Ryan @ Omnia Creative Studio : I don’t hate sales, but I don’t want to be called a “salesperson” 😃
08:21:47 From Cindy Holmes : A master manipulator
08:23:20 From Kirsten Toler : “Sales” has such a stigma attached. Finding that organic way to share what you do to monetize it FEELS better and then partnering with good strategists (like Rich) is so important.
08:25:32 From Greta Dunn : Most companies don’t realize without sales there is not company. Whether it be a tangible product, or a service, something is being sold. If not, how are they making momey?
08:28:00 From Emidio “Mid” Mariani : I have contractor friends. I explain to them that by marketing & selling just a little bit, even if they have steady work, will help them increase their profits because they can be a little more discerning
08:28:05 From Katrina Rogers : I’ve benefited from some great relationship builders and helpers who have mentored me.
08:29:23 From Katrina Rogers : Ok, everyone learned how to use their mobile devices in the past 15 years (the iPhone launched in 2007). So no one can say they can’t learn new things.
08:31:09 From Josh King (He/Him) – Tinderbox Marketing : YES, Katrina! You can learn new things!!!
08:32:44 From Josh King (He/Him) – Tinderbox Marketing : When there is a price war, everyone loses
08:35:30 From Jason Ryan @ Omnia Creative Studio : People who ask for price I give it to them, because I have learned that helps to determine who the “time wasters” are from those who are serious about “their needs”. Has helped my process 10 fold
08:36:36 From Kirsten Toler : @jason…YES!
08:36:56 From Cindy Holmes : Time is valuable
08:37:23 From Jason Ryan @ Omnia Creative Studio : Time is your biggest commodity, what is your time worth
08:43:26 From Josh King (He/Him) – Tinderbox Marketing : USE A SPREADSHEET!
08:44:01 From Jason Ryan @ Omnia Creative Studio : We just moved over from Agile to Monday, pretty good so far…
08:44:32 From Emidio “Mid” Mariani : You have to have something to at least capture your contacts so you can market to them later. I use free HubSpot for now
08:46:36 From Prince : Black Label Brewing Company
08:47:07 From Prince : Love Beer
08:47:20 From Katrina Rogers : Coast to coast beer tour, anyone?
08:47:26 From Josh King (He/Him) – Tinderbox Marketing : YES!
08:47:53 From Greta Dunn : Yes! Create Count me in!.
08:50:47 From Emidio “Mid” Mariani : I will be looking for BLBC here in NJ this weekend.
08:54:13 From Jason Ryan @ Omnia Creative Studio : yep
08:54:20 From Josh King (He/Him) – Tinderbox Marketing : I prefer to do it in the morning 🤣
08:54:20 From Kirsten Toler : Same!
08:54:26 From Jason Ryan @ Omnia Creative Studio : Been there for years
08:54:33 From Kirsten Toler : Preach!
08:54:39 From Cindy Holmes : This hour was part of the better version of myself
08:54:57 From Kirsten Toler : @Cindy, that is powerful. XO
08:57:17 From Katrina Rogers : Did you regret missing GI Joe?
08:57:31 From Jason Ryan @ Omnia Creative Studio : Also, the value in helping 😃
08:57:39 From Prince : Sorry Emidio we don’t distribute. We only do sales in Spokane, Wa. However… You can order our merchandise online. LOL
08:58:20 From Josh King (He/Him) – Tinderbox Marketing : JAZZ!
08:58:21 From Emidio “Mid” Mariani : It’s better to go to the fish market than to learn how to fish is a good lesson too. 😁
08:58:55 From Jason Ryan @ Omnia Creative Studio : Robert Glasper îs my go to, check him out If you need something to get the creative juices flowing
09:00:31 From Emily Meyer – Bernardo Wills Architects : Thank you so much, Rich! I feel like I’ve been to church!
09:00:48 From Kirsten Toler : Terrific information and terrific time together. Thanks, Rich!
09:00:49 From Rich Laster : I HOPE I HELPED!
09:00:50 From Josh King (He/Him) – Tinderbox Marketing : josh@tinderbox.marketing
09:00:51 From Jason Ryan @ Omnia Creative Studio : Thank you Rich, awesome insight as always
09:00:54 From Rich Laster : LUV YA ALL!!!
09:00:56 From Emidio “Mid” Mariani : Thank you Rich! see you soon my friend
09:01:00 From Katrina Rogers : Katrina Rogers – Committed to Helping People Change the World Using Astute Solutions that Crush Obstacles and Speed Medical Innovations from Bench to Bedside | linkedin.com/in/katrinarogers
09:01:47 From Emily Meyer – Bernardo Wills Architects : https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-moline-meyer/
09:02:03 From Jason Ryan @ Omnia Creative Studio : Have a great day everyone!
09:03:24 From Emidio “Mid” Mariani : I wish I could hang on but I have to run to an appointment. Time to put pants on
09:03:26 From Josh King (He/Him) – Tinderbox Marketing : Prince, good to see you!!!
09:03:32 From Jason Ryan @ Omnia Creative Studio : Later Mid!
09:03:58 From Prince : Just want to say hello to my fellow Keystone State Native… I’m originally from Pittsburgh.