Is This What You Are Doing Wrong With Your Sales?

Are you wondering why sales aren’t where you think they should be? Are you wondering how you can get more people to your site who won’t just look, but will actually buy?

Its hard not to fall into the trap of entitlement. If you look around you, everyone talks about the overnight success stories, and the businesses that have grown from $0 to $1 million in a matter of days. Just yesterday I was emailed a story about a company that is now making $600k a month, though they were almost bankrupt a mere six weeks ago.

Entitlement is a part of our culture. We watch a show or movie and we movie from concept to solution in under two hours. Entire serial killer mysteries can be played out in less than one. So why shouldn’t we be able to build a business in a matter of weeks? We’re entitled to it, right?

The problem with entitlement within our business model is we lose site of what is truly important. Our thoughts drift to:

  • I have the most amazing product/service ever
  • My services deserve attention
  • Nobody is doing anything like me
  • I’m charging less so I should fill up twice as fast
  • Its [insert whatever you choose] fault, not my own [i.e. the economy, my parents, my spouse, my lack of education, etc]

Yet none of that is the real problem. The real problem is we bring all of our focus internally instead of placing it where it belongs … on the consumer.

A few months ago I chatted with a woman who lost her job and was trying to build up her photography business to replace her income. Her goal was to build up a portrait business that consisted of boudoir, maternity and baby portraiture. She had some great work and had a huge potential to make it grow. Where she was lacking was in marketing and sales.

So we began talking about the best way get her work out there into her community. After a little work we decided her best bet would be to get her work on the walls of a local doctor’s office. She sent off a letter and after a week … nothing. To say she was put off by the whole experience was an understatement. She was ready to throw in the towel on the whole project. Until I asked her a few questions.

“Who did you mail it to?”

“Her name was “Jane Doe”. She’s the office manager.”

“Was Jane in the office last week?”

“I don’t know.”

“Could Jane have been sick or on vacation?”

“Yes.”

“Could there have been a few emergencies in the office?”

“Possibly.”

“Maybe Jane’s children were out sick, or she was out attending a funeral. Maybe her mind was on something else. Could that be possible.”

Very quickly my client saw the error in her ways. Consumers are people. It doesn’t matter if you are dealing with a potential client or a potential referral source, they aren’t sitting around waiting for your ideas, ready to jump at the first offer you make them.

You may have to ask again and again.

You may have to connect again and again.

And you may not be reaching the right person.

Its all trial and error.

Some things work immediately. Some things don’t. But through it all, you have to:

1. Find out what people truly want.

2. Create things that they really want.

3. Demonstrate over and over again that you are the right person for the job.

And then there’s number four.

4. Work very hard to impress your followers from the day you open your doors until the day you close them.

If you give up ans ask “why don’t they notice me”, they never will. But if you constantly work to find ways to connect, you’ll do it successfully from this day forward.

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clientexperience@todaysgrowthconsultant.com' About Virtual Photography

We're the co-founders of VirtualPhotographyStudio.com and have been writing on this blog since 2004. We started Virtual as a way to help photographers stretch beyond a part time income, and develop strategies to become a Five Figure Photographer or a Six Figure Photographer. Ultimately its all about lifestyle, and if your goal is to live as a photographer 24/7, we think you should have the knowledge and the tools to do so. Welcome!

  • Tasha M. Erickson

    Thanks for the reminder. I am going through something similar where I am contacting a lot of people. It’s hard to not be put off when you don’t get a call back. I was already planning a second contact, but this was just affirmation for me about why second contact is important and makes me remember I am probably not bugging them like I think I am.

  • Amanda

    Awesome. You make some really great points here. Thanks!

  • Jasmine

    Remember the acronym AIDA you won’t get lost.