Managing sales growth is one of the most intimidating aspects of owning a business, and about as fun for some as a trip to the dentist. But, it is one of the critical cornerstones of success.
For example, Jani-King Gulf Coast has more than 20 people working on new customer sales; this number includes Region Directors, Building Consultants, and key members of their Ponchatoula team. But they have an untapped potential sales force, one that will be unequaled in the commercial cleaning industry, one no organization will have the ability to match:
So how do you get started growing your business?
First –
Figure out what really matters to you. Define it, write it down, review it regularly. Having a goal, a purpose, an objective, will help you get motivated. When you are motivated, you will stay on track. And when you stay on track, you will generate specific, prescriptive activity that helps you meet your objective. Set your goal high!!! Stretch yourself and grow!
Second –
Start with who you know. Write down all the places where you do personal business. You buy cars and car insurance from somewhere, groceries from somewhere, see doctors somewhere, possibly go to church somewhere…these are all leads. Write them down. Call on them! Tell them what you do for a living, find out their needs, work with them and your Regional Office to figure out a way to meet those needs.
Third –
Take care of your existing customers! When they love what you do and who you are, they will be HAPPY to refer you to others in their network. Take care of what you already have, and those people will help take care of you. A master salesman named Zig Ziglar once said “If people like you, they’ll listen to you. But if they trust you, they’ll do business with you.” Building trust with your existing customers will help you build trust with prospective customers. Referrals from ecstatic customers are the shortest path to sales.
Fourth –
Pay attention. Watch for buildings that are being built, new businesses taking over existing spaces, companies that are hiring custodians…those are new opportunities. Listen to stories of competitors who are struggling with one account; if they’re struggling with one, they are going to be struggling with them all. Work with the office to develop a tactical plan to go after their customers.
Fifth –
Hustle, and don’t quit. Babe Ruth said, “You just can’t beat the person who NEVER gives up.” Abraham Lincoln added, “Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.” Be persistent. 80% of all sales are made on 5 or more contacts, but only 10% of sales people make more than three contacts!
Sixth –
Believe in yourself. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., phrased it beautifully: “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” Dr. Chuck Swindoll said “I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you…we are in charge of our attitudes.” Take a step out in faith, and do it with a smiling face. A smile doesn’t cost a thing, but the return on investment can be stunning!
Seventh –
Believe in the Jani-King system. You are not on an island; help is available to you everywhere you turn. You have the Regional Office staff available to help, you have your own employees, and you have fellow Franchise owners who have your back.
Eighth –
Build a pipeline. To build sales, you need a number of business contacts you are working with. Your pipeline is never, ever finished! It grows with every new idea, every contact, every opportunity.
Ninth –
Remember that your one-time work opportunities exist because someone, somewhere, did not have a process to solve the cleaning issue on their own. For every one time strip and wax or carpet extraction opportunity you may see, there is an opportunity to provide a regular, ongoing, reoccurring floor maintenance program.
Tenth –
Don’t accept failure. “No” just means “not yet”. It means you may have not yet fully listened to the customer’s needs, so you haven’t figured out how to meet them. Perhaps you haven’t yet built the trust needed for them to make a commitment. It means you have some work to do. But don’t give up, go back to the drawing board and figure out the gap between “not yet” and “yes.”
You already have achieved more than most people ever will; you own your own business.
For more information and ideas on how to grow your own business or start your own Jani-King franchise contact us today.
