Do Not Sell Anything!

To have the most success in sales - do not sell anything!

Help your prospect buy your product or service.  Have you ever had a pushy sales person?  They were not taking the time to find out anything about you and were pushing the sale on you.

- confirm the prospect's need
- identify how your product / service will help them solve their need (problem)
- confirm the prospect's timing (when do they need your product?)
- confirm the prospect's budget

What does your prospect need in order to buy your product?

- do they need to test it out? (try on shoes?)
- do they need to have more than one price quote? (an insurance company gives you 3 quotes so that you can be ready to buy)
- do they need testimonials?
- do they need a sale?
- do they need extra details and explanation?
- do they need to see some before and after pictures from previous projects?

Take the time to give your prospect the information they need in order to help them buy your product and you will not have to sell them anything.

Book a sales consultation and boost your revenue starting this month.

Cheryl Rankin
Business Consultant
Fit For Business
info@fitforbusiness.ca
647-287-0320

2025 Fit For Business Tips For Success

Now is the time to set yourself up for success.  Do not try to be perfect as the novelty will wear off too quickly.  Try to improve and get on track and stay on track.  Here are some tips to help you.

1 - Write down your goals

2 - Start your day at the same time each day

3 - Track your efforts each day for a week - does everything align with your goals?

4 - Identify the 10 tasks you would like to get done today and give them each one hour in your calendar

5 - Block time for meetings - actual meeting time, travel time, prep time and follow up time

6 - Set up your system to track any new contacts and your follow-ups / interactions

7 - Assign at least 1 hour a week to work on the future / long term goals

8 - Confirm timeslots for your meals and any personal activities

9 - Monitor your efforts - if you made 100 phone calls, how many voicemails did you leave?, did anyone book a meeting....

10 - Review your marketing action plan and revise if needed

11 - Document any repetitive tasks so you can make them easier in the future

12 - Identify any tasks that you could delegate - are you charging enough to pay someone else to do them?

13 - Get outside everyday - fresh air and sunshine definitely reenergize you

14 - Back up your files - if you do not have a back up system then email yourself any super important documents so you have a copy

15 - Read - block at least 15 min a day to read

16 - Have a single calendar.  Incorporate all of your calendar appointments into one place

17 - Schedule one coffee meeting a week with a prospect, client or referral source 

18 - Continue to market even if you are crazy busy - an occasional post or an email once in awhile will make a huge difference in the long run

19 - Network in-person at least once a month.  Online networking does not always create a local foundation for your business.

20 - Identify your reward for your success but also identify your reward for your efforts

21 - Stay inside your budget.  Even marketing opportunities are not worth overspending.  Find other marketing options until you have the money for the larger opportunities.

22 - Take business cards or note down new contacts.  You might not buy from the new contact but your prospects might and you could get some good points by connecting them.

23 - Encourage contacts online to connect with you directly so you have their contact information.  If the social media website goes down or closes - you lose all of those contacts.

24 - When you complete a project, finish it down to the last detail and do not leave any lose strings.  

25 - Be confident - you can do it.  Use daily affirmations if you need to help convince yourself you can do it

PS - sign up for the 100 day business challenge to improve your business.

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/1101067946869?aff=oddtdtcreator 

Cheryl Rankin

Fit For Business

647-287-0320

info@fitforbusiness.ca

www.fitforbusiness.ca 

Business During The Holidays

Is your business very quiet at holiday time?  Are your clients busy with other things? Are your clients limited with funds due to holiday spending?

Here are 12 ideas to help you be productive during the holidays.

1 - Stay on a routine as much as possible.  If you always start work at 9am then start at 9am.

2 - Do a minimal amount everyday.  Even one hour a day can keep you in the game and keep you productive so you do not start 2025 at a dead stand still.

3 - Check emails daily.  Delete anything you do not need.  Only deal with the urgent ones.

4 - Create a 'to do list' for 2025.  Whether it is emails you ignored or other tasks, take the time to put them on your to do list.

5 - Respond to emails that require your attention.  "Quick note to confirm I received your email.  I will respond in the new year.  Happy Holidays!"

6 - Write one article you can use for your blog, newsletter or website in the new year.

7 - Send yourself an email with an idea or task that you do not want to forget by using your phone -- stay off your computer so you do not start checking emails but do not forget that idea or task.

8 - Set up your calendar for 2025 - do you have a paper calendar or online one?  Take the time to block the timeslots for your repeat meetings and other dates you already know.

9 - Work on organizing any receipts and finances you can when things are quiet.  Consider hiring a bookkeeper if you have too much to catch up on - they will catch you up and set you up for success going forwards.

10 - Invite great clients, referral sources and potential clients for an in-person coffee.  You can enjoy the chat, get to know them better and plant a seed about how you can help them or they can help you in 2025.

11 - Are you caught up?  Do you owe any clients or potential clients proposals or notes?  Use one block of time to get one more task off your list.

12 - Holiday time is for family.  Enjoy the time!

PS - sign up for the 100 day business challenge and start growing your business exponentially! Click here to sign up.

 

Cheryl Rankin

Fit For Business

fitforbusiness@rogers.com

www.fitforbusiness.ca

647-287-0320

Getting Your Message Out

Getting Your Message Out

Everyone is bombarded with incoming information and advertisements so how do you get your message through?

Marketing text books many years ago said that people need to see your advertisement 7 times before they decide to buy from you.  Definitely it is worth getting your message out to people multiple times so that they know you and remember you.

1 - consider sharing helpful tips which help prove you are an expert

2 - share often

3 - use multiple communication techniques

- in-person

- email

- social media posts

- pictures on social media

- videos on social media and your website

- presentations

4 - be memorable

- being helpful and not just being a pushy sales person helps create a positive image and in many cases a memorable one

- do you have a catchy slogan that people will remember?

- can you help your prospect before they hire you?  Consider inviting them to your business networking group as your free guest.  Consider liking, commenting or sharing one of their social media posts.

- excellent pictures or videos can leave a strong impression

- take the time to connect with people and not just give your sales pitch (have coffee with any prospects; have coffee with any possible referral sources)

5 - be consistent

- Stay focused on your business message and avoid sharing pictures of cute cats or dogs if your business does not involve cats or dogs.  

- Use the same words.  It is amazing when someone else can repeat your 1 minute business introduction and pass your message along.

Remember that a single post is not the magical solution.  Market in different ways and often.  Be sure to stay on topic so that you can be memorable.

Please reach out if you would like a complimentary chat to see how we can help your business.

Cheryl Rankin

www.fitforbusiness.ca

info@fitforbusiness.ca

647-287-0320

 Is your business stuck?

Sign up today for the 100 day business challenge.

You will receive an email each day with a challenge to review and improve one piece or your business.

Spend a half an hour each day on 100 pieces of your business and watch your business grow exponentially.  Marketing, sales and more topics to turn around and / or grow your business to the next level.

To Register and pay with a creditcard - click here

To register - please e-Transfer your registration fee to fitforbusiness@rogers.com

Cheryl Rankin

Fit For Business

fitforbusiness@rogers.com

647-287-0320

100 Day Business Challenge

100 Day Business Challenge

Do Not Sell Anything!

Do Not Sell Anything!

To have the most success in sales - do not sell anything!

Help your prospect buy your product or service.  Have you ever had a pushy sales person?  They were not taking the time to find out anything about you and were pushing the sale on you.

- confirm the prospect's need
- identify how your product / service will help them solve their need (problem)
- confirm the prospect's timing (when do they need your product?)
- confirm the prospect's budget

What does your prospect need in order to buy your product?

- do they need to test it out? (try on shoes?)
- do they need to have more than one price quote? (an insurance company gives you 3 quotes so that you can be ready to buy)
- do they need testimonials?
- do they need a sale?
- do they need extra details and explanation?
- do they need to see some before and after pictures from previous projects?

Take the time to give your prospect the information they need in order to help them buy your product and you will not have to sell them anything.

Book a sales consultation and boost your revenue starting this month.

Cheryl Rankin
Business Consultant
Fit For Business
info@fitforbusiness.ca
647-287-0320

Fit For Business - 100 Day Challenge

Fit For Business - 100 Day Challenge

Social Media and Your Business

My goal for social media and my business is:


1 - increase my number of business contacts (mostly in the GTA)


2 - build up my credibility and demonstrate my expertise


3 - create some community




Obviously it is a goal of the majority of businesses to increase the number of contacts so in turn they have more prospects and in the long run more clients.  Just having more friends or followers does not necessarily make it useful.  One twitter contact that I have posts a quote everyday.  The followers of this twitter account (myself included) enjoy and appreciate the quotes.  At no point in the past two years have I noticed the business owners explaining what she does.  It does not matter how many contacts if no one knows what she does.  I also think it is extremely ridiculous to have thousands of contacts in other countries unless there is a chance that you could buy from them; they could buy from you or you could learn from them.  If none of these things are possible then that contact is only a number and is not helping your business.


Building up credibility and demonstrating your expertise is important for almost all businesses.  Even businesses that sell products can demonstrate expertise.  9 out of 10 posts should be helpful - tips, events that your target market may be interested in, product introduction / highlights, and of course staff introduction.  Including articles that you have written in your social media will highlight your knowledge and including articles you find on the internet, in newspapers or magazines highlights the fact that you keep up on the industry.  Documenting your speaking opportunities definitely demonstrates that other people believe and understand that you are an expert.


Community is a big deal when you live in a small town.  The new comer takes awhile before they are accepted.  In the social media world, community can help get your message out to more people.  It is extremely tough to make enough deals to have specific contacts like, share and comment on every post and you in turn comment on theirs -- so you need to post things that people will like, share and comment on without you prompting them every-time.  The posts that seem to get the most attention are the ones that start a discussion.  Post your opinion in a statement and then watch other people react.


If your sole focus on social media is to get sales then it will be a very difficult adventure.  It takes many other factors to build your list, build your credibility and build your community before the sales part becomes easier and more consistent.


If you need help with your social media then call Cheryl Rankin, Fit For Business at 647-287-0320 or email info@fitforbusiness.ca


facebook / linked In / twitter - let's connect!

Boosting your sales

Increase your sales / revenue

- to boost your sales you can sell to more people, sell to the same people more often or sell more stuff to the same people


What else can you sell? 
- Can you add a new service and sell it easily to your clients?
- Can you sell someone else's product or service to your clients?
- Will another business owner sell your product or service to their clients?
- Evaluate whether or not you can sell to your clients more often.


Stop moving and evaluate what you can sell, what are you selling and see where you can open up your options and grow your business to next level.


Cheryl
Fit For Business
647-287-0320
info@fitforbusiness.ca
www.fitforbusiness.ca

2014 Goals / Plans and Actions

2014 Goals / Plans and Actions

Do you start your day with - what do I need to get done today? or do you start with - what problems do I need to solve today? or do you start with - what do I need to do to take a step towards my goals?

step 1 - goals
How much money do you want to make?
Do you want to add a new product?

step 2 - plans
If you want to make $4,000 a month then you need to create a plan to make $1,000 a week.
How many sales do you need to make to have $1,000 a week?
How many appointments do you need to make $1,000 a week?
What does your weekly schedule look like for you to make the $1,000 a week?
Do you need to hire anyone to help you make $1,000 a week?

step 3 - actions
What are you doing today to set you up for success for today, this week, this month, and this year?
Do you need any office supplies to help you succeed? (calendar, files)
Do you need some planning time to create your plan?
How do you schedule your business day so you can take steps towards your goals and make your plans happen?
Take action and start reaching your goals.

To create your goals, plans and action steps - call Cheryl Rankin at 647-287-0320.

Cheryl Rankin
Fit For Business
647-287-0320
info@fitforbusiness.ca
www.fitforbusiness.ca

Summer Sales / Not Slow Sales

Summer Sales

Summer sales for your business do not have to be slow sales.  Many small business owners can be heard saying "summer is always quiet".

What can you do to prevent slow sales?
What can you do to create sales?

1 - review your target market notes to confirm what problem you solve for your prospects
2 - have a sale - a discount can attract certain types of prospects
3 - team up with someone else who sells to the same target market and create a package to sell for a limited time period.
4 - try a new marketing delivery system to see if you can get your prospects' attention
5 - make personal phone calls and invite them to a meeting (depending on your prospects - phone meetings, coffee meetings, lunch meetings)
6 - go back through your sales for the last two years and see if anyone is ready to buy again
7 - call current clients and check-in, ask for a referral while you have them on the phone

Why sit back and get a tan when you can get some sales and boost your business?  Be pro-active!

Cheryl Rankin
Fit For Business
info@fitforbusiness.ca
www.fitforbusiness.ca
647-287-0320

Business Sales

Business Sales tend to be the lifeline of your business. No sales then you have no business.

To boost your sales for your business (new or experienced):
1. Be pro-active - make 5 new calls out today
2. Send out a group email (blind copy) to at least 25 people
3. Attend an event this week that has business owners or your target market
4. Check up on one business that is competition - what are they doing sales / marketing-wise?
5. Write down your sales process - what steps do new clients have to take in order to buy from you? Do they have to try something on? Do they need to read statistics? Do they need a coffeee meeting? Do they need to receive 3 newsletters?
6. Be confident that at least 1 out of the next 5 sales pitches that you do will turn into a client so any rejections just get you closer to a sale.

Fit For Business is hosting a sales workshop on Feb 16th. Check out www.fitforbusinesssales.eventbrite.com for details.