SELL YOURSELF—NOW! Sales Tips from Mastermind Consulting Network Call five potential customers each week and ask about new work. These can be people who have requested quotes in the recent past but have never ordered. Call one good, current customer each week and take them to lunch, have a round of golf or go out for pizza after work. You know what they say about the number of business deals cut on the golf course or over lunch. Create a database of current and potential customers so they are easily contacted for e-mail newsletters, updates, and so forth. Send an e mail broadcast to your entire database of current and potential customers and let them know something about your company—i.e. you have new equipment you have upgraded old equipment, you have a new production manager, you re going to get new software, whatever it is just make contact. Take out all the quotes you’ve done in the past month ‘and call each person who sent the RFQ Ask them how your quote looks and what other new jobs are in the pipeline. Think of one new solution to a customer’s problem, proactively present it to them, and let them know why they should make you their supplier of choice. Alternatively take one product or part from a customer and make it better—redesign it, change material, consolidate parts, and so forth. Personally visit one new potential customer this week and tell him why you should be his vendor of choice. (If you can’t think of a reason then you’d better take a long hard look at your strengths and weaknesses). Remember people do business with people not with companies If you don t have a personal relationship with your customers, and they don’t have one with you, then you are just another supplier and there’s no reason they should do business with you. If you are still thinking to yourself, “I’m not a salesperson,” answer this: Do you and your company do good work? If the answer is yes (as it should be), here is one of the better definitions of sales and selling. Selling is the transfer of enthusiasm If your work is good you just need to talk about it—and don’t hold back on the enthusiasm. You don’t have to shout or cheer. If you believe in the quality of your work it shows.