I have been in the sales business for 20+ years and one of the ways I still earn money is through promotional and apparel sales (www.theswagcoach.com). I also earn residual income from other people’s sales.
When I first started off in this business, I had a lot going against me. I had no corporate work experience (I was only 22), no contacts (other than friends and family) and no money to do any marketing. It was all about hustle, focus and consistency. Being proactive and doing what it took to service my clients. I had to get my foot in the door for a chance to bid and hopefully "win" the business.
By staying top of mind with clients and prospects, before I knew it, I was getting repeat orders and repeat buyers. Sound familiar?
SO … whether your promo sales are $100K or $1M+, the same rules apply today … hustle, focus and consistency.
Hustle – Get off your coach and go SEE people! Every day of the week. In person. Present them the “latest and greatest” products you found at the ASI or PPAI show. Ask them to coffee or lunch. If you want to be successful, build long term, meaningful relationships with your clients by getting face time with them. Period. I meet with clients and prospects, network, volunteer, and socialize in circles that can connect me to business and sale opportunities.
Focus – You are an entrepreneur whether you know it or not. What you eat depends on what you hunt and kill. It’s all up to you and your efforts. How do you stay focused so you are effective? For me sales is all about rhythm. How do you build a rhythm into your daily and weekly routine? I use a weekly sales scheduler and track goals. I created a weekly calendar which breaks down what I am doing every day into hourly chunks. It ties directly into my goals.
Consistency – Are you consistent in your sales efforts? If you want to know … ask your clients! When was the last time a client told you they JUST ordered something because they didn’t know you offered that product(s)? It ticked you off, right? Well, look in the mirror and you will see the person to blame. Here’s a hint, it’s not your client. What are you doing to consistently stay top of mind with your clients, so that they come to you as a resource, not just for a specific product? Here’s when I knew I was staying top of mind with my clients … “Hey Josh, I wasn’t sure if you could get me this product but I thought of you first before checking elsewhere. Let me know if you can help me source this…”. Want to know how I do it? Check out my blog post in two weeks for the Ten Proven Methods I Use to Sell.
Good luck and come back soon! If you would like to schedule a call to discuss this approach with me in more detail, I am always available at josh@swagcoach.com