What’s your small business C-Suite look like? If you are a company of one, you are all things to all people. If you are a small business C-Suite composed of family members, they are all things to all people.
Your small business C-Suite must sell. They are your vanguard, your representatives on Earth, your ambassadors to the marketplace, your Chief Sales Officers.
I know. The last thing you want to do is sell. Selling is for the sales folks. Selling is cheesy and sleazy.
I’m talking about leadership.
If you have those biases and baggage related to selling, how do you intend to lead and drive revenue to your company? Why would you leave that critical function up to non-founding individuals?
Here are 3 Power Tips to drive your small business C-Suite leadership and selling initiatives.
Power Tip 1: You collectively know a lot of people, both socially and professionally. Reflect on the quality of those relationships. Are you and your board or family members conveying a high quality company brand and image? While the relationship may be with the individual, these folks keep top-of-mind that you and your family own a business.
Power Tip 2: Start regarding salesmanship as all of the activities you and your C-Suite engage in throughput the day. You are working with networks of people. You are members of various professional associations. What types of conversations do you have with them? Keep in mind that every conversation you have should not become a pitch to buy your products and services. However, are you genuinely interested in and listening to what your network has to say about your industry vertical, competitors, and opportunities? Yes, that’s salesmanship. That’s business development.
Power Tip 3: Every member of your C-Suite should be thoroughly familiar with your business, products and services, and processes and practices. You may find yourself in a position where you do uncover a sales-ready opportunity. Can you continue the conversation or will you tell the prospective new customer “Give me your contact info and I’ll have someone call you on Monday.” Don’t drop the ball because you don’t know what happens next. Your hot prospect will evaporate by Monday.
Your small business C-Suite sales prowess will increase exponentially. In addition, your board and family members will increase the quality of their positive engagement with each other and your customers.
Want to learn more? You know where to find me.
Babette N. Ten Haken, President of Sales Aerobics for Engineers®, LLC, is a management consultant and business coach. Babette develops business, technical and engineering professionals of worth. She remodels startups and small-to-medium manufacturing and service companies experiencing difficulty with unpredictable revenue streams. A recognized Top 50 Marketing & Sales Influencer, Babette’s blog won the 2014 Bronze Medal, Top Sales & Marketing Awards, Top Sales World. Her book on sales and collaboration strategies and tools, Do YOU Mean Business? is available on Amazon.com.
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