Heeeeelp! People are not buying.
The SOS siren is echoing in the background, and I hear you.
If you're a business owner, salesperson, side hustler, entrepreneur, or whatever description you use in your Instagram bio, you're probably selling something.
How are your sales going? You can be honest here.
If you have an inkling feeling that your sales are stagnating or non-existing, that you're not selling enough, and that you've hit a plateau for your sales, don't sweat it.
That's what this episode is here for.
Today, I'm going to be your coach for the day. It's just going to be YOU and ME. I will ask you a range of questions—questions that I also ask myself for every launch or if I feel I'm doing something wrong.
So hang tight. This episode is for you if you have something to sell, but it's simply NOT SELLING.
Don't give up just yet. We're going to get your sales back on track… I promise! Now, let's do this.
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Q1: Who is your ideal client?
Before we dive into sales more strategy and tactics, we're going to look at the core of what you're doing. What are you selling, and who are you selling it to?
For instance, when I make a program, I tend to make them for my ideal customer avatar (ICA). This is your ideal client. It doesn't have to a real person you have met, but it might also be an imaginary person.
The two simplest ways to define your ideal client are:
- Identify the clients you already love working with or have worked with in the past; it could be that you want more like them, or
- It could be your past self; for instance, maybe 5 years ago, you were in a position that made you the ideal client for your own product or service today.
Makes sense?
Knowing your ideal client is SO IMPORTANT for creating the right content and for marketing your offer effectively. You need to get into the head of your ideal client and think like them: do they think I'm smart enough? Will that trigger them? Do they want to pay for that?
When you define your ideal customer avatar, don't get too caught up in the details. Sure, it's important to know at which stage of their life or business your customers are, but whether they have brown or blond hair doesn't really matter.
Conclusion: Start creating a vision for yourself of who you want to work with, and focus all your marketing and sales efforts on this (imaginary) person to craft your message.
Q2: Have you found the sweet spot for what you're selling?
You know who your ideal client is and what problem you want to solve, but you're not selling.
You should be looking at finding the sweet spot for what you're selling. To do that, place your offer into a Venn diagram with the following questions in each circle:
- Do your clients want what you have to offer?
- Do your clients want to pay for it?
- Are you really good at it?
For instance, mindset is something almost my entire audience wants to learn (1), and I'm good at (3), but not necessarily something people want to pay for (2).
The sweet spot for what you're selling is: what your clients love, need, and want, what they want to pay for, and what you love and what you're good at.
Conclusion: If you're unsure if people really want to buy what you have to offer, simply ask them. Ask your potential clients if they would be interested, for example through IG stories and polls or simply talking to them in person.
Q3: Do your ideal clients believe in your authority?
The next question that arises is: do they believe in your authority? Do they believe in the value you can provide them with, and in turn, do they believe in the value they are buying?
I will let you in on a little secret. Theoretically, all circles for your sweet spot may pan out: if your clients want your product, they know it's good, and they know you're good at it.
Still, people aren't taking action. What's wrong?
Usually, when there are objections in sales, it's linked to value or belief. And that's where your authority comes in. You need to show your clients your genius. Show them that you have the experience and knowledge to actually help them, or your product will.
One way to show your genius is by providing your clients with high-value content to counter questions like:
Do they believe in you? Do they believe in your product? Do they believe in you delivering the product or service? Do they believe it can work for them specifically?
Conclusion: Create (smart) content that supports your authority and makes people believe in you and what you have to offer. You need to convince them of your genius before the sale, not after.
Q4: How many times have you actually pitched?
People need to hear something 8-10 times before they register it. This is what's also called the spotlight effect: we think people know what we're selling, but we only know it ourselves because we are in the middle of it ourselves.
Now, we should balance the spotlight effect with the ‘highlight effect‘. It's about continuing to show up, talk about your offer, benefits, and features.
Continue to explain how your service, program, or product works, and keep sharing reviews and posts until people have heard your pitch 8-10 times.
And I'm not referring to ‘hinting' at the things you're selling, but really be upfront about it, and clearly state: ‘this is what I'm selling, buy now or register here'.
Conclusion: You have got to repeat, repeat, repeat what you have to offer – at least 8 times, but preferably much more!
Q5: Do you believe in what you're offering?
Please be honest here: do you really believe in what you sell? Do you believe in your product or service?
Sometimes I don't believe in myself, but I do believe in my products and what I'm selling.
If you don't believe in your products, obviously you're not selling.
If you don't love what you have to offer, why would other people love what you have to offer?
And if you're not pitching (Q4), it might be because you don't believe in what you offer. Put on your grown-up pants and do it anyway. There's no way around it if you want to SELL.
Tip: write a list with 10 reasons why people need what you have to offer. Now, put on that confidence hat and go pitch. Revert to the list when in doubt!
So… the main reason why you're not selling is usually because you're not selling.
Conclusion: Be your own (brand's) biggest cheerleader and let people know you love what you're selling!
Q6: Is the transformation clear?
What I mean by this is: is it clear what ‘problem' you're fixing? What are you solving? Where are you taking people, what's the end destination?
If the transformation isn't clear, no one cares. You NEED to make it CLEAR.
Let's look at a few examples.
- Right now, you're broke; I'm going make you a millionaire.
- Right now, you're a sad mom; I'm going to make you a happy mom who can play around with her kids.
- Right now, you're feeling sluggish; I will make sure you wake up every morning feeling energized and take on the day and do twice as much in a day.
Conclusion: Highlighting your clients' transformation is essential whether you're selling products or services. You might think the transformational change is evident, but don't assume your clients know. TELL YOUR CLIENTS WHAT THE TRANSFORMATION WILL BE TO GET THEM INTERESTED IN YOUR OFFER!
Q7: Is there an FAQ list, and have you answered it?
Whatever you're selling, there are always a lot of frequently asked questions coming from your clients:
For an online course, it could be: what if I miss a replay of the coaching call? For wine glasses, it could be: are the glasses dishwasher proof?
Use these frequently asked questions for promo on social media, too. They will make up great content.
Next to FAQs, there are also objections: I'm interested in buying, but I don't have the money, or I'm interested, but I won't have the time. These are all objections, and when you come across those, don't turn away. Objections are buying signals, so go into a conversation with the ones objecting.
In 80% of the cases, objections about money aren't really linked to the cost of what you're offering but rather related to belief or value.
What can help you here is: if people say they don't have money, ask: “What else is holding you back?” They will typically come back and admit they aren't sure the product or service will work for them.
Recap: the best way to handle objections is to handle them before they are there, and you can do this through your social media content, too, just like for FAQs.
Start by asking yourself: what are my objections when buying something? And whenever a new objection arises in a conversation with a client, work on that objection and add it to your list of objections to answer through promotional content, copy and calls.
Conclusion: Objections are buying signals and you want to use them to give people permission to buy from you.
Maybe you're also interested in this: The ONE Mistake That’s Costing You Sales: Are You Making It?
Q8: How does your product/service work?
This will be an easy question for you, but for other people, it will not be. Tell them how it works practically, and keep repeating it.
No matter how many times I tell potential clients how my coaching programs work, they still don't know when call times are or if they have access to replays. I have to explain it repeatedly while launching, and you should be doing the same. Show potential clients how easy it is to do business with you.
Other questions linked to your product could be:
- How do you place an order?
- How do you use your product?
- How does it work?
Conclusion: Make sure your potential clients know how your product or service works by repeating this information often so they know how easy it is to do business with you.
Q9: What is the actual offer?
When we're pitching, we often forget to mention what we're offering and what the benefits are for the clients. What will they achieve by working with us or using our product?
Highlight what the benefits of your offer are. Tell people, and you'll be amazed about the effect this has on your sales.
I sometimes make the mistake myself of not talking about what my offer actually entails.
For example: if I don't pay attention, I will forget to say the Business Freedom Elevator™️ is a 6-month business coaching program.
What might be obvious to you, might not be as obvious to others watching.
Conclusion: Repeatedly explain what you have to offer and what the benefits or your offer are. Infuse obvious details about the core of your offer into your promotional language.
Q10: Why should people buy from YOU?
Your offer is clear, and people are ready to pay for it, but why should they buy from YOU when there might be 4 others out there offering the same?
For instance, I know people buy from me because all my coaching is very action-oriented. They like my authenticity, my swearing, and the combination of marketing, business, and mindset.
You should have a list like this, too. And if you don't, then ask your current customers why they are working with you.
Example: you might not have the lowest prices, but your packaging is really nice, your customer service is on point, you always add a personal twist to your product or service. Whatever it is that makes you special, you should know it.
Now, in the end, it all starts with pitching and selling, and the reason you are not selling is either because you’re not selling or people don’t believe in your value for them.
So look at these questions:
Are you selling enough? YES/NO
Do people believe in your value? YES/NO
Do people believe it can work for them? YES/NO
To sum up, 80% of your problems can be fixed by just pitching more, and I know this can be uncomfortable at times. If you feel like this, simply talk about what you have to offer enthusiastically.
Don't be afraid of being pushy, but look at it as you owing it to people to offer them the opportunity to buy. If you don't give them the option to buy from you, you're just being mean.
Put it in their faces, or people will ignore you.
Copy-paste this list of questions to your notes to have them with you at all times:
- Who is your ideal client?
- Have you found the sweet spot for what you're selling?
- Do your ideal clients believe in your authority?
- How many times have you actually pitched?
- Do you believe in what you're offering?
- Is the transformation clear?
- Is there an FAQ list and have you answered it?
- How does your product/service work?
- What is the actual offer?
- Why should people buy from YOU?
Watch this episode on YouTube or listen via iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts, and search for episode 71 of The FastForwardAmy Show.
Once you've answered these 10 questions, it's time for more strategy and tactics. I've created a guide: Amy's Keys to Selling Online. It contains 10 strategies to boost your sales in no time, including hands-on steps and actions that will help you create a consistent income stream.
PS Are you thinking, after reading this article, that you’d love some actual coaching from me and my team? Then it’s your lucky day because I’m hosting my Business Summer School again this year.
I hosted it last year and more than 3000 people attended. We talked about mindset, taking fast action, creating a profitable product suite, marketing, launching and basically all of the good stuff.
Do you feel like joining? Go take a look at fastforwardamy.com/bus and register for my Business Summer School of 2023!
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