I spent thousands on sleek and widespread advertising in the past, before I realised that my message was all wrong. I was putting my product to the forefront without really realising what I was selling. Customers and clients want the right product, and they need to know why it is the right product for them. But you are not just selling a product – you are selling time, a lifestyle, or a new avenue for business. Selling is not just about the item or service, it is about what it gives the buyer. Here’s how to ensure your sales technique is hitting the right spots for your business:

Identify your audience

You need to know who will be buying your product and what they specifically need. If you can’t define your target audience, you’re setting yourself up for failure. What is your target market, and who are your target audience? Get feedback from current clients, see what the competition is doing, work out where the people you want to attract are seeking out products like yours - search engines, social media, platforms hubs that compare products? If you don’t know who your ideal customer is, how can you reach them with a message that resonates with them? Don’t let your branding and marketing messages swallow up your USP.

Pinpoint what you are selling

You are not just selling a product, you are selling a lifestyle, an opportunity, a way for the client or customer to gain something they are short of. Could that be time? Happiness? Budget?

I worked with a firm of barristers specialising in immigration cases. I asked ‘what are you selling?’ and they told me ‘legal services’. No! No, that is where you are wrong. What happens when somebody is granted a visa? They are able to reunite with loved ones, they are able to live safely, they are able to achieve independence and a new life. You are selling all of these things, so show this in your marketing. The firm changed tac from dull adverts that could be any company with a different name, to one that sold happiness, reunions and safety. Images of families embracing are much more appealing than a generic image of quill and parchment you’ll find on most legal firms’ pages. They were selling a new life for their customers!

Here’s another example - I was fed up with spending my Sunday morning clearing up leaves from my garden. It hurt my back, was dull, and felt like a huge waste of time as next week there was the job to do all over again. I began to research leaf blowers on Amazon and all products came up with the same claims - this much power, X leaves in an hour etc. I don’t care about that, I care about time. I want to spend the time with my family, not picking up leaves. Then I found a product that said ‘X square metres in an hour’. That was it – that’s the one I bought. They were selling me quality time with my family that I wouldn’t be wasting picking up leaves. These people had got it right.

Consider your platform

Not all marketing platforms are created equal, and not all marketing platforms will work for you. This returns us to the need for knowing your audience and identifying where they seek out products and services, whether they want straight-talking or fancy reels. I made the mistake of branching out too quickly because I wanted to cover all bases. I thought I should be on LinkedIn and YouTube despite not having mastered Facebook yet. I tried a few blanket campaigns and guess what? They yielded no results. Don’t be a jack of all trades because that means you’re a master of none. Master your initial platform, then gradually move into other areas.

Using all of these points you can refine your sales pitch and techniques and not only hone in on the specific audience you want, but also target their specific needs, wants and desires. You are giving a gift of more than a nuts and bolt product, you are selling a lifestyle. Believe in yourself and your product – and make yourself stand out.