|
Work
at Home Sales: The New Contact Sport
by Cheryl Gochnauer,
Homebodies.org
It was fundraising time at my daughter's school. Competition was fierce for
buyers of magazine subscriptions, which translated into prizes
for the kids. Heaven help any adult with a checkbook! Fortunately,
the yearly promotion only lasted a couple of weeks, then it
was safe to sit on my front porch again.
Just as teens are driven to achieve with their fundraising programs, parents with in-home businesses are motivated to succeed. Without that income, many at-home parents would have to go back to work.
It's no secret that the bulk of work-at-home opportunities involve selling. Cosmetics, children's toys, kitchen gadgets, household cleaners - the conscientious work-at-home parent has a wide variety of legitimate products to pitch. The wrinkle is in finding prospective customers in a legitimate way.
"One of the moms from my son's preschool called to set up a play date at her house," said Linda. "I've been struggling to make new friends, and was feeling so isolated. I was looking forward to visiting and talking with her.
"In between conversation about the kids, she began telling me about the business she and her husband started a couple of months ago - they offer financial services - it's a big company - etc., etc., etc.
"So the real reason for the visit wasn't the play date, I guess," Linda frowned. "I don't even have any money to invest!"
Linda ended up disappointed, and I suspect the other woman was, too.
Presentation is everything, and deceit will kill the deal every time. So what are some steps work-at-home salespeople can take to keep their potential customers happy?
1. Don't disguise a sales pitch as a social event.
2. Choose appropriate settings. For instance, most people attend church to worship, not shop.
3. Know your customer. Financially-challenged at-home moms should not be trying to sell expensive gadgets to other financially-challenged at-home moms.
4. Make your presentation as low-key as possible, allowing people to contact you if they're interested. No response means no. Following up is overrated, and often resented.
5. Support other work-at-home parents by occasionally purchasing their products or services.
6. Resist turning every conversation into a sales pitch. "Did Johnny leave his backpack at your house?" "Yes, he did, right here next to my catalogs. I'll just slip one into his backpack and drop it by personally. Is 3 p.m. good for you?"
7. Don't spam in cyberspace or in person. Today, I've received 15 emails, 2 phone calls, 6 pieces of mail and 1 knock at the door - all from people I don't know, pitching me products I never asked for. Can you guess how likely I am to buy their stuff?
8. Once a prospect agrees to hear your presentation, value their time. For example, Debi was too rushed to listen to a salesperson on the phone, so she asked him to email the info. He did, then called to make sure she had received the email and to explain it. Click!
9. Don't ask questions with an ulterior motive. Build relationships, not databases.
10. Only represent products you enjoy yourself. That way, you're
sharing a blessing, not simply selling something. When you encounter
customers who enjoy the product, too, it's a win-win situation.
Looking
for a great gift? Consider Cheryl's latest book, "Stay-at-Home
Handbook: Advice on Parenting, Finances, Career, Surviving Each
Day & More" (InterVarsity Press, 2002) as a gift! E-mail
Cheryl@homebodies.org,
or visit her website at www.homebodies.org.
where you can purchase an autographed copy of her new "Stay-at-Home
Handbook: Advice on Parenting, Finances, Career, Surviving Each
Day & Much More." Cheryl's book, "So
You Want to Be a Stay-at-Home Mom," is available at
Amazon.com.
Copyright 2004
by Cheryl Gochnauer.
Reproduction without permission prohibited.
|
