JWE hears how to turn business leads into sales

Local female business owners met at Congegation Ohr Torah in North Woodmere to better understand a universal truth: sales is the cornerstone of all business, and whether we think of ourselves as sales people or not … we are!

Business owners must figure out how to sell in ways that match both their personalities and the needs of their clients, they heard at the May 9 meeting of the Five Towns/Far Rockaway chapter of Jewish Women Entrepreneurs.

Whether you have the “gift of gab” and can convince people straightway to give something a try, or are a more informative and analytical type, there are concrete steps you can follow that will make a sale more likely to occur, the women were told by Estie Rand, founder of Los Angeles-based Strand Consulting.

Speaking on the topic “From Lead to Sale,” Rand provided high-energy anecdotes and common-sense ideas on converting prospects into paying customers.

Most people have heard of an elevator pitch (giving someone a 20-seond snapshot of what a business does), but tend to be pretty bad at distilling down the essence of what they uniquely offer. 

As an example, Rand spoke of different massage therapists, and contrasted their styles: one focused on achieving wellness through massage and talk therapy; the second used massage to lead to spirituality and well-being.

Rand gave out a worksheet that started with discovering the core of a businessperson’s sales pitch (the “hook,” or initial attention-getter), then figuring out which business categories are a good fit for their products or services, then asking open-ended or “listening questions,” and finally — once the prospect is deemed a good match — providing a detailed presentation. These techniques work well at networking events as well as in casual conversations you might have while standing in line or, yes, even in an elevator.

Rand also covered how to follow up effectively. Doing this this without being a nuisance is a something most business people struggle with. She stressed that many leads are lost due to lack of staying in touch. Yet follow up is crucial because many deals are made after as many as ten interactions.

Ultimately, the need to be genuine and believing in your product or service is the key to making real sales, Rand said.

JWE’s next event is scheduled for Wednesday evening, June 15: Running Your Company Like a Fortune 500, presented by Tsiona Eliyahu, owner of Siyata Franchise Consulting. She will discuss strategies for boosting efficiency and identifying key performance indicators to increase profitability.

For more information email ftfr@thejwe.com.