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44. How to overcome Imposter Syndrome in Small Business29 Oct 202400:06:47

Hello & welcome back to Sales & Business Growth for BUSY Women. I am your host Lindsay Fletcher, and this podcast is the place for small business owners to learn how to make more sales, have more time, and grow your business.

Please hit the "follow" button wherever you are listening! 

Join our online Women in Business Community HERE.

 

Today, we are going to have a conversation around imposter syndrome.

Do you ever get it?  I do. Often. Like way more often that I’d like to admit.  I used to get it about this podcast. I get it about the Women in Business Online Community that I’m building. I get it about our local small business sometimes. I’m just going to assume you’ve had imposter syndrome types of thoughts. Mine typically sounds like "Who will listen to me?" and "Who will hire me?".  

Here's how I handle this when it creeps in…

  1. I ask myself “what’s the worst thing that could happen?” Most of the scenarios in my head aren't real, so I remind myself that "nothing" is likely the answer to that question.
  2. I remember that God has placed big dreams in my heart, and if He called me to it, He’ll walk with me through it.  I wouldn’t need Him if I were qualified, and quite frankly, that's just not a place I want to be.
  3. Here’s where the magic happens...I ask myself “what could go right?” and then my mind jumps to impact that I can make in the lives of women and their families, their businesses, and how they spend their time. Focusing on the impact keeps me motivated to push through the imposter syndrome (because Satan wants me stuck in my own head) and I take action on moving this ship forward!

I'm praying for you and your business!

My best,

Lindsay

—---------------------

LET’S CONNECT!

Have a question? >>> Leave me a voice message here: https://speakpipe.com/lindsayfletcher

Email >>> hello@lindsayfletcher.co 

Free Resources >>> https://lindsayfletcher.co/free-resources 

Need community?  Join Women in Business >>> https://www.facebook.com/groups/367731782244780 

43. Selling your products or services from Your Booth at Conferences, Trade Shows, Community Events for Small Business25 Oct 202400:09:13

Hello & welcome back to Sales & Business Growth for BUSY Women. I am your host Lindsay Fletcher, and this podcast is the place for small business owners to learn how to make more sales, have more time, and grow your business.

Today we are talking about how to get ready for a trade show, conference, community event where you will have a booth and want to connect with potential clients.  This is something that I have recently helped a small business team with and thought I’d share these tips with you!

 

Here are 5 tips on selling from your event booth:

  1. Know your goals for the conference
  2. Have a succinct way to describe what you do - a micro elevator pitch
  3. Have a question that you can ask most, if not all, of the people who pass by or come to your booth - something like “What brings you to today’s event?”
  4. Ask if you can share what you do and how you can help them (if you find a need/want)
  5. Close the conversation

Listen to the full episode for more details on these tips!

 

LET’S CONNECT!

Have a question? >>> Leave me a voice message here: https://speakpipe.com/lindsayfletcher

Email >>> hello@lindsayfletcher.co 

Free Resources >>> https://lindsayfletcher.co/free-resources 

Need community?  Join Women in Business >>> https://www.facebook.com/groups/367731782244780 

Follow me on IG >>> https://instagram.com/lindsayfletcher.co

34. Grow your small business by finding growth gaps24 Sep 202400:09:21

Hey Sales Squad!  Welcome back to Sales & Business Growth for BUSY Entrepreneurs. I’m your host and resident sales and business nerd Lindsay, and this podcast is the place for small business owners to learn sales skills, business growth strategies, and how to squeeze more out of your day. 

 

I’ve launched a FREE tool on my website that you can download that we have used to figure out which sales and marketing activities actually create revenue. My SALES GROWTH TRACKER is now available for download on my website - go to LindsayFletcher.co/free-resources. Click on Sales Growth Tracker and drop your email and I will send it over to you immediately, along with steps on how to use it. It has been THE TOOL that we’ve used in our service-based local business and I’m using it to track my sales activities in my consulting business. So go to my website LindsayFletcher.co and click on the free resources tab and you’ll see Sales Growth Tracker at the top of the page! Download it and use it, and be on your way to Sales Success!!!

 

If you haven’t already, be sure to hit the “follow” button on your podcast app so that you don’t miss anything! 

 

Today we are talking about finding what I call growth gaps.  These are areas of opportunity for your business and areas that you might be able to grow your revenue through. 

 

Have you ever done a SWOT analysis of your business?  If you haven’t, I highly recommend you do!  It’s listing out your business’ Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats - SWOT.  SWOT analysis is a tool that will help you define areas of opportunity for your business as well as your strengths, weaknesses and threats, of course. We do this in our business at least once per quarter, and I get bonus points here because I discuss our SWOT with business owner friends of ours, which is also very helpful! I actually like to do this once a month if possible because it keeps us on track and aware as business owners.

 

Bonus tip: if you’ve never done one, google “SWOT analysis for ______ business”.  For example, you’ll google “SWOT analysis for electrician business” or  “coaching business”, just insert your type of business. There will be examples online of businesses just like yours that will help you complete your first one. I just urge you to do some thinking on this tool.  It’s only helpful if you use it. 

 

Anyway, using the SWOT tool will help you in finding opportunities for your business. You’ll want to look for ways to differentiate your business - pricing, packages, customization of service or products.  You can differentiate your business with better communication or exceptional after-sale service.  You can differentiate your business with breaking into an area of the market that isn’t served yet.   There is a really great example in a very popular brand that we all know and probably many of us use…DoorDash.  

 

DoorDash realized that there was an underserved population in the food delivery industry.  While their competitors were going after dense-population with apartment buildings, they decided to go after suburbia with larger family homes AND a significantly higher average order value (AOV) than urban regions. By prioritizing and claiming these wealthier areas, they also won out restaurant delivery services…those restaurants had pre-existing customer bases.  They effectively expanded their market instead of throwing elbows to block out enough space for themselves in the existing urban markets.  

 

DoorDash then took it a step further - they started providing insights through data collected to these restaurants…things like popular dishes in the area, customer demographics, and local delivery times. They also offered advertising spots on their app for promotions and sponsored listings.

 

They’ve become absolutely GENIUS in their recent marketing efforts - they market to hungry videogame players with the “Stay in your game” campaign.  

 

Now, I know that we as small business owners don’t have the capital behind us that DoorDash does, but the moral of this DoorDash story is that your business doesn’t have to look like everyone else’s.  Look for opportunities, like DoorDash did, to serve a different population, a different area, a different type of client.  Get creative, think outside the box.  Start local and market local.  Think about who you could serve, who you could serve differently, how you can serve them, what you have to offer, and how you might differentiate your business.  And commit some of your sales and marketing efforts toward this type of growth!

 

If you aren’t sure what sales and marketing activities work for your business, you should definitely download my Sales Growth Tracker. Go to Lindsayfletcher.co/free-resources and click on “sales growth tracker” to download so you can be on your way to figuring out what’s working.  I promise that this will save you SO MUCH TIME in the long run!

 

With that, I send you on your way wishing you more sales, more time and lots and lots of business growth! Talk to you next time!

 

XO,

Lindsay Fletcher

 

Join our FREE community of like-minded women who are stepping into their full potential and going BIG in their businesses: https://www.facebook.com/groups/367731782244780 

 

Website: https://lindsayfletcher.co

Email: hello@lindsayfletcher.co

Voicemail: https://speakpipe.com/lindsayfletcher

Online Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/367731782244780 

Sales Growth Tracker | Sales Training for Entrepreneurs | Business Growth Strategies | Sales Skills Development | Business Coaching for Entrepreneurs | Women in Business | Sales Confidence | Entrepreneurship Tips | How to Grow My Business | Sales Growth for Small Business Owners | Business Growth | Sales Growth | Revenue Growth | Scaling Your Business | Business Strategy | Market Expansion

33. Quick Sales Tip - How to simplify Closing The Sale for Small Business20 Sep 202400:03:48

5-Minute Sales Tip: Simplify Closing & Follow-up

 

What’s up Sales Squad!  Welcome to Sales & Business Strategy for Women where we talk all things Business Growth! If you are wanting to learn or uplevel your sales skills, business growth strategies, and how to manage your time while doing it, you are in the right place!  

 

—---------------------------------------

 

I’m Lindsay Fletcher, your host for Sales & Business Strategy for Women. Thank you for joining me for another episode.  If you haven’t already, be sure to hit that follow button on your podcast app so that you don’t miss an episode!

 

Today, my quick Friday sales tip is how to simplify closing the sale and follow-up process.  Lots of people think of closing as “closing the big sale” as in signing the contract and they pay for the thing.  I’d like to reframe closing for you so that it’s easier and more digestible.  

 

Think of “closing” as “closing the conversation” or a “call to action” (or CTA) rather than “closing the sale”.  When you close the conversation, you are asking them to move to the next steps and setting expectations for follow-up, meaning who will follow-up and when.  When you ask them to move to the next steps, you are getting their agreement along the way. 

 

Closing the conversation ensures that customers are comfortable moving forward, know expectations of both sides, and it also makes them feel better about asking questions and presenting objections, obstacles, or potential roadblocks that might come up along the way. 

 

Let me give you some examples of closing the conversation: Things like the client agreeing for you to follow-up in 2 weeks, asking them to complete a form and return it to you, or follow-ing up with info that you requested of them or info that they requested from you.  

 

When you close each conversation, you are making it easier on yourself to close the sale so you can make money and grow your business. You’ve gained agreement at each step along the way to move the sales train forward to the next stop.  This will open the door for more conversation allowing you to get to know them better - which is a win-win for everyone involved!

 

I hope this tip was helpful and that you think through how you can use this in your next sales or business conversation.

 

Thank you again for joining me for this episode of Sales & Business Strategy for Women!  Please follow this show where you listen to podcasts so you don’t miss an episode!

 

XO,

Lindsay Fletcher

—-------------------

I’d love to connect with you!  Here are 2 ways to do so:

 

  1. Join our FREE community of like-minded women who are stepping into their full potential and going BIG in their businesses: https://www.facebook.com/groups/367731782244780 

 

  1. I’m excited to hear from you!  Please send questions, comments, and feedback to hello@lindsayfletcher.co.

Sales Techniques for Women | Selling Strategies for Women | Sales Tips for Women | Sales Mastery for Women | Selling with Confidence | Sales Psychology | Sales Pitch | Building Trust in Sales | Sales Process | High Performance Sales | How to sell | Sales Skills for Women

Women in Business | Female Entrepreneurs | Business Success | Small Business Tips | Entrepreneurial Success | Business Coaching | Women Empowerment | Professional Development | Business Coaching for Women | Business Consulting

5-minute Sales Tips | Quick Sales Tips | Sales Coaching | Sales Consulting | Sales Training | Sales Strategy Session 

32. Defining your business DNA for sales growth17 Sep 202400:12:26
  1. Defining Your Business DNA

 

Hey Sales Squad!  Welcome back to Sales & Business Growth for BUSY Entrepreneurs. I’m your host, and resident sales and business nerd, Lindsay Fletcher, and this podcast is the place for small business owners to learn sales skills, business growth strategies, and how to squeeze more out of your day. 

 

I have a FREE new-to-you tool on my website that you can download that we have used to figure out which sales and marketing activities create revenue. My SALES GROWTH TRACKER is now available for download on my website - go to LindsayFletcher.co/free-resources. Click on Sales Growth Tracker and drop your email and I will send it over to you immediately, along with steps on how to use it. It has been THE TOOL that we’ve used in our service-based local business and I’m using it to track my sales activities in my consulting business. So go to my website LindsayFletcher.co and click on the free resources tab and you’ll see sales Growth Tracker at the top of the page! Download it and use it, and be on your way to Sales Success!!!

 

If you haven’t already, be sure to hit the “follow” button on your podcast app so that you don’t miss anything! 

 

In today's episode, we are talking about Defining what I call your "business DNA". This is the who, what, how and why of your business. 

 

The who is your customer. 

Who are they? 

What is their income? 

What are their ages? 

Married or single? 

Reasons for buying? 

Where are they located? 

Where else do they shop? 

 

Let’s talk about how your generation tells a lot about your buying habits.

 

Gen Z - ages 12-27 are focused on price and are on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. They read reviews and rely on social proof for purchases. 

 

Millennials are ages 28-43 and mostly use Facebook and Instagram. Looks at price and quality, and want to buy from brands that align with their values. Their experience and convenience as a consumer is important. 

 

Gen X-ers are aged 44-59. They use Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest, and want value, practicality, and durability. They also appreciate time savings, safety and security. 

 

Boomers are ages 60-78 and use Facebook. They rely on online news sources and TV, and value brand longevity and quality over price.they look for brands that align with their values - think “Made in the USA”. 

 

Think about who your customer is and where they hang out, and you can save yourself a whole lot of time. If you are marketing to boomers and you are on TikTok, your people aren’t there. Save yourself some time, energy and sanity and go where your people are!!! Boomers are on Facebook. 

 

Next, let’s talk about how you serve them. In the “what and how” category we have your services, packages, building customer relationships, and differentiating your business. This category is where we under promise and over deliver! The how category should be delivered well consistently. FYI, this category might take some adjusting and time to get nailed down really well if you are newly in business. Give yourself some grace. No one gets it right right out of the gate and 100% of the time. We are constantly tweeting things in our business to serve our customers better than before! 

 

Last up we have the “why” category. We all want to do good things for our customers, but on the why of your business, I want you to take a look inward. Why do YOU do what you do? What is your reason for your business? Why will you continue when thing get hard? What’s YOUR why???  

 

If you haven’t read the book “The No B.S. Small Business Book” by Casey Graham, I highly recommend it! In his book he talks about creating a statement, a sentence or two, about your why and it should be a filter that you run decisions through. He calls it an “owner’s intent”.  It is not selfish to build a business for wealth, or time, or whatever your reason is. Casey talks about his own Owner’s Intent: to build a business that his kids will want to work for if they choose to. Yours could be to support a certain lifestyle, or get out of debt, or pay for 3 vacations a year, or build wealth. Whatever your reason is, it is a good one.  Your why is what will keep you motivated and consistent. Wrote it down, put it on a post-it on your computer, tell your business friends.

 

If you haven’t figured out your Business DNA, take some time to figure out these things. Do market research. Get to know your customers better. They will tell you what you need to know! 

 

Defining your business DNA will set you on a clear path forward. It should make your sales and marketing pillars clear. It should help you make decisions because you have a clear vision of what you want out of your business.

 

With that, I send you on your way wishing you more sales, more time and lots and lots of business growth! Talk to you next time!

XO,

Lindsay Fletcher

—-------------------

I’d love to connect with you! 

 

If you are a woman in small business, I'd love to have you in my *FREE* online community! Click here to join! https://www.facebook.com/groups/367731782244780 

 

Have questions, comments, or feedback?  Leave me a voice message at https://speakpipe.com/lindsayfletcher or email me at hello@lindsayfletcher.co.

 

Business Growth | Sales Growth | Revenue Growth | Scaling Your Business | Business Strategy | Market Expansion | Customer Retention | Sales Planning | Sales Strategy

31. Tracking Sales Growth - The way to figure out what's growing your small business13 Sep 202400:12:06

Sales Growth Tool - A way to track what’s actually growing your business (BONUS EPISODE)

 

Hey Sales Squad!  Welcome back to Sales & Business Growth for Entrepreneurs Podcast. I’m your host Lindsay Fletcher, and this podcast is the place for small business owners to learn and implement sales skills, business growth strategies, and figure out how to better manage your time!

 

If you haven’t already, be sure to hit the “follow” button on your podcast app so that you don’t miss anything!

 

I’m so excited to share a tool with you that has helped us grow our business from $0 to multiple six figures (like inching toward our first $1M in revenue) in 2 years. It’s my Sales Growth Tracker!

 

To get my Sales Growth Tracker, go to my website lindsayfletcher.co/free-resources.  Or Lindsayfletcher.co and click on the free resources tab. Enter your email address and I’ll send you the link to download my Sales Growth Tracker.  

So here’s the deal.  You don’t know what works and what doesn’t work if you don’t track what you are doing and what revenue you are bringing in.  It’s Pearson’s Law.

 

Pearson’s law states this:

When performance is measured, performance improves. When performance is measured and reported back, performance improves exponentially.

 

I know it’s true. I did this as a part of my corporate america sales career as a rep and as a manager, and I’m giving you the exact tool that we use in our small business and what I’m using now in my Sales Consulting Business to know what works.  

 

I use this tool as a game for myself too - to see if I can beat my score from last month and increase my revenue even more.

 

So here’s how you use it:

  1. Go to https://lindsayfletcher.co/free-resources and enter your email to get the link to download it. Then download the Sales Growth Tracker and save to an easy to find location on your computer or cloud. Mine is saved on my google drive.  Hit pause on this podcast right now, and go do this. I’m that serious about this.  Go do it now. I’ll wait.
  2. Open it up and take a look at the list of activities on the left hand side. Each month has it's own tab along the bottom and all of the data you enter will be compiled into the "Stats" tab. This is a sample or example list of sales and marketing activities that you can do to set up your business for Sales Success.  You can change this list to whatever suits your business, but definitely look to see what you are doing that’s already on there.  There might be items you could or should be doing and then there might be some items that don’t apply to your business. Take a look at the list. You can also change the number of points that you get for each activity. For example, going to networking meetings is something that drives revenue for both of our businesses.  So I give myself more points for doing that activity…because I know it works, so I incentivize myself to do more of those activities.
  3. Go back through your calendar or your task list from this week to find what sales and marketing activities you completed. If you are listening to this episode at the beginning of the week you can start with last week or you can just start with today, and give yourself points for the sales and marketing activities that you did. 
  4. The Sales Growth Tracker will add up your points for each week. That total will be in the darker yellow box at the bottom of each week.  Then, at the end of the week or beginning of the next week, put in your revenue from that week.  The tracker will then add up the totals of activities completed AND your revenue from each week, and those totals will be in the “STATS” tab of the tracker.

You can use this tracker in 3 ways:

  1. I like to track weekly revenue and weekly activities so that I can see if something new that I’m doing or not doing is quickly impacting my business (both negatively and positively). 
  2.  I like to track month to month to see if consistency in marketing efforts is paying off. Did I do a whole lot of activities and get a bunch of points in June and I’m seeing increased revenue into July?
  3. Then I like to look at the whole year to see where my biggest months in activities and revenue are - you’ll start to see some trends. For example, maybe you hit 50 pts in activities in July and you saw a big jump in revenue in August.  Or maybe you only did 20 points of activities in July and you saw it immediately impact your revenue in July.  
  4. You have to use the tracker for it to help you.  Don’t let this be another file on your computer or in your Google Drive that sits there and never gets opened. Block 5 minutes at the end of your week to fill this out!  I promise it will help you hone in on what’s actually working.

 

Again, if you haven’t already - go to Lindsayfletcher.co/free-resources to download your free tracker to figure out what’s working so you can do more of those things and save yourself time!

 

--> Have sales, business growth or time management questions?  Leave me a voice message at https://speakpipe.com/lindsayfletcher

 

With that, I send you on your way wishing you more sales, more time and lots and lots of of business growth! Talk to you next time!

 

XO,

Lindsay Fletcher

—-------------------

  

I'd love to connect with you and give you more FREE RESOURCES!  

*Check out my website - https://lindsayfletcher.co/free-resources

*Join our FREE community of like-minded women who are stepping into their full potential and going BIG in their businesses: https://www.facebook.com/groups/367731782244780

*Please send questions, comments, and feedback to hello@lindsayfletcher.co.

*Leave me a voice message at https://speakpipe.com/lindsayfletcher 

Sales Growth Tracker | Sales Training for Entrepreneurs | Business Growth Strategies | Sales Skills Development | Business Coaching for Entrepreneurs | Women in Business | Sales Confidence | Entrepreneurship Tips | How to Grow My Business | Sales Growth for Small Business Owners

30. Sales Tips: How to sell without being "Salesy"10 Sep 202400:10:44
  1. 6 Tips on Selling without feeling “Salesy”

 

Hello and welcome back to Sales & Business Strategy for Women Podcast. This is the place for female entrepreneurs to learn and implement sales skills, business growth strategies, and figure out how to better manage your time!. 

I’m Lindsay Fletcher, your host for Sales & Business Strategy for Women. Thank you for joining me for another episode THIRTY.  If you haven’t already, be sure to hit the “follow” button on your podcast app so that you don’t miss anything!

Today we are going to talk about selling without feeling “salesy”.  We’ve all experienced it…being pressured to buy something, or feeling like you are letting someone down because their product doesn’t fit your needs or wants.  That’s when the “ick factor” shows up in sales.

 

It is human nature to want to be liked and accepted…and that applies to both sides of the sales transaction.  Buyers don’t want to disappoint or offend you and you don’t want to use high pressure sales tactics to get someone to buy because it feels pretty terrible.

 

Trying to avoid being “salesy” is something we should all do and what the vast majority of us want, right?!? I believe in selling with integrity - being kind, helpful and respectful…just like I tell my kids: “Kind. Helpful. Respectful.” when they go to a friend’s house.

 

So how do we keep that from happening?  Here are 6 tips to avoid being “salesy”: 

  1. Ask yourself about your product - do you believe in what you are selling?  Is there evidence that your product or service does what you say it will do?  If there is a disconnect in what we have to sell versus how it performs, that can cause you to feel icky and like you are taking advantage of people.  Believing in what you are selling is a big deal.
  2. Qualify your leads. Know your ideal client or customer.  Their problems, needs, wants, and wishes - will keep you from wasting your time or your prospect’s or customer’s time. So, Who is your ideal customer?  What problems do they have? What price range can they afford? Where do they shop? What level of service do they expect? What are their needs and wants?  What is on their wishlist?
  3. Listen more often.  If you are an OG listener of this podcast, you probably know what I’m going to say.  A&L - Ask questions and then listen. Ask and listen.  So, what do you need to know about your person to make sure they need or want what you are selling?  Can you identify or start to identify their buying style so you can start to develop how to ask better questions and how to present information.  Ask open ended questions and then shut your mouth. Let them talk. Then ask clarifying questions on anything you aren’t 100% on. 
  4. Build credibility for yourself and your offer by showing social proof. Talk about outcomes others have experiences, share reviews, discuss how you’ve supported those successes.
  5. Sell with integrity and be of service. Don’t oversell or promise something you can’t deliver.  Be truthful.  Be helpful. Be respectful. Your reputation is on the line, so make sure you are giving to give and not giving so you can take.  Serve your customers. Remember that they are spending their hard earned money with you.  Deliver an excellent product or service.
  6. Don’t bash your competition. There is enough room in the market for all of us and every one of us is in a different part of our journey. We don’t need to compare ours to theirs. Know their product or service the best that you can, so that you know what they do well and what they don’t do well.  And know where your offer shines and where it lacks.  You can compare and contrast but don’t bash their product. 

 

Trying to avoid being “salesy” is something we should all do and what the vast majority of us want, right?!? I believe in selling with integrity - being kind, helpful and respectful…just like I tell my kids: “Kind. Helpful. Respectful.” when they go to a friend’s house.

 

I hope these tips are helpful to you as you grow and improve your sales skills. 

 

Thank you again for joining me for this episode of Sales & Business Strategy for Women!  Please follow this show where you listen to podcasts so you don’t miss an episode!

 

XO,

Lindsay Fletcher

—-------------------

I’d love to connect with you!  Here are 2 ways to do so:

 

  1. Join our FREE community of like-minded women who are stepping into their full potential and going BIG in their businesses: https://www.facebook.com/groups/367731782244780 

 

  1. I’m excited to hear from you!  Please send questions, comments, and feedback to hello@lindsayfletcher.co.

How to build rapport | How to sell without being salesy | Ways to avoid being salesy | Sales Training for Women | Business Growth Strategies | Sales Skills Development | Business Coaching for Women | Women in Business | Sales Confidence | Entrepreneurship Tips | Client Relationship Management | How to Sell Services | How to Sell Products | How to Grow My Business | Sales for Small Business Owners

29. 5-minute Sales Tip - Using Role Play to Improve Sales Skills06 Sep 202400:06:01

Hello & welcome back to Sales & Strategy for Women Podcast!  If you want to learn sales skills, sales strategy, and time management so you can focus on what matters, you are in the right place! 

Today, my 5 minute sales tip is to role play and do it regularly! Role playing

 

How to improve sales skills | How to increase sales | How to grow business Role Play to Improve Sales | Role Playing | Role Play for Sales Growth | Sales Training for Women | Sales Skills Development | Business Coaching for Women | Women in Business | Sales Confidence | Entrepreneurship Tips | How to Sell Services | How to Sell Products

28. How to Identify Objections in Sales Conversations | Sales Tips for Small Business03 Sep 202400:08:04

Episode 28 - How to Identify Objections in Sales Conversations

Hello and welcome back to Sales & Business Strategy for Women Podcast where we talk all things Business Growth! If you are wanting to learn or uplevel sales skills, business growth strategies, and how to manage your time while doing it, you are in the right place!  

 

—------------------------------------

 

I’m Lindsay Fletcher, your host for Sales & Business Strategy for Women.  I’m a mom, wife of 4, dog mom, Jesus follower and multiple six figure small business owner.  If you haven’t already, please follow this show so that you don’t miss an episode!  

 

In today’s episode, I discuss what sales objections are and how to identify them.  

 

Many people view objections as points in the sales process where the prospect or customer says no.  I hope to widen your view of objections. Objections are really anything that stalls or halts the sales process from closing. This could be the prospect’s or customer’s timeline, budget, their inability to make a decision, or their inability to move forward. They can also be hurdles that you will need to overcome.  Many times the things that I just mentioned are actually smokescreens that people use to avoid high pressure salespeople.

 

Just a friendly reminder, that objections are buying signals, and they are signs that you have built trust with this prospect or customer.  Until this person says no to you and or purchases from someone else, they are still in your pipeline.  Objections are also not personal.

 

I was recently in a sales coaching session with a client where I identified that he wasn’t properly labeling objections in his mind during his sales conversations.  He was categorizing actual objections from the customers as “just facts” about them.  When we started the session, he told me that when a customer says that they have a timeline to purchase his product in 1.5 to 2 years, he was taking that as fact rather than an objection or an obstacle or smokescreen.  I want you to start thinking of these types of “facts” as “objections”, because they are simply hurdles that might be able to be overcome rather than just facts.  

 

Now, I understand that this could actually be their timeline and that their sale won’t actually close for 1.5 to 2 years. However, there is so much to be done in the meantime, and an excited buyer will often speed up their timeline if they are excited about the purchase, if they really really want it. Buyers will actually look for information that goes along with their want or need for your product or service so that they can convince themselves they should move up the timeline.  Timeline is just one example of an objection or hurdle.

 

In my client’s industry, there is a significant timeline that they need to follow from the time the customer signs the contract until the time that they actually receive the product - somewhere between 10-12 months.  And in his case, there is a lot to be discussed, choices to be made, and customization that takes place. So the particular customer that has a 1.5-2 year timeline isn’t actually too far off.  There is a lot of selling and closing that can happen between now and the time of signing the contract and closing the sale.  There is a lot of time to build a relationship.  There is also pricing to lock-in.  Again, don’t let something like a timeline detour you from going after the sale.  Everything is changeable. Is that even a word?  And when a customer wants something bad enough, I mean everything is changeable.  

 

So now that you know what objections are and how to identify them in your conversations, I want you to go back through your recent sales conversations and identify the objections that you might have missed. This might give you a reason to follow up with this prospect or customer to learn more about their situation and objection(s).  Use this to help you identify them better in the future so that you are prepared to handle these objections and move your sales process forward.  

 

Thank you again for joining me for this episode of Sales & Business Strategy for Women!  Please follow this show where you listen to podcasts so you don’t miss an episode!

 

XO,

Lindsay Fletcher

—-------------------

 

I’d love to connect with you!  Here are 2 ways to do so:

 

  1. Join our FREE community of like-minded women who are stepping into their full potential and going BIG in their businesses: https://www.facebook.com/groups/367731782244780 

 

  1. I’m excited to hear from you!  Please send questions, comments, and feedback to hello@lindsayfletcher.co.

Objection Handling | Sales Objection Identification | How to identify sales objections | Overcoming Objections | Sales Training for Women | Business Growth Strategies | Sales Skills Development | Business Coaching for Women | Women in Business | Sales Confidence | Entrepreneurship Tips | Client Relationship Management | How to Sell Services | How to Sell Products | How to Grow My Business

27. Five Small Business Lessons from the Paris Olympics 202427 Aug 202400:13:20

5 Business Lessons from Paris Olympics 2024

Hello and  Welcome to Sales & Business Strategy for Women where we talk all things Business Growth! If you are wanting to learn or uplevel your sales skills, business growth strategies, and how to manage your time while doing it, you are in the right place!  

We just wrapped up watching the Olympic games and there were so many business lessons that I was reminded of throughout watching these elite athletes!  Today, I’m talking about 5 business lessons from the Paris Olympic Games 2024!

It was truly an amazing couple of weeks watching these athletes compete at the highest level and come out on top.  You can find lessons nearly anywhere you look and there were so many takeaways that I can relate back to business and what success can look like.  

  1. Progress over perfection. While women’s gymnastics was competing, Simone Biles’ extremely difficult tricks reminded me that it doesn’t have to be perfect. Simone’s landings on the most difficult vaults in women’s gymnastics were not perfect.  In fact, one of the announcers said that on one of her vaults she actually plans for a step at the end to ensure that she lands safely. Her landings weren’t perfect, but the degree of difficulty for the skills that she performs is astronomical. She is the greatest of all time. You are doing something that is so hard: you are in business. Just like Simone, you don’t have to stick every landing or close every deal.  It’s ok to prepare for that extra step if you will.  We need to imperfect action in our businesses so that we make progress.  Progress is the GOAT in business.
  2. Don’t be afraid to show your enthusiasm for your work! Snoop Dogg was a highlight of the Olympic games for me. His enthusiasm and excitement for the athletes was authentic. He has successfully “rebranded” himself from Gangsta Rapper to America’s Favorite Grandpa and his light is shining!  Be a Snoop D-o-double G - be authentic and show your excitement for what you do, and don’t even look the direction of the naysayers - we don’t have time for that!
  3. Use what you’ve got. We don’t need the fanciest technology. We just have to do the work. Take it from Turkey’s shooter Yusuf Dikec who won silver wearing regular glasses with his non-shooting hand in his pocket.  I think so many times we get caught up in having the fanciest website, technology, and gear, but the truth is we don’t need that stuff most of the time. We sometimes spend too much time comparing ourselves to “what everyone else has” (insert eyeroll because if you are watching social media, remember that those are highlight reels, not actual real life.) We should use what we have and get to work.
  4. Boundaries and mental health are important.  Back to the GOAT.  Simone Biles suffered from some mental health issues in 2021 driving her to make the difficult decision not to compete in the Tokyo Olympics.  She openly discussed how she took time off from gymnastics, focused on her mental health, and sought out therapy. She prioritized her health, a boundary we all should have in place, and came back better than ever.  Ladies, especially you moms, it is easy to get in the grind of always working, always grinding, always putting everyone else first.  But this proof is here - when we rest, prioritize our health, and put good boundaries in place, we will be able to perform and compete in our businesses at a higher level.  Simone proved that.
  5. Being yourself is the best. Ilona Maher is the perfect example.  She skyrocketed to social media fame after she and her teammates won Bronze in women’s rugby.  She is a beautiful, strong, powerful woman who is sensitive and so hilarious.  She has candidly talked about body image and assumptions people make about her.  She’s made us laugh and she’s made us cry.  She’s an excellent reminder to be YOU and to do business your way.  Your business doesn’t have to look like everyone else’s, just like your body doesn’t look like everyone else’s.  If social media isn’t your thing and you don’t feel called to show up there, then don’t.  Your business can look however you want it to look. If you want to be online only, then do that. Build a strategy that is in line with your values and goals. Building a business that is authentic to you, your family, your values is most important.

There were so many lessons from the Olympics but these were my top 5. They were such good reminders for me, and I hope that they are good reminders and lessons for you too.  We have to keep our eyes looking at the big picture and it’s so easy to get caught up in the minutia of owning a business and/or leading a team that we often forget there is a forest because we are stuck inspecting the trees.  

Thank you again for joining me for this episode of Sales & Business Strategy for Women!  Please follow this show so you don’t miss any episodes!

 

XO,

Lindsay Fletcher

I'd love to connect with you! Here are two ways:

1. Join our FREE community of like-minded women who are stepping into their full potential and going BIG in their businesses: https://www.facebook.com/groups/367731782244780

2. Email me at hello@lindsayfletcher.co with questions, comments, suggestions, or to schedule a coaching call!

 

Women Entrepreneurs | Small Business Owners | Sales Training for Women | Business Growth Strategies | Lead Generation | Time Management for Entrepreneurs | Sales Skills Development | Business Coaching for Women | Women in Business | Entrepreneurship Tips | Work-Life Balance for Business Owners | Client Relationship Management | Sales Skills | Learn How to Sell | How to Grow My Business | How to Sell Services | How to Sell Products

26. Creating Margin in Small Business02 Apr 202400:18:00

Hi friend! Today's episode is all about creating margin in our small businesses and in our personal lives so that we can create, problem solve, and continue growing our small businesses.   In this episode, I discuss the symptoms of constantly being in a state of hustle, hurry, or busy, and why we feel that way.  Once we've identified the symptoms of hustle culture and why we feel the need to stay there, we can begin to evaluate how to create this seemingly elusive margin.  It's going to take some work and consistency, but I know that you can do it!  I know that once you've created some boundaries and have figured out how to get some things off of your plate, you'll feel much more peaceful and productive in life and in business.  

Don't forget to join my free Facebook Community here!

Do you have questions about small business ownership and how to grow while maintaining a great work-life balance?  Email me at hello@lindsayfletcher.co  - I can't wait to hear from you!!!

My Best,

Lindsay

 

P.S. I forgot to mention it in this episode but it will be the last one before I break for a bit.  I'll be back with more sales and business strategy content in September 2024!

25. 5 Ways to Grow Your Small Business God's Way19 Mar 202400:26:21

Hey Friends! Welcome back to Small Business Sales & Strategy Podcast!  Today's episode is a faith-based on where I share 5 ways to grow your business God's way.  Even if you aren't a Christian, I hope you'll take a listen because these things are applicable to all of us as women in small business - building community, serving, breaking up with busy, focusing on who not what, and sharing your vision.  

Please join my free facebook community by clicking here!

Have a question about sales, marketing or business strategy?  Email me at hello@lindsayfletcher.co

Thank you so much for listening! 

XOXO,

Lindsay

42. Strategies for Small Business Growth so you can stop worrying about follower counts22 Oct 202400:16:39

Hi friend!  Welcome back to Sales & Business Growth for Busy Women! 

 

Today's episode is about strategies to help you grow your business without worrying about follower counts.  Here's the deal: Followers don't equal dollars.  For the majority of us small business owners, we have to figure out what works and do that consistently.  Here are 6 strategies that I share in this episode in no particular order:

1. Know your Business DNA - go back and listen to Episode 32 where I talk about this in more detail.

2. Find growth gaps - go to episode 34 where I talk about this in more detail.

3. Learn how to sell.  I'm biased, but it is the missing element for so many small business owners.

4. Micro-niche your messaging.  If you are talking to everyone, you are talking to no one. So narrow your focus. 

5. Share your business.  Network.  Expand your circle.  Share your business.

6. Commit to a strategy and track it.  You can use my Sales Growth Tracker to figure out what works and what doesn't.

 

If you need help with your elevator pitch, teaching others how to sell your business for you to their family and friends, sales and marketing strategy, I'd love to jump on a FREE call with you. Schedule you SALES GROWTH AUDIT HERE.

 

I'm praying this episode blesses you, releases you from the stress of follower counts, and sets you on the right track for business growth!

My best,

Lindsay Fletcher

 

----------------------------------

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24. How to Prepare for Your Next Sales Call in Small Business29 Feb 202400:18:00

Welcome back to Small Business Sales & Strategy Podcast!   One of the biggest mistakes that I see business owners and sales reps make is going into meetings or calls unprepared. You want to walk away from your sales calls with more information and ideas on how to move to the next steps, but you can't do that if you don't walk in prepared. In today's episode, you will learn how to prepare for your next sales call.  You need product knowledge and customer knowledge and I break down both in this episode.

I reference Episode 3 where we talk about buying styles so be sure to go back and listen to that one!  In fact, put it on your favorites list so you can go back and reference it often!

Don't forget to join my *FREE* Facebook Community for Female Small Business Owners by clicking here!

 

What questions do you have about sales?  Email me at Hello@LindsayFletcher.co! 

 

XOXO,

Lindsay

23. Micro Niche Your Marketing in Small Business with guest Geovanna Burgess White20 Feb 202400:24:37

Thank you so much for joining me for today's episode!  Have you ever wondered why people don't know what you do in your business?  You've told them all of the things that you do, your social media says all of the things that you do, and so does your website.  Well, that might just be the problem.  If you are talking about all of the things that you do, it is likely you are confusing your audience and potential customers. 

Today, Geovanna Burgess White of YG Collaborations joins me to discuss how to micro niche our marketing and why it's so important to be crystal clear on what you do and who you do it for! 

 

You can find Geo & her business partner, Yvette, on all social media platforms - their IG is https://instagram.com/ygcollaborations.  

 

You can also find Geo inside of my *FREE* Facebook group for Female Small Business Owners here --> https://www.facebook.com/groups/367731782244780

 

Have sales and marketing questions:  Email me at hello@lindsayfletcher.co 

I want to hear from you!!!

 

XOXO,

Lindsay

22.How to Provide Excellent Customer Service in Small Business13 Feb 202400:13:54

Hey there! Welcome back to Small Business Sales & Strategy podcast!  I'm so happy you are joining me for our 22nd episode!  Today, we are talking about customer service as a part of your sales process. 

 

How many times have you called a company about a bill or a problem and you are sent through an automated system only to end up frustrated because you can't actually talk to a human?  Many times, right?  

 

Well, I believe that being a small business has it's advantages and providing excellent customer service is where we can thrive!!!  Providing excelling customer service can turn prospects into new customers and later into long-term customers. Small businesses have this opportunity to build the like-know-trust factor quickly!  Today, I talk about two ways to provide excellent customer service as well as a couple of bonus tips too.

 

Don't forget to join my *FREE* Facebook Community for Women in Small Business --> https://www.facebook.com/groups/367731782244780

 

Join my email list for my *FREEBIE* to improve communication with your customers and within your team --> www.lindsayfletcher.co

 

Need sales training or a speaker for your business event?  Have a question about sales?  Email me at hello@lindsayfletcher.co! I look forward to hearing from you!

 

My Best,

Lindsay

21. The Number One Thing Small Business Owners Miss in Sales Conversations30 Jan 202400:16:02

Welcome back to Small Business Sales & Strategy podcast!  I'm so glad you are joining me today!  Today, I'm sharing the number one thing that I believe small business owner miss in sales conversations and speaking about their business. 

 

If you have listened to this podcast very long, you probably have an idea!  I believe that biggest mistake that small business owners make is not asking enough questions!  We don't really know our customers well enough because we don't continue asking questions, so in today's episode, I give you three ways that you can ask questions so that you continue solving problems and meeting people's needs:

 

1. Ask questions!  Do market research to make sure that you are solving a problem.

2. Ask more questions!  Get to know your customer's needs, where they came from, where they are now, and where they are going.  Tap into emotions and feelings about their journey.

3. Ask more questions! Continue the conversation when they become your customer so that they remain loyal to you and your brand.

 

If you've know me for any length of time, you know that I teach that asking (more) questions is essential to sales success! That's because it is - your customers want to be known by you.  They want to know that you care.  That's how you build brand loyalty.

 

Don't forget to join my *FREE* Facebook Community for Women in Small Business --> https://www.facebook.com/groups/367731782244780

 

Join my email list for my *FREEBIE* to improve communication with your customers and within your team --> www.lindsayfletcher.co

 

Need sales training or a speaker for your event?  Let's connect! Email me at hello@lindsayfletcher.co! I look forward to hearing from you!

 

My Best,

Lindsay

20. Small Business Task Management - Figure out what to do and what to delegate17 Jan 202400:17:15

Welcome to the 20th Episode of Small Business Sales & Strategy Podcast!  I cannot believe we are at 20 episodes already!!! Time flies when you are having fun!

 

Today's episode is about delegation in small business. In our small business, we have been evaluating our daily, weekly and monthly tasks, and where we can do a better job.  Some of the discussion has been centered around delegating the tasks that don't need to be done by us as owners, and I was excited to read a passage of scripture during my quiet time a few mornings ago!

Acts 6:1-7 talks about how the 12 apostles knew they were called to spend time in prayer, spread the GOOD NEWS of Jesus and The Word of God so that the number of believers would continue to grow.  They were getting complaints within the group of believers that people were unhappy with how food was being managed and distributed.  So, instead of becoming distracted with these types of tasks, they came together and developed a plan to delegate so that they could stay doing the things that moved the needle in their "business" (their "business" was spreading God' message of hope and freedom in Jesus). So, they found 7 people that were wise and filled with the Holy Spirit to take over management and distribution of the food.  They DELEGATED. 

 

So how do we decide what to delegate?  Let me introduce you to Eisenhower's Matrix!  There are four categories in Eisenhower's matrix that will help you decide what YOU need to do now, what needs scheduled, what you can DELEGATE, and what you can/should delete (my favorite category!!!).  I explain how to determine what goes in each category and I also give some examples.  I hope this episode sets you free to delegate in your business and personal life in whatever stage of business and life you are in!

 

Don't forget to join my *FREE* Facebook Community for Women in Small Business --> https://www.facebook.com/groups/367731782244780

 

Join my email list for my *FREEBIE* to improve communication with your customers and within your team --> www.lindsayfletcher.co

 

Need sales training or a speaker for your event?  Let's connect! Email me at hello@lindsayfletcher.co! I look forward to hearing from you!

 

XOXO,

Lindsay

 

 

19. Choosing Your Hard in Small Business10 Jan 202400:11:44

Welcome to Small Business Sales & Strategy podcast!  I'm so happy you are here with me!  In today's episode, I talk about "Choosing your hard" when it comes to your small business and your life.  We all have hard things to do and hard things going on in our lives.  For me, staying on track and keeping up with the so-called mundane day to day tasks are hard.  It's also hard for me to choose to workout, one of the ways that I manage my mental health.  So with these hard things, we have a choice to make - do the thing that seems hard or daunting and move the needle forward OR we can choose to avoid doing them and stay right where we are at.  And I don't know about you, but I don't want to be in the same place that I am a year from now - I want to keep growing!!!  We can choose our hard. I can choose my hard, and so can you!

 

My best, 

Lindsay

 

JOIN MY *FREE* FACEBOOK GROUP HERE

Email - hello@lindsayfletcher.co

lindsayfletcher.co

18. Consistency in Small Business equals Sales Success02 Jan 202400:09:43

Happy New Year!!! I hope 2024 is off to a great start for you and your business!   I have lots of fun and amazing things planned for 2024 and you do NOT want to miss it!  So, join my *FREE* Facebook Community HERE!

In today's episode, I share the ONE thing that I believe makes or breaks small businesses...and it's probably not what you think!  As the years end and new ones begin, many of us look at our accomplishments and start dreaming, vision casting, and goal setting.  There is no one who loves this more than me!  I make BIG plans every year. The reality is that I want to make those dreams come true, and I also get overwhelmed by the huge mountain (that I've created in this process) to climb.  So today, we are talking about consistency. I believe it's what makes small business owners successful...or not.  So, as we dive into 2024, I want you to review your plans, dreams, and visions for your business and your life, and I want you to look at what is going to be sustainable so that you can show up consistently in the areas that move the needle for your business!

 

-->Need a marketing plan that is sustainable?  Book a Marketing Connection Call HERE to discuss your business and needs!  

 

-->Need Sales Training? Book a Sales Connection Call HERE so we can discuss your needs!

 

As always, I'm praying for you and your business!  I believe in you!

 

My best,

Lindsay

 

17. Serving Through Selling Workshop from December 12th inside Small Business Community for Women Facebook Group13 Dec 202300:30:25

Thank you for joining me for another episode of Small Business Sales & Strategy Podcast!  Today's episode is a workshop recording from my *FREE* Facebook Community (CLICK HERE TO JOIN!) called Serving Through Selling!  I talk about the definition of sales, how to effectively communicate with your customers, team, and in personal relationships when trying to persuade or convince your buyer, and how to use those skills to serve your customers and community well!

Whether it's speaking at your next event, training you and your team on the sales process or refining your sales skills, or developing a sales and marketing strategy that works for you and your business, I'd love to hear from you so let's connect!  You can email me at hello@lindsayfletcher.co or you can schedule a Connection Call through the link on my website linked here: https://lindsayfletcher.co/speaking-%26-training

I look forward to hearing from you!

 

My best,

Lindsay

16. All about Sales and Marketing Strategy Sessions06 Dec 202300:08:11

Welcome back to the show!  Since my last episode (#15), I received some questions about my Sales & Marketing Strategy Sessions.  So today, I share who these sessions are for, what the process is for scheduling these sessions, and what you will get out of them!  

Don't forget to join my FREE Facebook Community Here!  I'm hosting a *FREE* workshop inside this group on December 12, 2023 so get in there ASAP!

 

Ready to work with me? Schedule your Connection Call HERE!

 

My best,

Lindsay

 

Hello@LindsayFletcher.co

LindsayFletcher.co 

 

15. Organizing Your Calendar to Generate More Sales in Small Business28 Nov 202300:10:32

Welcome back, friend!  Today's episode is a quick one but a very important topic as we close out 2023.  How did you spend your precious time over the past year?  In today's episode I use an analogy of a jar that holds rocks and sand, but it is important what order you put the rocks, pebbles and sand into the jar so they all fit.  The same goes for you calendar.  Reviewing your calendar is imperative to evaluating your time and your business and I want you to start 2024 off on the right foot!  Categorizing your task into "revenue generating tasks (must do's to create income)", "essential tasks" (have to do's), and "non-essential tasks" (those that don't absolutely have to get done) will help you evaluate where to spend more of your time based on your goals for 2024.  Want to grow? Spend more time on revenue generating activities.  Want to say the same? Spend your time in similar ways.  So get to it ladies!  Review those calendars!  

 

Need help with your sales and marketing strategy for 2024?  Grab a Sales & Marketing Strategy Session with me in December for a steal of a deal - schedule a Connection Call here!

 

Learn more about training opportunities for you and your team *Unleash Strategic Curiosity* and *PEOPLE Focused Sales Method* here --> https://lindsayfletcher.co/speaking-%7C-training

 

Want to connect?

Join my *FREE* Facebook Community for Women here --> https://www.facebook.com/groups/367731782244780

Email me at Hello@LindsayFletcher.co

 

I'm praying for your business!

XOXO,

Lindsay

 

 

41. Buyer Psychology - How people make decisions to purchase18 Oct 202400:20:41
People buy from people they like, know, and trust. Fact or fiction? 

 

Hello & welcome back to Sales & Business Growth for BUSY Women. I am your resident sales and business nerd Lindsay Fletcher, and I’m so glad you’ve joined me for this episode.  I’m just going to dive right into today’s topic because this is one of my favorite topics in sales. I hope that the info that I’m about to share will help you in your conversations.  We, you and me, are going to talk about buying styles - how people make the decision to buy.

 

Buyer psychology is absolutely fascinating to me and there is so much to it.  Today we are going to hone in on how people make decisions to buy and I’m going to give you a framework AND a worksheet on this so you can print it, post it, put it in your planner - I’m a paper planner girl so I’d do that, but you can also save it to your phone or computer and reference it.  It will definitely help you understand your buyers better!!!

 

There are 4 main buying styles or decision making style categories that people fall into when they are deciding to make a purchase.  So without further adieu, let’s get into the good stuff here.

 

If you are taking notes, you should go to my website because I’m going to make your life a lot easier. Head over to my website https://lindsayfletcher.co/free-resources and click on the “buying styles guide” button.  Drop your email and I’ll send you a link to download this PDF so you can follow along.  Don’t worry, I won’t be offended if you hit pause to go do that!

 

Something we hear a lot in sales is “People buy from people they like, know and trust.” and I’ve actually heard this a lot lately, but is that really the case?  Today I’m going to walk you through the 4 major buying styles and how that impacts people and their decisions to buy from you (or not).  I’ll let you decide for yourself if this statement is true or not. After learning about buying styles and applying it to almost all conversations, I no longer believe that statement is entirely true and I’ll explain.

 

The 4 main buying styles are Relators, Sympathizers, Analyzers, and Achievers.  Each category’s name gives away a lot about who they are as buyers.  There is no right or wrong type of buying style but rather this is how people internally make decisions. Now, just to be clear, these are generalizations and there are always going to be exceptions to the rule, but these 4 categories haven’t failed me yet. And I do want to point out that these are not personality types, they are how we make decisions to purchase a product or service or buy into a way of thinking.

 

As I’m going through these, I want you to examine yourself under the lens of buying styles.  And then start examining people that you know - your spouse, your best friend, your sister or brother, your parents. I’m telling you this is fascinating stuff!!! 

 

Let’s dive into to buying styles. 

 

First up is Relators.  Relators are all about relationships and recognition.  They are typically warm and talkative.  They buy from people they like.  They want you to know them and they want to know you.  If you are selling to a Relator, you’ll need to build rapport and build your relationship.  Relators can be a little impulsive with decisions because they are fast paced.  You’ll also describe this type of buyer as personable, outgoing, and quite the conversationalist.  They also love compliments and recognition.

 

Relators as a whole don’t enjoy making decisions because they are people pleasers at heart.  They want you to like them and they may even feel the need to impress you.  And because their natural tendency is to worry about what others think of them, they often need help in making decisions, and their indecision may be caused by their reluctance in appearing as though they are rejecting you.  So, to make it easier on Relators in the buying process, you’ll want to build social proof by sharing how others are loving your product or service and reviews.  

 

One thing to watch out for is that relators can and will also use their outgoing-ness to derail conversations if they want or need to.  They can and will talk about other things to avoid talking about things they don’t want to talk about, so that’s something to watch out for when selling to relators.  

 

To sum it up with Relators - they are all about the relationship and recognition.

 

Next up are Sympathizers.  Like Relators, they want relationships but they also crave security.   You’ll find Sympathizers to be warm and friendly, supportive, emotional, and concerned for others.  Sympathizers are slow to make decisions and you’ll need to build trust before asking for the sale.  They are people pleasers as well, but more in the sense that they want everyone to be happy, comfortable, secure with whatever they decide.

 

Because safety and security are key for Sympathizers, they often avoid decisions and will get caught in “analysis paralysis”. They are less motivated by rewards and recognition, and more motivated by reduction of risk.  You’ll have to walk them through identifying the risks involved for them. Then you’ll need to remove those risks, give them time, and help them recognize their decision to move forward is a safe one.  You can label this group as “Rather safe than sorry”.  Outline what happens for them what happens if they aren’t happy with your product or service after they purchase.

 

Sympathizers are all about relationships and security.

 

Moving on to Analyzers.  Analyzers are all about security and outcomes.  However, the security isn’t the same type of security as Sympathizers.  Analyzers are just that - they analyze the heck out of decisions.  They are not emotionally driven when making purchases, so they won’t be swayed by your enthusiasm or your charm.  You’d describe Analyzers as detail-oriented, logical, data- and fact-driven, and organized. They will ask a lot of questions and they will do their own research. Their need for security is that they want to make the “right” decision so they will research all of the options and they love peer reviews.  

 

When selling to an analyzer, you’ll need to be organized, well-versed, and ready for questions and objections. Because they are logic- and fact-driven, they will question the accuracy of your claims and will have a hard time not interrupting you if your proof isn’t accurate and well documented.  Analyzers make very rational, logical decisions once they see this is the right purchase for them and you’ve eliminated risks.  

 

Analyzers are outcomes or results and security driven.

 

And then last but not least, are your Achievers.  Achievers are recognition and outcome driven.  Achievers are quick to make decisions and results driven. They want to know if it checks the boxes or not.  You’ll likely describe this group as risk takers because they aren’t afraid of change and they often initiate it.  Achievers want you to be direct and to the point, and will often ask questions on “doing”.  They also have facts and will try to avoid emotions because that slows them down.

 

Achievers love making decisions and are most often motivated by their bottom-line benefits.  You’ll want to make sure that you let the decision be their own.  Let them tell you what their benefits will be and they will sell themselves.  Remember that they are motivated by benefits that will help them achieve certain results or help them appear in charge.

 

Now, I need to make something very clear about achievers: Trusting you and liking you are two different things. If achievers don’t trust you they will not buy from you. Achievers have to trust you but they don’t have to like you to buy from you if your product or service will get them closer to their goals. 

 

Ok so those are your 4 buying styles. Now, most people have a combo of two.  A third buying style can be learned with some education, training, or may come with a certain type of profession.  You’ll notice that many people’s professions gravitate toward their buying style - that’s why you’ll see lots of accountants and financial people are analyzers.  You’ll see lots of nurses as Sympathizers and Analyzers.  Again, these are generalizations and not every nurse or accountant is going to fall into those buying styles but it can be an indicator.   

This whole episode was inspired by a friend who also happens to own multiple businesses.  We were talking about buying styles and it turns out that we have the same combo: Achiever and Relator.  However, she has more relator than I am.  For example, when selling a house, for example, we agreed that we don’t need to like you to choose you to sell our houses if we believe that you’ll get it done the fastest with the most money at closing.  However, for something like lipgloss, for example, she has to like you and I don’t have to like you to buy lipgloss from you.  So we analyzed why and here’s where we landed.  She wants to like you because she’s probably going to buy that lipgloss again if she likes it and she wants to like whomever she’s buying from on repeat products or services because she’ll have to talk to you more than once.  And on the flip side, I don’t need to like you for something like lipgloss and I’m not going to spend time finding someone else that sells the same lipgloss. I do want to like you and if I like you it makes it that much easier for me to buy from you, but I don’t have to like you.  So I’d say I’m like 5% relator and 95% achiever.

 

Now when it comes to my husband making a purchase, he is your classic analyzer.  He will research all of the options and make sure that the one he’s going to purchase does all of the things that it’s supposed to and that he’s exhausted all of the other options on the market.  He’s outcomes driven but wants the security that he’s purchasing the best option.

 

If you’ve downloaded my Buying Styles Guide, you’ll see that I have these buying styles in a pie chart and the more you analyze your own buying style and others’ buying styles you’ll notice there are certain types of buyers that you don’t click with as easily and those are most often the ones on the opposite side of the pie. They are typically opposite of how you make these types of decisions. So, for me as an achiever, for example, sympathizers tend to be the hardest for me to sell to because they are slow to make decisions and I’m fast paced. Our natural tendency is to sell in our own buying styles, but when you start asking questions and presenting offers in your customers’ buying style you’ll see your revenue increase and you’ll understand your customers wants and needs better.

 

So, here’s your homework: figure out your own buying style and then start figuring out your current customers’ buying styles. This takes practice but this will open up conversations in ways you wouldn’t believe once you get the hang of it.  That’s why I created this free downloadable PDF for you - save it to your computer, post it on your wall, and put it in your planner or Bible or wallet or car.  Seriously, the more you study this, and go back to it, the easier it gets and the better you’ll be at sales! So go to my website and download my Buying Styles Guide at https://lindsayfletcher.co/free-resources and click on the “Buying Styles Guide” button to get your free copy! 

 

I'm praying for you and your business!

- Lindsay

----------------------------------

LET’S CONNECT!

Have a question? >>> Leave me a voice message here: https://speakpipe.com/lindsayfletcher

Email >>> hello@lindsayfletcher.co  

Free Resources >>> https://lindsayfletcher.co/free-resources 

Need community?  Join Women in Business >>> https://www.facebook.com/groups/367731782244780 

Follow me on IG >>> https://instagram.com/lindsayfletcher.co 

14. Stress Management Strategies for Small Business Owners with Rachael Reed15 Nov 202300:33:10

Hey hey!  Last week I shared about my mental health journey and ways that I have found to manage stress, check in with myself, and triggers that can lead to a downward trajectory.  In today's episode, I talk with Rachael Reed, LMFT and LPC, a licensed counselor in the state of Texas, about small business ownership and stress management.  She walks us through some tactical ways to self-evaluate, take back control of our days, and offer ourselves a dose of self compassion. 

Rachael is the owner of Empower and Elevate here in the North Houston area and offers counseling for those living in the state of Texas as well as coaching services outside of Texas.  She has grown her practice and expanded at lightning speed, so she is fully aware of the struggles of a small business owner from a personal perspective as well.  

 

Join my *FREE* Facebook Business Community for Women --> CLICK HERE

I hope you enjoy this episode and as always, I'm praying for you and your business!

My best,

Lindsay

 

Links from today's show:

Empower & Elevate on Instagram

https://empowerandelevate.net/ 

Book Recommendation: Set Boundaries Find Peace

Planner: Full Focus Planner

13. Strategy - How to Manage Mental Health as a Small Business Owner - PART 108 Nov 202300:19:03

Today's topic is near and dear to my heart.  As a mental health advocate and someone who has struggle with post partum depression and anxiety, this is something that I believe needs to be discussed in the Small Business world.  Small business ownership is hard and stressful at times, so we need ways to manage. 

In this Part 1 (of 2) episode, I share what has helped me take control over my mental health and how I continue to manage it so that I don't fall into a depressive or anxious state. 

Next week's episode (Part 2) will also launch on Wednesday where I will have a clinically trained, certified therapist to walk us through managing stress and as small business owners.

Scriptures referenced:

Psalm 42:5 

2 Cor 1:8

Not mentioned but important: the book of Lamentations

 

Join my *FREE* Facebook Community for Business Women HERE!

 

I'm praying for you and your business!

 

My best,

Lindsay

 

12. How to Build Relationships & Find Customers for you Small Business with Kari Andrews31 Oct 202300:36:55

Hi friends! Today's episode is such a treat for me and I hope it is for you too!  My friend Kari Andrews, host of  Becoming a Virtual Assistant , joins me to talk about networking, relationship building and marketing, and how to get new clients.  This episode is the second part of our conversation. The first part of this conversation is on how to pitch yourself and you can find that episode on Kari's podcast!  

 

Join my *FREE* Facebook Community for Business Women here --> https://www.facebook.com/groups/367731782244780

 

You can connect with Kari on Instagram @thekariandrews!  

 

I'm praying for you and your business!

My best,

Lindsay

11. Social Media Content Pillars for Social Media Content Planning in Small Business24 Oct 202300:13:46

Hello friends!  Last week we talked about social media in terms of how often your content is shows to your audience, how short attention spans can be, and how to effectively catch the attention of your target market.  In today's episode, I share how often a buyer needs to see your content before they know your business or service or product exists before they know they can buy from you.  Match that information with short attention spans and algorithms and we know we have to be clear and concise with our messaging.  We do that by creating social media content pillars that we will use to decide our content.  I discuss what they are and give examples of content pillars that you can use.  Once you have your content pillars, you can map out your social media marketing plan for the week, month, quarter, or even year! 

 

Want to connect?  Join my *FREE* Facebook Community for Women Small Business Owners HERE!

 

I'm praying for you and your business!  

 

My best,

Lindsay

10. Easy 2 Step Guide to Social Media Marketing & Content for Small Business17 Oct 202300:17:38

Welcome to Small Business Sales & Strategy Podcast where we talk about people-focused sales, marketing and business strategies!  Today's episode is about social media marketing and how to reach the right clients.  How do you reach your ideal customer when attention spans are so short and content is delivered to a fraction of your audience? In today's episode, I discuss two important steps in creating content for social media marketing that will resonate with your ideal customers (and their short attention spans!) and get them reaching out to you!

 

Join my *FREE* Facebook community of like-minded women by CLICKING HERE!  Extra content & freebies are inside!

 

I'm praying for you & your business!

 

My best,

Lindsay

9. Why we NEED a Great Elevator Pitch for Small Business10 Oct 202300:15:14

Hello friend!  Have you ever been asked "What do you do?" and you walked away from the conversation wishing you could go back and have a re-do?  Well, I've got you! Today's show is all about Elevator Pitches - what it is and why we need one.  Then I walk you through 4 easy steps to creating your own great elevator sales pitch.  We only get one first impression, so let's take your elevator pitch to the next level!  

I'd absolutely LOVE to connect with you!  Please join our new *FREE* Facebook Community by Clicking Here!  

 

My Best,

Lindsay

 

Email: SmallBusinessSalesandStrategy@gmail.com

 

 

8. Sales & Marketing Strategy | 3 Ways to Get Your Small Business Noticed03 Oct 202300:13:22

Hello!  Welcome back to Small Business Sales & Strategy!  In today's episode, we are talking about sales and marketing strategy and I'm on a little bit of a soap box.  There is this misconception in business that we can slap up a website and/or open the doors to a business and the right people will just find you and show up to buy. Well, that is absolutely false.  If you aren't talking about your business, you can't expect anyone to know about it.  You certainly can't expect them to talk about it.  So in this episode, I share 3 ways to get your business out there and noticed: 1. How to use Social Media to build trust, 2. How getting involved in your community can lead to business growth, and 3. How networking and relationship building can lead to personal and business growth.  These 3 things have helped us grow month over month for over a year, and they will help you too. I'll say it again - if you aren't talking about your business, no one is talking about your business.  So get out there and start the conversation!

 

I'm praying for your business!

My best,

Lindsay

 

Want to connect?  Have sales skills or strategy questions? Not sure what to do next in your business? 

-->Email me at smallbusinesssalesandstrategy@gmail.com

--> Join my FREE community by clicking here!

7. How Emotion Impacts Consumer Behavior & How to Use Emotion to Close More Sales in Small Business26 Sep 202300:13:06

Hello friend!  I'm so happy you are back for another episode of my podcast!  Today, I dive into how emotion impact decision making, specifically consumer behavior and buying habits.  As adults, we make nearly 35,000 decisions each day and 95% of those decisions are emotional decisions.  That leaves us with only 5% of decisions being made with logical or rational thought.  Emotion is one major element of being a human that we can't miss when we are selling our service or product. It's the thing that you might be missing in your sales and marketing campaigns that are leaving you with lack-luster results.  If you are looking to grow your business and close more sales, emotion is where the magic happens!

 

As always, thank you for listening, and I'm praying for your business!

 

My best,

Lindsay

 

Have questions or a topic you'd like to know more about? Email me at smallbusinesssalesandstrategy@gmail.com

 

Scripture Reference:

Phil 2:3-4 (NIV)- Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

6. The 5 Most Common Objections in Sales & Tips on Handling Them for your Small Business19 Sep 202300:14:37

Hey Friend!  In episode 5 we talked all about what objections are: opportunities to learn more, serve better, and ways to build trust.  This week, we (me + you) are talking about the 5 most common objections in sales.  With each type of objection, I'll share some insider sales knowledge on how to handle and some things to be aware of when they come up! 

My best,

Lindsay

 

Questions on today's topic? 

Need prayer over your business or direction and strategy?

Want to hear my take on a certain sales topic? 

Email me at smallbusinesssalesandstrategy@gmail.com. I'd love to connect with you!

5. Five Things to Know about Objections in Small Business Sales12 Sep 202300:09:44

Hello there!  Welcome back to the show!  In today's episode, we are talking about objections and the 5 things that you need to know about them as a small business owner. Objections get a bad wrap - they hold a negative connotation and something to be avoided.  I hope my guidance will change your mind about objections and help you understand that they are actually an opportunity to learn more about your customer and their needs, and that it's a sign that they trust you! These 5 things are vital to understanding what an objection really is and what steps to take to overcoming them.  

As always, I'm praying for business!

My best,

Lindsay

 

Have questions about today's topic or want to connect with me?  Email me at smallbusinesssalesandstrategy@gmail.com

I look forward to hearing from you!

40. 5-Minute Marketing Strategy Tip for Small Business - Is word of mouth better than social media? (Listener Question)15 Oct 202400:06:14

Hello & welcome back to Sales & Business Growth for BUSY Women. I am your resident sales and business nerd Lindsay Fletcher, and this podcast is the place for small business owners to learn how to make more sales, have more time, and grow your business.

Today, I'm featuring a listener question:  

Hi Rene, thanks for submitting your question.  Do I think Instagram reels and stories are more crucial for small family owned businesses than word of mouth?  

 

That’s a great question. I love a good marketing strategy and if you are into doing all the social media things, then good for you.  However, I see lots of small business owners spending tons of time creating all sorts of content and not seeing dollars come out of those efforts. 

Can social media be crucial to your business?  Yes, if done well and done right for your type of business. 

 

Does it trump word of mouth? No.

 

For small, family-owned, local businesses, I like to think of social media business pages or profiles as a portfolio for potential customers to view as well as ways to communicate quickly with current customers. 

 

As I’ve mentioned before, we use social media in both of our businesses.  It’s one part of our sales and marketing strategy.  However, having reviews and people who have used your business out there cheering for you and throwing your name in the hat when services like yours come up in conversation, is critical to maintaining, building and growing your business. You want former and current customers to have a great experience with you and you want them to tell their friends, family and neighbors about your business, especially for something very local like pest control.  People buy from people they trust…and word of mouth is them buying from a person that they trust in a roundabout way, right?  It’s them trusting their neighbor or family member enough to use the same company because that person trusts you.  I think of these two things, social media and word of mouth, as different parts of your sales funnel and they may even be in different sales funnels as well.  

 

Thank you for that question, Rene.

It’s always great to review what you are doing, what is working, what is not, and how to better use your resources - including your time.  If you’d like to save time and sell more, download my SALES GROWTH TRACKER at https://lindsayfletcher.co/free-resources and you’ll see it at the top of the page!  I’m so serious when I tell you it will help you save time and sell more because it will help you figure out what is actually working and what is not.

 

With that, I send you on your way wishing you more sales, more time and lots and lots of business growth! I’m praying for you and your business!  Talk to you next time!

My best,

Lindsay 

 

 

IMPORTANT LINKS:

Email: hello@lindsayfletcher.co

Voicemail: https://speakpipe.com/lindsayfletcher

Free resources: https://lindsayfletcher.co/free-resources 

 

Business Growth | Sales Growth | Revenue Growth | Scaling Your Business | Business Strategy | Market Expansion | Customer Retention | High Performance Sales Team | Sales Planning | Sales Strategy

 

4. What to do Before Your Next Sales Meeting for your Small Business05 Sep 202300:05:59

Hey friend!  Thanks for joining me again on Small Business Sales & Strategy Podcast!  Today's episode is a quick one!  We are talking about the number 1 thing you must do, like non-negotiable-have-to-do, before your next sales meeting or sales conversation. It's so simple, but so often avoided or just plain disregarded: PREPARE for your sales meeting! If you don't know where to get started with this, I'm sharing 3 ways to prepare for your next sales meeting or sales conversation so you go into it with confidence! I'm praying for your business!

My Best,

Lindsay

 

Want to connect or have questions?  Email me at smallbusinesssalesandstrategy@gmail.com 

3. 4 Buying Styles and How to Communicate Effectively with Each Style29 Aug 202300:13:48

Hey friend!  Welcome back to the Small Business Sales & Strategy podcast!  Today I'm talking about buying styles and how we can effectively communicate with each of the 4 buying styles. Buying Styles can also be called Decision Making Styles, and each one of us have a dominant style followed by a secondary style. The magic happens when we identify our (potential) customer's buying style and tailor our message to their buying style, not our own.  I'd love to hear from you - which buying style are you?

 

My best,

Lindsay

 

Have sales questions or want to connect? Email me!  smallbusinesssalesandstrategy@gmail.com

2. How your definition of sales may be the problem25 Aug 202300:04:19

Hi there!

 

I'm so glad you're back for another episode!  What do you immediately think about when you hear the word "sales"?  Well, I'm here to flip the script on what selling actually is, how your definition could be holding you back, and challenge you to change your definition of sales so you can see growth in your small business!  I'm praying for you and your business!

My best,

Lindsay

 

Want to connect or ask me a question? 

Email me --> smallbusinesssalesandstrategy@gmail.com 

1. 4 Ways to put People First in Selling Your Products and Services in Small Business25 Aug 202300:08:30

Hey friend!

 

In this episode, I share a bit about my background in sales - where I've been and where I am now - and my people-focused sales method. Then, I share four ways to put people first while selling your offer.  Let's put people first in selling our products and services, bring value to their lives, and get paid for it!  I'm praying for your business!

My best,

Lindsay

 

Want to connect or ask questions?  Email me! smallbusinesssalesandstrategy@gmail.com 

0. TRAILER - Introduction to Small Business Sales and Strategy Podcast with host Lindsay Fletcher24 Aug 202300:03:54

Hey Friend!

Welcome to the Small Business Sales and Strategy Podcast.  In this episode, I share my heart behind this podcast, a little bit about what to expect in future episodes, and a little bit about my faith.  I'll help and guide you in growing your business with Bible-based business principles and people-focused sales strategy that is repeatable and proven to work.  I'm praying for your business!

 

My Best,

Lindsay

 

Want to connect or have questions?  Email me at smallbusinesssalesandstrategy@gmail.com!

39. Sales and marketing your online business - Sales Growth Audit11 Oct 202400:24:18
Sales & marketing strategy for online business - Sales Growth Audit

 

Hello & welcome back to Sales & Business Growth for BUSY Women. I am your resident sales and business nerd Lindsay Fletcher, and this podcast is the place for small business owners to learn how to make more sales, have more time, and grow your business.

 

Today’s episode is from a recent Sales Growth Audit with Victoria of Local List Home, an online marketing platform for local small businesses in home services.  We review her 6-month goals for her new online business and discuss a plan forward for her to grow her business in the online space. 

 

You can schedule your *free* Sales Growth Audit by going to https://lindsayfletcher.co/free-resources and click on "Sales Growth Audit".  

 

A Sales Growth Audit is  a 30-minute call where we identify one major pain point in your small business and I give you suggestions and strategies to help you move your business forward in the areas of sales skills, strategy for business growth, and time management as a woman in business.

 

Here are the main takeaways from this Sales Growth Audit:

  1. Use your network, or seek out networking groups, to help you get the word out about your online business and to homeowners and renters
  2. Find professional groups or local groups that you can partner with to get vendors on your site
  3. Figure out where your target market “lives” online
  4. Share in local Facebook groups to build trust with home contractors and homeowners and renters - don’t shy away from grassroots sales and marketing efforts
  5. Consistency is key.

If you have sales technique, sales growth, or time management questions, email me at hello@lindsayfletcher.co or leave me a voicemail at https://speakpipe.com/lindsayfletcher.  

 

My best,

Lindsay

38. Time Management for busy women in small business08 Oct 202400:13:40

Hello & welcome back to Sales & Business Growth for BUSY Women. I am your resident sales and business nerd Lindsay Fletcher, and this podcast is the place for small business owners to learn how to make more sales, have more time, and grow your business.

 

I’ve launched a FREE tool on my website that you can download that we have used to figure out which sales and marketing activities actually create revenue. My SALES GROWTH TRACKER is now available for download on my website - go to LindsayFletcher.co/free-resources. Click on Sales Growth Tracker and drop your email and I will send it over to you immediately, along with steps on how to use it. It has been THE TOOL that we’ve used in our service-based local business and I’m using it to track my sales activities in my consulting business. So go to my website LindsayFletcher.co and click on the free resources tab and you’ll see the Sales Growth Tracker at the top of the page! Download it and use it, and be on your way to Sales Success!

 

Today, we are going to talk about time management strategies as a business owner and entrepreneur.  Have you ever felt like your list of to-do’s is so long that you don’t even know where to start?  I’m with you.  I’ve been there and I’m sure that I’ll be there again so today I’m sharing 5 ways to manage your time and I hope that at least one helps you out!  Now, if you are struggling to know which tasks to do, go back and listen to episode 20 where I talk about Eisenhower’s matrix and how to use that tool!  

 

Ok, so I’m going to walk you through 5 different ways to manage your time.  I’d love to hear from you if you use one of these or if you start using one of these after listening to this episode! 

 

  1. Time blocking  
  2.  Eat the frog
  3. Task Stacking (also known as batching) 
  4. Pomodoro Technique 
  5. Successful Day/Week

The great thing about these time management strategies is that you can use a couple of different strategies to find what works for you. My main strategy is “successful day” and “successful week” but I also use some task stacking or batching especially for podcast recording and editing, and like I already mentioned, I use a version of Pomodoro’s technique with a timer.  Now, time blocking makes me feel like I’m choking for some reason but I have a friend that uses time blocking religiously and she makes me jealous with how effectively she uses that strategy!  

 

These are strategies for you to try out and figure out which one or ones work best for you, and they can be used in work and life.  When I’m on my A-game with time management, like when I know we have a crazy week of work and kids activities, I will make one list of all the tasks that have to get done and any projects that need started and or completed, I will plug some into my calendar, map out my task stacking, and figure out what actually has to get done for it to be a successful week and then I’ll start planning day by day on what I plan to get done and when.  I’m in charge of sales and marketing activities for my other business so I tend to lump all of that business’s work together so that I can get it done quickly and be done, and then work on podcast content creation and everything for you all in this space.  

 

Once you try these, I’d love to hear from you!  I’m back on Instagram @lindsayfletcher.co or you can email me at hello@lindsayfletcher.co or you can leave me a voice message at https://speakpipe.com/lindsayfletcher

 

Before we go, I have a tool that will save you a ton of time in your business and allow you to focus on the things that work.  You can download my Sales Growth Tracker. Go to Lindsayfletcher.co/free-resources and click on “sales growth tracker” to download so you can be on your way to figuring out what’s working.  I promise that this will save you SO MUCH TIME in the long run!

 

I’m praying for you and your business!  Talk to you next time!

 

LET’S CONNECT!

Have a question? >>> Leave me a voice message here: https://speakpipe.com/lindsayfletcher

Email >>> hello@lindsayfletcher.co 

Free Resources >>> https://lindsayfletcher.co/free-resources 

Need community?  Join Women in Business >>> https://www.facebook.com/groups/367731782244780 

Follow me on IG >>> https://instagram.com/lindsayfletcher.co 

Time Management for women in business | Task Management | Productivity Hacks | Time Blocking | Task Prioritization | Delegation Tips | Avoiding Burnout | Daily Routine | Workflow Optimization | Productivity Tools | Time-saving Tips | Time management strategies | time management for busy women | sales growth tracker

37. How to Grow Your Business Without Posting Constantly on Social Media - Listener Question04 Oct 202400:10:02

Hello & welcome back to Sales & Business Growth for BUSY Entrepreneurs. I am your resident sales and business nerd Lindsay Fletcher, and this podcast is the place for small business owners to learn how to make more sales, have more time, and grow your business.

 

I’ve launched a FREE tool on my website that you can download that we have used to figure out which sales and marketing activities actually create revenue. My SALES GROWTH TRACKER is now available for download on my website - go to LindsayFletcher.co/free-resources. Click on Sales Growth Tracker and drop your email and I will send it over to you immediately, along with steps on how to use it. It has been THE TOOL that we’ve used in our service-based local business and I’m using it to track my sales activities in my consulting business. So go to my website LindsayFletcher.co and click on the free resources tab and you’ll see Sales Growth Tracker at the top of the page! Download it and use it, and be on your way to Sales Success!!!

 

Today, I’m featuring a listener question:   

How do you grow a business without posting all the time about your whole life?

 

Thanks for this question, Melissa.  It’s one that I’m so freaking passionate about because I think we’ve been bamboozled into believing that we have to live our whole lives on social media for our businesses to grow, and I know that just isn’t true. The business that my husband and I run together is proof, and I have several business friends that agree with me. I’m hardly on social media where the public can see me.  I do go into my women in business facebook community often and I’m trying out instagram again for my consulting business, but here’s the cold hard truth: At the end of the day, follower counts do NOT equal dollars. Let me say that again for the people in the back: Followers don’t equal dollars.  So, while social media might be one part of your sales and marketing plan, it should be just that: one part of your sales and marketing strategy. 

 

Oh my gosh, I’m fired up…I could literally talk about this for hours and hours if not days and days.

 

Here’s how we approach social media in our service based local business:  Social media is a place for customers and potential customers to learn a little more about us as service providers.  Our business pages, meaning Facebook for us…we have an instagram but we don’t really use it much, is a place for us to funnel customer reviews, pictures of our work, and updates about our company.  Then we share those posts into local facebook groups and that’s where the real social media magic happens for us. We do show our faces every now and again in posts because it’s important for our local community to know we live here, work here, and are raising our family here.  But, we do not live on social media by any stretch and we certainly don’t share everything in our lives…and I probably could with 4 kids - they’d keep y’all entertained for hours. HAHA!  We use it for more of a portfolio-type of thing.  

 

In my consulting business, I’m using social media a little differently.  I’m growing this business more online than in person - meaning my sales and marketing funnels are mostly from online platforms - my podcast, my online community, my email list. Again, it is only ONE part of my sales and marketing strategy, so I am doing other things to market my business, but the online space is where I’m building for now.  Here’s what I’ve learned about the online space: it’s harder to build trust.  People may watch you for a long time, like years, before they buy from you.The sales cycle is going to be longer from awareness to purchase. So, you have to “toot your own horn” so to speak more often than you do if you meet people in person to build trust. Tell them why they should trust you - what your background and experience is, and you’ll have to prove yourself with your content.   

 

Now, here’s where I think online businesses miss it, especially for a new online business. Even if your business is online, I suggest still having some grass-roots style components to your sales and marketing approach and network a bit. You can still build your business locally because local people know other local people and they also know other non-local people. So, share your content in local facebook groups, invite your online friends to like your page(s), network in local business groups. Literally everywhere you go is a networking opportunity and I don’t mean be slimy and salesy.  But literally, the grocery store line, the PTO, the places you volunteer.  I say this all the time and I’ll say it again here - if you aren’t talking about your business, no one else is either.

Ok literally, I could go on and on about this. I just really think people are still craving human connection, so while I do think that using social media as one part of our sales and marketing strategy is a good idea, network and expand your circles in your communities.  Think about how to reach more people in person and online because awareness is sometimes half the battle in business. 

 

I'm praying for you and your business!

My best,

Lindsay

 

LINKS:

Have a question? >>> Leave me a voice message here: https://speakpipe.com/lindsayfletcher

Email >>> hello@lindsayfletcher.co

Free Resources >>> https://lindsayfletcher.co/free-resources 

Need a community?  Join Women in Business >>> https://www.facebook.com/groups/367731782244780 

 

36. 5 reasons you need to learn how to sell | Small Business Sales01 Oct 202400:07:15

Welcome back to Sales & Business Growth for BUSY Entrepreneurs. I’m your host and resident sales and business nerd Lindsay, and this podcast is the place for small business owners to learn sales skills, business growth strategies, and how to squeeze more out of your day. 

HAPPY OCTOBER!!!  I'm hope Texas gets the memo that it is fall y'all! 

I’ve launched a FREE tool on my website that you can download that we have used to figure out which sales and marketing activities actually create revenue. My SALES GROWTH TRACKER is now available for download on my website - go to LindsayFletcher.co/free-resources. Click on Sales Growth Tracker and drop your email and I will send it over to you immediately, along with steps on how to use it. It has been THE TOOL that we’ve used in our service-based local business and I’m using it to track my sales activities in my consulting business. So go to my website LindsayFletcher.co and click on the free resources tab and you’ll see Sales Growth Tracker at the top of the page! Download it and use it, and be on your way to Sales Success!!!

 

Ok let’s dive in to today’s topic: learning how to sell as a small business owner and why it’s important.

 

Here’s the short answer: sales generates revenue, and revenue pays your bills. 

 

Thanks for listening to the show. Haha! Just kidding. Seriously though, sales generates revenue and revenue means your business is bringing in dollars, and that’s how you are going to pay your bills.

 

You know from listening to this podcast that I love sales, it’s really fun for me to teach, and that I believe everyone should learn how to sell. But I do understand that many of you, maybe even the majority of small business owners and entrepreneurs, start businesses with passion and a really great product or service but they don’t know how to sell it. For many, many entrepreneurs, sales conversations are uncomfortable and avoided, and then they struggle to get to the place where their business pays their bills.  Friends, if this is you, you are not alone, and I’m here to help you! 

 

Here are a 5 reasons that you should learn sales skills, and then continue building your sales muscles, as an entrepreneur:

 

  1. You’ll learn how to be confident in presenting your offer. You’ll learn how to prepare for sales conversations and ultimately how to present your offer in a way that makes sense for your customer. Part of buyer psychology includes how confident you are in selling your offer, and you’ll learn how to craft your pitch with confidence.
  2. Sales skills will improve your customer relationships. When you learn how to ask effective, great questions, you will learn more and more about your customer. If you ask the right questions, you will learn how to get and keep customers, attract more, and how to continue serving them with new products and services. You’ll learn how to position your product or service with messaging that converts inquiries into sales.
  3. You will learn to anticipate and identify objections and how to handle them in real time. Often times, the reasons people give for not purchasing are smokescreens. They don’t want to lie to you, but more importantly they don’t want to hurt your feelings. Learning how to properly identify, anticipate, and  handle objections will allow you to overcome objections, create better relationships through building trust, and close more sales.
  4. You’ll learn to identify opportunities for your offer and your business. By learning how to prepare for 
  5. Sales skills will increase your productivity. Once you learn how to sell, you will learn how to close more sales in a shorter amount of time. You know how I feel about time management as a busy business owner…it’s of upmost importance. Otherwise you’d be working 24/7…and none of us want that. Sales training provides tools and techniques so you stop spinning your wheels wondering why no one is buying and start selling! 

These are 5 reasons to learn how to sell, and I could probably add about 15 more to this list! Learning how to sell your product or service will ultimately make you more productive, generate more revenue for your business, and allow you to get new customers and retain existing ones. You’ll learn how to anticipate needs and objections, identify new opportunities, and grow your business. 

 

Sales skills are vital to generating revenue. Revenue and profit are vital to you being able to pay your bills. 

 

You’ll want to join my email list because I have been working on creating an affordable sales course just for small business owners. It will be affordable, and presale and deals will be offered to my email subscribers only! 

 

If you aren’t sure what sales and marketing activities work for your business, you should definitely download my Sales Growth Tracker. Go to Lindsayfletcher.co/free-resources and click on “sales growth tracker” to download so you can be on your way to figuring out what’s working.  I promise that this will save you SO MUCH TIME in the long run!

 

With that, I send you on your way wishing you more sales, more time and lots and lots of business growth! I'm praying for you and your business!

 

My best,

Lindsay Fletcher

 

LINKS:

Have a question? >>> Leave me a voice message here: https://speakpipe.com/lindsayfletcher

Email >>> hello@lindsayfletcher.co

Free Resources >>> https://lindsayfletcher.co/free-resources 

Need community?  Join Women in Business >>> https://www.facebook.com/groups/367731782244780 

35. Cold Calling in Small Business Sales - Listener Question27 Sep 202400:08:11

Hello & welcome back to Sales & Business Growth for BUSY Entrepreneurs. I am your resident sales and business nerd Lindsay Fletcher, and this podcast is the place for small business owners to learn sales skills, business growth strategies, and how to squeeze more out of your day. 

I’ve launched a FREE tool on my website that you can download that we have used to figure out which sales and marketing activities actually create revenue. My SALES GROWTH TRACKER is now available for download on my website - go to LindsayFletcher.co/free-resources. Click on Sales Growth Tracker and drop your email and I will send it over to you immediately, along with steps on how to use it.

Today, I’m featuring a listener question about the best way to approach cold calling.  If you'd like for me to answer a question on the podcast, leave me a voice message at https://speakpipe.com/lindsayfletcher - I'd love to hear from you and answer your questions!

Felisha, your question is a really great one because this is something that most business owners and sales people avoid like the plague in small and large businesses. Warm leads, even if they are only lukewarm, are so much easier than cold leads.  So, I’ll give you my best advice. Rather than treating cold calls like sales calls, I’d treat cold calls like market research calls. I would go into these conversations with as much curiosity as I can so that I learn as much about this person/family as I can and I’d have a list of questions prepared before I even talk to them. Also, try to identify their buying style while you are talking as well so that if it gets far enough along that you can pitch yourself, then you’ll know a little bit about how to discuss what you can do for them. 

You mentioned real estate in your message, so I’ll use the example of cold calling FSBO…

I’d want to learn as much as possible about why they decided to list their home or property on their own. I’d want to understand their circumstances, what led them to put the home/property on the market, what they are expecting to get out of the property, etc. Ask all of the real estate questions that you can - how much interest they’ve had, how many showings, how they are marketing the property, how long they plan to keep it FSBO.  Gather info and help them as much as you can throughout the phone call.  I don’t mean market the property for them because you aren’t getting paid to do that, but help them identify gaps in their knowledge about the market, why they aren’t getting traction, why they should use a real estate agent, namely the new crazy processes that y’all are having to go through now just to show a property. If the time comes, I’d ask if you can share some things about you, how you market properties, housing market data, etc. and what all of that info that means to them - again in their buying style if you can start to identify it.

If you are doing in-person cold calls, I’d approach it very similarly like market research.  These should be a little easier because you are face to face. They will be getting to know you and you can visually show your interest and sincerity in learning about them, and their situations and circumstances. 

I think it’s better to open up lines of communication than to hard sell your services right out of the gate.  Learn about them, show a genuine interest in helping them, and see where that takes you.  If you gain nothing else, it will give you marketing content to use.  

Thank you for submitting your question!

If you'd like to have your question answered on the podcast, send me a voice message at https://speakpipe.com/lindsayfletcher or email me at hello@lindsayfletcher.co.

 

As always, I'm praying for you and I'm praying for your business!  Thank you for listening!

My best,

Lindsay

 

Join our FREE community of like-minded women who are stepping into their full potential and going BIG in their businesses: https://www.facebook.com/groups/367731782244780 

 

I’m excited to hear from you!  Please send questions, comments, and feedback to hello@lindsayfletcher.co.

 

Sales Growth Tracker | Sales Training for Entrepreneurs | Business Growth Strategies | Sales Skills Development | Business Coaching for Entrepreneurs | Women in Business | Sales Confidence | Entrepreneurship Tips | How to Grow My Business | Sales Growth for Small Business Owners

 

54. Sales 101 for Small Business - What is Sales? Your definition of sales might be holding you back10 Dec 202400:12:51

Join my Women in Business Community for support and free education in 2025!

Free Resources >>> https://lindsayfletcher.co/free-resources 

 

Hello & welcome back to Sales & Business Growth for BUSY Women. I am your host, Lindsay Fletcher.  I’m a wife, mom of 4, dog mom, business owner x2, former top performing sales rep in corporate america, and I’m here to help you sell more, get time back in your day, and grow your business.  On this podcast we talk about sales, marketing, business growth, and time management so that your business doesn’t take over your life!

In this episode, I walk you through what sales is and what sales isn't, and how your definition of sales might be holding you back.

53. Sales 101 for Small Business - What is cold calling?06 Dec 202400:08:32

Join my Women in Business Community for support and free education in 2025!

Free Resources >>> https://lindsayfletcher.co/free-resources 

 

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Hello & welcome back to Sales & Business Growth for BUSY Women. I am your host, Lindsay Fletcher.  I’m a wife, mom of 4, dog mom, business owner x2, former top performing sales rep in corporate america, and I’m here to help you sell more, get time back in your day, and grow your business.  On this podcast we talk about sales, marketing, business growth, and time management so that your business doesn’t take over your life! 

 

Thank you so much for joining me for another episode!  I appreciate you being here with me and if you haven’t already, please hit the follow button on your podcast player app!  It blesses me big time when that number grows, and it means that you won’t miss any episodes going forward! 

 

Another big thank you to everyone who took my survey - today is the day that I announce the winner of the $50 gift card…drum roll please…Kimberly Johnstone, you are the winner!  Check your email for that gift card!!!  Thank you all again for taking the survey - it is super helpful for me to hear your feedback!  So thank you thank you!

 

One more announcement before we get started - if you are a woman in business, you are thinking about starting a business, or have a side hustle that you’d like to grow and turn into your main source of income, we want to join us inside my free online community.  In 2025, I’m bringing on a leadership team that will help educate you in various areas of business for free - literally no charge to you - to help you move your business forward, grow and thrive.  I’ll be announcing our leadership team inside this group very soon, and you’ll get to learn directly from these experts!  So, join us inside our Women in Business community!!!

 

Today's episode is about cold calling. What is cold calling?  What is the difference between cold calling and warm calling?  Where does these fit into our sales funnel?  

References: Episode 52 - Sales Funnels

 

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LET’S CONNECT!

Have a question? >>> Leave me a voice message here: https://speakpipe.com/lindsayfletcher

Email >>> hello@lindsayfletcher.co 

Lots of Free Resources >>> https://lindsayfletcher.co/free-resources 

Need community?  Join Women in Business >>> https://www.facebook.com/groups/367731782244780

52. Sales 101 for Small Business: What is a Sales Funnel?03 Dec 202400:12:14
  1. Sales 101: What is a Sales Funnel?   

Hello & welcome back to Sales & Business Growth for BUSY Women. I am your host, Lindsay Fletcher.  I’m a wife, mom of 4, dog mom, business owner x2, former top performing sales rep in corporate america, and I’m here to help you sell more, get time back in your day, and grow your business.  On this podcast we talk about sales, marketing, business growth, and time management so that your business doesn’t take over your life!

Fill out the survey to be entered to win a $50 gift card!

In today's episode, I explain what a sales funnel is, some terms that you may need clarified, and outline some steps for you to build your sales funnel for your business. 

Business Growth | Sales Growth | Revenue Growth | Scaling Your Business | Business Strategy | Market Expansion | Customer Retention | High Performance Sales Team | Sales Planning | Sales Strategy | What is a Sales Funnel | How to build a sales funnel

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LET’S CONNECT!

Have a question? >>> Leave me a voice message here: https://speakpipe.com/lindsayfletcher

Email >>> hello@lindsayfletcher.co 

Lots of Free Resources >>> https://lindsayfletcher.co/free-resources 

Need community?  Join Women in Business >>> https://www.facebook.com/groups/367731782244780 

Follow me on IG >>> https://instagram.com/lindsayfletcher.co

51. What are you most thankful for in your business? Women in Business Online Community Responses26 Nov 202400:08:22

Join my Women in Business Community for support and free education in 2025!

Free Resources >>> https://lindsayfletcher.co/free-resources 

Follow me on IG >>> https://instagram.com/lindsayfletcher.co

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What are you thankful for in your business? Women in Business Online Community Responses

Hello & welcome back to Sales & Business Growth for BUSY Women. I am your host, Lindsay Fletcher.  I’m a wife, mom of 4, dog mom, business owner x2, former top performing sales rep, in corporate america, and I’m here to help you sell more, get time back in your day, and grow your business.  On this podcast we talk about sales, marketing, business growth, and time management so that your business doesn’t take over your life! 

 

Today is the Tuesday just before Thanksgiving and we are all preparing for get togethers and the madness of the holiday season to officially start!  I’m so thankful that you are here and would love some feedback on this show, and I know you might need a little bit of motivation to fill out a survey for me, so when you fill out the survey linked in the show notes, you will be entered to win a $50 Amazon gift card. The survey will be open until December 5th, and then you’ll have to come back to listen to the episode on Dec. 6th to see if you win.  FILL OUT THE SURVEY HERE --> LINK TO THE SURVEY

 

Today’s episode is going to be a little bit different than what we usually do because I want to encourage some listeners who might be in the beginning stages of their business or maybe are in a hard season of business.  We are doing a Thanksgiving “what are you thankful for” episode.  I asked the women in my online community what they are most thankful for in their business and of course all of them said their customers and clients who allow them to stay in business, but beyond that, they had some pretty awesome responses, so I thought I’d read them to you on this episode because if you are new to business, or maybe it’s not where you want or need it to be just yet, or maybe you are in a hard season, these ladies brought up some amazing benefits of owning business these might give you some fuel to keep going!

 

I'm praying for you and your business!

My best,

Lindsay

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LET’S CONNECT!

Have a question? >>> Leave me a voice message here: https://speakpipe.com/lindsayfletcher

Email >>> hello@lindsayfletcher.co 

Free Resources >>> https://lindsayfletcher.co/free-resources 

Need community?  Join Women in Business >>> https://www.facebook.com/groups/367731782244780 

Follow me on IG >>> https://instagram.com/lindsayfletcher.co 

50. Quick sales tip to grow your small business - How to ask for more business22 Nov 202400:08:25

Join my Women in Business Community for support and free education in 2025!

Free Resources >>> https://lindsayfletcher.co/free-resources 

Follow me on IG >>> https://instagram.com/lindsayfletcher.co 

 

Hello & welcome back to Sales & Business Growth for BUSY Women. I am your host, Lindsay Fletcher.  I’m a wife, mom of 4, dog mom, business owner x2, and I’m here to help you sell more, get time back in your day, and grow your business.  On this podcast we talk about sales, marketing, business growth, and time management so that your business doesn’t take over your life! 

 

If you are a woman in business looking for community, support, and free education, join my online Women in Business Community!  This community is about 1000 women strong and growing everyday, so join us because we are going to be doing some big things in 2025 that you need to uplevel your business in all the ways!

 

Today we are talking about one thing that people miss when they are trying to build a pipeline of customers or clients and grow their business, and that is asking people to tell their family, friends, and neighbors.  I’m not talking about getting reviews, I’m talking about asking your customers to recommend and refer you to people in their circle.

So here’s the easiest way that I’ve found to do this. Ask.I’m serious. You have to ask for more business, so in this episode I walk you through a theoretical customer interaction in both B2B (business to business) and B2C (business to consumer) scenarios and how you can ask for this. 

 

Have a question? >>> Leave me a voice message here: https://speakpipe.com/lindsayfletcher

Email >>> hello@lindsayfletcher.co

 

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