Ever wish you could hire a team of savvy sales people to stay in touch with your prospective clients and encourage them to buy?

When you put a few simple systems in place, you can easily replace an expensive sales force with automated tools that allow you to keep your products and services in front of potential clients. You’ll not only make more money, but you’ll do it completely hands free. All that’s required is a little forethought.

Your first must-have tool? An autoresponder. Simply put, an autoresponder is a series of emails that go out on a pre-determined schedule. They’re written to engage your audience and pull readers further into your funnel.

Typically, an autoresponder series will have at least seven emails in it, and is used as a lead generating tool. You offer an opt-in on your website with (for example) “weekly tips to stay productive during the dog days of summer” or “daily motivation for busy mompreneurs.”

When your reader fills out the form, she’s automatically added to your autoresponder list, and you have her attention with every email.
The key though, is to write your series with specific calls to action. It’s not enough to just give her tips for being more productive. You have to also give her the opportunity to buy your products or services.

Done right, your autoresponder can help keep the cash flowing, even when business is down.

The fastest way to get your autoresponder up and running is to use a tried and true email provider. They are simple to set up, and extremely affordable. Plus, you’ll find many VAs who are experienced with these autoresponders and can help you out if you get stuck.

For the content, look back over your most popular blog posts and products. Posts can be repurposed to provide valuable content to your subscribers, with a natural upsell to matching products or services.

In addition, think about the questions you’re most frequently asked, what conversations pop up again and again, and what your social connections and competitors are discussing. These nuggets are the building blocks of a compelling autoresponder series that your readers will not only look for, but actually read. And if they’re reading, they will eventually buy.

As they move through your series, you want to keep in mind that subsequent offers should be more and more valuable, with the occasional low-priced offer thrown in.

In fact, if you’re using a more sophisticated system such as Infusionsoft, Convertkit or AWeber with the AW Pro Tools add-on, you can easily move people between autoresponders based on the actions they take. That means they’ll see exactly the offers they want and need, and nothing else. It can make selling via email super productive, and best of all, completely automated.

Would it come as a surprise to you if I said we’re all sales people? It’s true.

Every time you have a prospective client on a discovery call, you’re making a sales pitch. Every time you send an email or write a blog post with an offer, you’re making a sales pitch. Every time you write an opt-in page, you’re making a sales pitch.

And you’re probably pretty good at it, too, or you wouldn’t be where you are today, would you?

So why do we continue to think we’re so bad at sales?

Sales Feels “Icky”

I hear this one a lot. You feel pushy or uncomfortable when talk turns to money. You don’t want to force anyone into a decision. You secretly think your rates are too high.

I’m going to be honest with you. This is one of those things that gets better only with practice. But the good news is, you don’t have to be on the phone with a prospective client to get that practice time in.

Instead, use the technique self-help gurus have been advocating for years: Look in the mirror and talk to yourself. Practice saying your rates out loud. Practice your segue from discovery to sales pitch. The more you do it, the more natural it will sound, and the less uncomfortable you will feel when on a real call.

Fix Your Mindset

What if you weren’t selling anything, but instead were simply chatting with a friend about the incredible new product that was going to change her life? You’re helping your friend to improve herself by sharing your experience with this new product.

That’s exactly how you should think about selling your product or service. You’re not trying to get your prospective client to spend money. Instead, you’re offering a solution to her problems. You’re genuinely helping her to overcome some obstacle in her life or business. You’re asking your prospective client to make an investment in themselves.

When you can turn your thinking around from “sales” to “helping” you’ll find it’s much easier to have the sales talk.

Don’t Be Afraid of the Follow Up

Most clients won’t say yes with the first call, and maybe not even with the second. Statistics show that it can take up to 6 exposures to you, your product or service to make the sale. Successful entrepreneurs know that many sales can be closed if you simply take the time to follow up. Send a quick email and invite your prospect to:

• Schedule a follow-up call to answer her questions
• Read some of your testimonials
• Review your product or service sales page
• Or even join a different program of yours that might be a better fit

Don’t let that old “I’m not good at sales” thinking get in the way of making a real difference in people’s lives, and in growing your business and your profits. With these easy tips, you can quickly turn your sales blocks into a system for landing new clients consistently.

What's your mindset? Share your ideas below, Coach Deb