The Missing Step To Home Business Success

You're doing everything right, or so you think.

You're advertising, marketing, attending networking events, making yourself known, and providing a top-notch product or service, but for some reason, people aren't buying.

What's up with that?

The only thing standing between someone loving what you have and actually buying what you have often boils down to the simple fact that you never asked for the business.

Has this happened to you? You engage in a conversation with someone at a networking event, share what you do with each other, and the other person says, "Oh, I've heard about that. It sounds fascinating."

Then your next line is, "Yes, it is fascinating. That's why I love it so much. Boy, these hors d'oeuvres are fabulous aren't they?"

On the way home from the event, you're smacking yourself in the head for not inviting the person to stop by your place for a free sample or for not inviting them to a complementary call to learn more. 

You had someone interested in what you did, but felt uneasy asking her to take the next step to learn more.

If you're lucky enough, some ask to sample your services or product and you happily oblige.

Afterwards, you wrap up with, "Well, that's it. Thanks for trying it out." The prospect also says thanks and goes on her merry way.

Sometimes, all it takes is a simple prompting for a decision such as, "Well that's it. What do you think?" or, "Is this something you can see yourself benefiting from or using?" or, "Now you know how this product/service can help you. Where would you like to go from here?"

The simple act of asking how they'd like to proceed can result in a sale on the spot, a commitment to a future purchase, or beneficial feedback that will reveal objections you'll need to address in future presentations.

Asking is a skill. It must be learned, practiced and honed.

Marketing and sales are the two most important skills you must develop to succeed in every business. Mastering one and not the other will create poor results.

If you're great at marketing, but haven't developed your sales skills, you'll just keep attracting more people you don't know how to sell to.

If you're great at sales, but don't know how to market, you have fewer people to sell to.

Asking someone to take the next logical step is a vital piece of the selling process.

Start practicing it today. 

Ask for extra pickles on your burger.

Ask directions somewhere (even though you know where you're going)

Ask for help.

Ask a store clerk for something and observe how she responds to your request. Does she know how to ask for the sale?

Make this your assignment for the next couple of weeks and when given the chance to ask someone to sample your wares or buy your product, act on it by asking how they'd like to proceed.