SalesGravy.com - Ask the Coach

from Steven

Sales person

California

Driving Traffic to my website

I have a small budget and need to get people to my website. Blogging is not legal and advertising on the internet is way out of my budget. What should I do?

Answers and Suggestions from the Coach:
Hey Steve
Take a look at Google AdWords. It is a Pay Per Click (PPC) program of advertising on Google. The ads appear on the right hand side of the Google Search page on keywords / key phrases that you choose. You can set the amount you want to pay each click / day. I have a campaign that I cap at $3.00 a day. Here is a link that describes the program.

from Jennifer Vickers

Senior Account Manager

Providence

Disappearing budgets

Please help me. I'm getting so frustrated. I have less than 6 mo. to make my plan and I have customers that are canceling orders that they had committed to. They are telling me their hands are tied because of spending freezes that when sent down from some mysterious place above them. I don't know what to do and my boss doesn't want to hear my excuses. This is getting me down to the point that I don't even want to go to work!!! What can I do?

from Lisa Ferrell

Administrative Assistant

Baton Rouge

Beginning a new career in sales

I have worked as an administrative assistant for 20 plus years. Now that my children are in college, I would like to make a career change to sales. What is the best way to make that change into sales?

Answers and Suggestions from the Coach:
This is a great question and one that I get often from friends and even family.

My first piece of advice is for you to ask yourself WHY SALES? Many people look at sales as an easy way to make money, while having a flexible schedule. This is true – almost… You absolutely can make a ton of money- but the easy part is far from accurate. Sales can be grueling, especially for a rookie. When you are a sales rookie- you will have to pay your dues and gain the experience required for a secure high paying sales job. This will typically means starter level sales positions that do not pay high returns for the time effort required. 2 years sales experience is required by most Fortune 500 companies- and most of the time the experience is specific to the company- i.e.- business to business sales, retail sales, or product specific sales.

Secondly- exam your strengths- against those required to be a great sales person. A wonderful book to help you is “Discover Your Sales Strengths” by Benson Smith & Tony Rutigliano. This book will explain different personality traits most often present in highly successful sales people, and will then give you a test at the end so you can see what your strengths are. Persistence, Effective Communication, Competitiveness and plain tough skin are all required of Sales People.

Third- Invest in yourself. If you are certain this is the path you want to follow- invest in educating yourself on how to become a sales person. Seek out seminars, classes and perhaps even a personal coach to groom you for this next season of your career.

Think of it this way- At the ocean many people love to kayak and attempt to cross the breakers to do so. Many fail trying. The waves are too numerous, the water too rough and they give up. Others use their time, their talents and their determination to keep trying until they have made it over the final breaker- and then my friend they hit the smooth waters – and suddenly it is all worth it… and they have the time of their life…

Good Luck-
Jodi
jodi@salesgravy.com