Angus Brewer Senior Consultant

Sales are the lifeblood of every business.  Without sales, you haven't got a business.  So, the question is, how do you generate more sales? In this article, Senior Consultant Angus Brewer talks about the steps you should be taking to generate leads and land new business.

Every business wants to grow, after all, it's the fundamental goal of every successful business and entrepreneur, but at the end of the day growth doesn’t just happen by itself.

There are lots of factors that influence sales success - you need the right team, KPIs, tracking measures, marketing and sales processes and crucially, accountability in place. 

New business growth can come from a variety of sources. From existing clients, new customers or new projects.  Whatever your business, it is essential that you focus on winning new customers and new business as part of your sales plan and strategy – but how? 

Here are 4 key strategies to generate leads, and win new business:

Define an ultra-clear value propositionYour value proposition should be exactly that. A clear and concise statement describing your offering, why it is relevant to your customer needs and how it will improve or make their lives easier.

A strong value proposition is the core of your competitive advantage, and we know from working with hundreds of businesses over the years, that it can be the difference between closing a sale or losing it.  

Ensure you have robust sales systems and processImagine leads were like apples on a conveyor belt.  Your team has put an apple on the start of the conveyor belt, and generated a new qualified lead - what happens next?  You need an immensely robust sales process to ensure that none of these apples fall off the conveyor at any point.  Sounds obvious, but this is where breaks in the chain can appear, with apples slipping, or even pouring, off the conveyor and into the 'bin'.  

Every sales enquiry must be recorded, respected, and actioned.  Use your systems to capture the opportunities and track through the sales process; then through regular sales meetings, accountability and a rigorous follow-up programme, you can ensure those apples don't drop off until they reach the end of the conveyor belt and have secured you a sale.

Devise a clear sales strategy to winYou need a strong sales strategy behind your sales process, that delivers results.  This might be a secret game plan or hidden DNA within your business that has been built up and refined over years, but you know it works.  

Or you might have to devise a different strategy for a particular lead/opportunity to secure the order.  Use powerful sales presentations when in front of potential new customers, communicate a clear sales message, provide value through the process, and ensure you demonstrate that you can resolve their problems and meet their needs.

Ensure team buy-inYou need to get the whole team behind the strategy to win new business, especially your sales team. Strong business growth also comes from the marketing and sales teams being clearly aligned, focussed on generating leads and winning new business, and have got clear-cut targets, KPIs and strategies to get there.  

As a business owner, you need to ensure you are passionately leading the team, living and breathing the vision and future direction of the business. Sales are the engine of success in your business.  Without enquiries and leads coming in, your business will starve, and eventually shrink, so be passionate about growth, and zealous in going after new business!  

For more information on how we can help you and your business please contact us at info@oldfieldadvisory.com or call 02476673160.

Please note: This article is provided for information only and was correct as at time of writing (14/03/22). Any lists and details provided above are not exhaustive and are not intended to be full and complete guidance.  No action should be taken without consulting detailed legislation or seeking independent professional advice. Therefore no responsibility for loss occasioned by any person acting or refraining from action as a result of the material contained in this article can be accepted.