Are you getting the results you want out of your business? If not, stop for a moment and consider why that is. When you started your business, did you intend to fail at it? Was it your goal to “just get by” in your endeavor? Or did you start with the intention to succeed?
It seems like a silly question, right? Because nobody ever sets out with an intention to fail at anything they do! But sometimes when the reality of working a business hits and limiting beliefs can sneak in and take root, sometimes our intentions can shift without us even knowing.
And when our intentions shift, so do our results. Every now and then, business owners should pause and reevaluate where their intentions are to make sure they are contributing to your success.
So how can you sell with intention – and succeed?
Mindset
Did you know you’re already selling with intention? Every interaction you have with a prospect or client is entered into with an intention in mind, whether or not you realize it. Far and above the words you speak, your intention communicates more than anything in your sales conversations.
Believe it or not, more is caught in communication than is spoken. What does that mean? If you go to a meeting and your intention is to serve people well, meet their needs, solve their problems, and close the sale, your prospects will pick up on that immediately.
When you genuinely want to serve, it creates a connection and trust between yourself and your prospect. While it’s important to communicate effectively, more often than not it’s ultimately your connection with them that will result in a sale.
But that connection hinges on your intention to do so in the first place.
Too many people overlook the importance of checking their mindset before they start. They are looking for the right combination of words to woo their clients. But that simply doesn’t exist! The key is selling with a mindset toward intention.
Schedule
Part of selling with intention means being intentional about your schedule. Preparedness is key to launching you forward into any task or goal you set out to accomplish. So if you want to launch into the rest of the year ready to implement a plan, the time for planning it is NOW!
When planning schedules, most people fill in their work first, then try to fit the rest of their life around that. I think this is backwards! Start planning your entire year by planning your time off first. Include your leisure time, time with family, your personal care, THEN plan your work.
This focused effort means that you will be that much more intentional about the hours that you DO have designated for your work, which increases your productivity! Successful people carefully guard their schedules and plan their lives with focused intention.
Follow Up
Have a focused, intentional system for follow up. A halfhearted, “I’ll get back to you in a few days” without scheduling it with intention usually results in a lost opportunity for reconnecting with that prospect. Schedule your follow up – and ask for the sale!
Did you know that 80% of sales are closed after the 5th follow up? That means 5 phone calls, 5 appointments, 5 points of contact. A persistent, kind salesperson will always yield more results than one who holds the limiting belief that they are bothering their clients.
Following up consistently – until you get a “yes,” a “no,” or a “check back with me later” will always result in more sales.
Focus on your target client
One of the key aspects of selling with intention is focusing on your top 20% clients. Spend some time getting to know who your top clients are, where they are, what they are looking for, and the best way to connect with them.
These are the clients that you love to work with, that buy easily, whom it’s a pleasure to serve, and who you want to find more of. You can work with JUST these people and succeed!
Consistency
Selling with intention is not a one-time activity. It is a mindset, a strategy, and a lifestyle in the culture of how you conduct business. You cannot simply shift your mindset for one appointment and assume that all the rest will automatically follow. Creating consistent habits of intention and strategies takes focused effort, systems planning, and follow-through.
Success comes to those who intend to achieve it. If you’re not getting the results you want in your business, NOW is the perfect time to evaluate your intentions and the systems you have in place, so that you can achieve the results you want.
It’s not an exaggeration to say that it’s been a tough year for business owners. But regardless of the circumstances, everything changes when you set your intentions on success.
