Okay. So you’ve just started your own business. Maybe you’ve started planning your business, and you’ve got your idea, or maybe you’ve established your business, you’ve made your product and are ready for the grand reveal. You’re feeling so proud of yourself at this moment in time, because after all, it’s yours! A lot of time, money and strength (mental and physical) has been invested for this. You’ve got your product that you want to peddle to the world. So now the question is: “How do I sell it? How can I make people want what I’m providing?” It’s a big world after all, and there are a lot of people who want to do the same thing, who may be doing something similar, and it’s a crowded market. Sadly, it’s not quite as simple as putting a price tag on and saying “You’ll need this, guys”. Luckily, there’s also a lot of ways in which you can give yourself an edge over your competitors, if the tools at your disposal are used effectively. Here, we’ll go through some tips that will help you sell yourself and your product to the world.
Be Passionate!
It’s really important, as a seller, to be passionate about whatever it is you’re selling. It rubs off on people. It works both ways really. If you’re excited about what you’re providing, people are going to follow suit and be just as excited to try it. Have you heard the saying “It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it”? If you’re enthusiastic about something, it’ll be evident in your body language, and sometimes even if you’re not physically present, our state of mind can affect the way we communicate electronically too. It’s infectious. It makes other people care more, because how can you expect them to care if you don’t? Love what you do. A lot of people make a hobby of something they love – because it translates well into business. You’re likely to put more effort into something if you’re already passionate about it and allows you to engage with customers better. For example, if you’re a car salesman, sure, you probably could sell, if you have the right techniques and charisma about you, even if you didn’t particularly like them. But it helps a lot. It’s engaging to others, and makes them want to talk to you more. People are more likely to be friendlier, and let down their defences a lot more, and it’ll feel more like an engaging conversation than a hard sell, so it makes it easier for both parties. Happier customers tend to purchase more, and are more likely to stretch – so to use the car sales example again: Let’s say a customer has set a budget. Maybe they found a car that’s within their price range, but you want to recommend them one that’s better, but may be a little more than they were expecting to spend. That’s where your passion comes in, and the more natural, the better. If you’re bragging about this car’s capabilities and actually look like you’re having fun, or like you’re talking about a younger sibling that you’re proud of, it’s going to rub off on them. You’ve talked it up so much with so much enthusiasm that they now see it, and are ready to pay more because you cared so much about it. It sounds difficult, but it’s really not, just show your love for your product, say why it’s so great and why you think it’s so great, and it’s a lot more likely that they will believe you!
Stay in the Know
Make sure you’re kept in the know, about everything surrounding your product. It really helps to know as much as possible, if not everything about it. You can give advice. You can relate it to daily use. You can make recommendations. People love information. And it’s a great look and instils a lot of faith in a buyer, if you actually look like you know what you’re on about. It also helps to keep checking your market: Are there others like you, locally or otherwise, who are providing the same product? Is there anything they’re doing differently? Is there anything out that can help improve yours? Or maybe the opposite, something that could potentially make yours obsolete? It’s extremely important to keep up to date with what’s happening, as it’s going to help your prepare, pre-empt any shifts in the market, whether they’re a positive shift, or a negative shift.
Market Like You’ve Never Marketed Before
Marketing your product is probably the most important factor in your success, and thanks to modern technology, there are plenty of ways to do it. We’ll list a few ways in which you can promote your product, using both the modern tools, and the old fashioned way.
- Short form Videos: These days, the majority of people digest information using short form videos using mediums like TikTok and Instagram. It’s not always just procrastination that these platforms are used for; they’re a great place to learn, and a lot of businesses recognise this. It’s no different to adverts you’d see on TV if you think about it, but more and more people abandon typical terrestrial TV in favour of streaming services and social media platforms. Sometimes, reading isn’t for everyone, and people retain information through short, snappy, and to the point videos that can capture a specific audience, and can also bring new audiences to your product.
- Posts/Tweets/Groups: Text and picture based marketing is still effective, even with the introduction of Short form videos. Making groups and pages on platforms like facebook are another great way to get exposure, and can bring your targeted audience to you, as you’ll have a bunch of people who are all after the same thing. As platforms like X (Formally known as Twitter) still have a massive user base, tweeting about your product will still reach a considerable amount of people, whether through your own followers, or through others retweeting and sharing amongst other users.
- Physical Space – Adverts, flyers, etc: Just because we now have the wonderful world of social media and the internet at our disposal, it doesn’t mean that sometimes the old conventional ways don’t work. Methods like handing out flyers/posters, and signposting is still a great method. You could catch the eye of people who simply didn’t know you were there, and depending on your product, could even reach a larger audience than that of the online community. It’s about catering to the crowd you’re trying to attract. If your product targets consumers aged between 70 and onwards, There probably isn’t a great amount of exposure you’re going to get on facebook or twitter.
First Impressions Are Important
A common saying you’re undoubtedly familiar with is “Don’t judge a book by its cover”, but when it comes to products, the only thing you have to reel a customer in initially, is indeed the cover – how it looks is important. It’s the first thing people notice, and is often the thing that may deter someone from buying something. If it doesn’t look appealing, or doesn’t specify what it is, people aren’t going to be drawn to it. Let’s say for example, you’ve released a product that’s to be made available in pharmacies, like a vitamin in tablet form. How the product appears on the shelves is important. Does it say what it is, and what it does? Is the pharmaceutical packaging appropriate? Is it safe? Is it eye-catching enough to catch a customer’s attention if they’re looking for a specific remedy? Does it have the necessary information on there for a customer to make an informed and sound decision? This mostly applies to physical products, but can stretch to electronic ones, or services too. For example, if you’re providing a website creating service, but your own website looks somewhat outdated, has many formatting and compatibility issues, then it’s unlikely that you’re going to get much traction from it – so it’s important to make your portfolio look the part.
Attend Relevant Events
Are there any events local to you that can help? Any trade fairs, markets, any sort of event that’s going to gather a large crowd of people? These can be perfect for gaining exposure, even if selling doesn’t quite go your way, you’ll still be getting your name out there. Ensure you’ve got your information to hand at these events, talk to as many people as you can, hand out those business cards, or whatever the case may be. The point is, networking is crucial at these events – if there’s going to be a large crowd there anyway, it’s in your best interests to take advantage and get your name out there as much as possible.
Now hopefully, these are enough to get you going, and will get you well on your way to selling your product – so best of luck out there!
