How to be your own sales director
Does the word “sales” strike fear in your heart? Let’s face it, we’re all selling. Or at least we have to, otherwise, we don’t have a business.
That’s why I decided to have a chat with Chief Go Getter at Find me the Leads, Leisa Pickles. Leisa has over 20 years’ experience of sales and in this interview, she shares why she thinks you need to be your own sales director! Watch my interview with her or head straight to the show notes, below.
Show notes
- Introduction to the episode of “The Marketing Mix” featuring a special guest, Leisa, who is a sales expert.
- Leisa introduces herself as the founder of “Find Me the Leads,” a company that works with food and drink producers to help them expand their reach and customer base.
- Leisa talks about her background in sales, including her experience working for Mars and a family-owned drinks business.
- The discussion shifts to the passion Leisa has for food and drink businesses and her desire to help small business owners unlock their potential.
- The concept of a sales director is introduced, with Leisa explaining that it involves being the face and voice of the business and putting oneself where potential customers are.
- Minal and Leisa discuss the close relationship between sales and marketing, emphasizing that marketing’s role is to find potential customers and sales’ role is to convert them into paying customers.
- The importance of small business owners being their own sales director is highlighted, as they know their business best and need to establish credibility and visibility.
- The conversation touches on the significance of personal branding and how small business owners need to be visible and present in the right places.
- Leisa shares her strategies for lead generation, including leveraging social media, email marketing, face-to-face networking, and occasionally stepping out of one’s comfort zone to attend unexpected events.
- The importance of pre-qualifying leads is discussed, ensuring that potential customers are aligned with the business and have the budget and interest to purchase its products or services.
- Tips for converting leads into sales are provided, such as adding a time element to the sales process, following up consistently, and being prepared to let go of leads that show no interest.
- Leisa introduces the concept of product ladders, which involve offering entry-level products or services that allow potential customers to engage with the business at a lower risk and investment.
- The discussion concludes with tips on managing leads, emphasizing the need to focus on leads that are actively engaging with the business and being honest in communication, even if it means saying no or providing feedback on why a collaboration is not possible.