Sales Techniques By Market
Selling to Flagstone and Slate Businesses
The vast majority of flagstone and slate businesses have tight budgets and no time for games. Don't forget that flagstone and slate businesses aren't easy sales marks -- here's what you'll need to close sales in this niche market.
In recent years, flagstone and slate businesses have become hot prospects in the B2B marketplace.
With perseverance and strategy in your corner, it's possible to penetrate the market and receive an acceptable return for your efforts.
Role of Owners & Managers
Owners and managers are active players in selling to flagstone and slate businesses. Front line visibility is essential for large accounts, but your sales team can benefit from occasionally participating in joint sales activities with the owner or sales manager.
By periodically accompanying your reps in the field, you earn their respect and gain insights about your customers.
Niche Selling
New businesses that attempt to tackle the entire marketplace face a difficult task. A better approach is to tailor your business model to an underserved niche.
In the flagstone and slate business industry, niches can be based on location, business size or sub-specialties within the industry. For niche sellers, market research is a non-negotiable. Don't assume that there will be demand for a niche product line unless the research confirms your expectations.
Effective Marketing Strategies
Effective sales strategies begin with marketing, and the marketing strategies for flagstone and slate businesses are as diverse as they come.
Yet in this industry, marketing effectiveness is rooted in the ability to target key decision makers. From traditional marketing to cutting-edge Internet strategies, any initiative that fails to reach decision makers is a waste of time and resources.
Since your sales revenues hang in the balance, you can't afford to rely on stale or inaccurate sales leads. Third-party lead lists may be the best resource for making sure your team is equipped with the most up-to-date information possible. If you don't currently use lead lists, you may want to consider Experian -- a third-party lead list vendor with a reputation for providing regularly updated and sorted flagstone and slate business leads.
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