5 Tips for Selling to Small Businesses

Small businesses make an excellent target market. After all, there are millions of them, and they have tremendous needs, especially if they want to grow. While large companies have most of their bases covered, small businesses are often works in progress, with major gaps waiting to be filled by helpful partners, vendors, and service providers. The best part is, if you can help a small business operate more smoothly, efficiently, or cost-effectively, you’ve probably got a customer for life.

So, what are some things to keep in mind when attempting to acquire the elusive “customer for life?” Here are a few of our favorite tips:

1. Offer true value today

While large companies may be willing to make a purchase that won’t yield benefits until a significant amount of time has passed, a small business is much less likely to have any tolerance for such a project. Instead, small businesses often operate on tight margins, and don’t have the capital to weather a long waiting period between making a purchase and seeing the benefits.

For this reason, you need to explain how your offering brings real benefits to customers today. Be specific about the value you’re offering will generate for your customers, and they won’t have to wonder what they get in exchange for their money. They’ll see exactly how today’s expense will very soon lead to returns that far outweigh it.

If they see that, you’ve pretty much got a sale locked down.

2. Make implementation easy

Small business owners are often being pulled in many directions. With a full load of responsibilities and too-little help, the last thing they need is another project or headache. For that reason, when you attempt to sell them your offering, make sure that they understand how you’re going to make the process as smooth as possible.

Let them know that you’ll handle all transition issues, your support people will be available at all times, and that you won’t rest until they’re up and running well. That way, they can relax and rely on your team to handle any difficulties, while they tend to their own heavy task load.

3. Deliver on promises

Selling is great, but upselling is one of the most cost-effective revenue generating forces out there. In order to upsell successfully, your company needs to deliver on its promises. That way, when you want to expand the relationship, your customer will be happy and receptive, and more likely to buy again from you.

4. Follow up

Selling isn’t always a single-meeting process. In fact, most sales are closed over a number of meetings or calls. For this reason, it’s important to follow up with your prospects over time. They may actually be interested in using your services, but might just be busy. Keep yourself top-of-mind by following up regularly. You might also hear more honest objections on second and third attempts, which can help you overcome them and refine your sales pitch for future prospects.

5. Offer flexible payment terms

Small businesses have a wide variety of funding and cash flow structures. If you want to make a sale, it can sometimes be hugely beneficial to offer payment terms that suit your prospect’s needs. A prospect may be dying to make a purchase from you, but if the payment terms don’t work, there’s no way it will happen.