A big part of earning a living as an entrepreneur or freelancer is being able to clearly communicate the value we’re delivering for customers and clients. We do a tremendous amount of work showcasing our talents and the benefits they’ll bring…but then shy away from what is perhaps just as important: sharing the price. In today’s Negotiation Q&A, we’re taking a look at whether or not you should post your pricing on your website. Read on to find out more…
Read MoreThere are a lot of motivational quotes floating around Instagram. And some of them I love. Others...not so much.
Frankly, there are pieces of advice floating around via Instaquote that are dangerous in their simplicity.
Granted, those lil graphics demand brevity, and who on earth knows what the original context was when the All-Star businessperson said it the first time. But still – for the legions of IGers who are double-clicking or screen-capping those knowledge bombs, following them could turn out to be a disaster.
Here's my take on why the advice 'Sales Cures All' could be doing you more harm than good.
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One of my favourite business quotes is from Kendrick Shope:
“All things being equal, friends buy from friends. All things being unequal, friends buy from friends.”
The same principle applies even if you’re not in sales mode. Relationships – friendships – are one of the must-have tools in running a business, and learning how to cultivate strong, healthy relationships will take you far.
Read on to find out how...
Read MoreOne of the reasons I started my work as a negotiation consultant was that I’d seen a few too many times how the ‘little guy’ can get the short end of the stick in business deals.
True enough, you’re not always going to have a whole lot of influence or power in a business discussion (even with folks your own size), but that doesn’t mean you lose your voice.
Today I'm sharing 5 techniques that'll help bump up your power and amplify your persuasiveness in any negotiation.
Read MoreThere are a lot of different hats you wear as an Ambitious Entrepreneur. You've got to get a handle on writing copy, planning social media, marketing your business - and of course there's sales.
But your professional development doesn't end there.
Today, I'm sharing some straight talk on why mastering sales and negotiations are two different beasts. And why you need both of them to thrive.
Read MoreWorking up the courage to share your proposal (and price...) with a potential client can be tough. So it's best to let them go first, right? Ask them what their budget is, and then work from there.
Nope. Nuh-uh. No way.
Shying away from making the first proposal may seem like the easier option, but if you're looking for your best business results, it's time to put on your Courageous Ambitious Entrepreneur hat and throw your proposal into the ring, first.
Read on to find out why.
Making sales – convincing people to hand over their hard earned money in exchange for your product or service – is fundamental to your business. When that flow of customers slows down, or we hit a rough patch financially, our first instinct can be to get out our price slashing tools and motivate purchases via discounts...but there's a better way.
Read MoreIf you’re just starting out in business, or you’re particularly shy when it comes to putting yourself out there…chances are you’re making this mistake on your website. It’s a mistake that’s costing you sales and wasting a whole heap of your time…and today we’re going to fix it.
Read MoreCourage can feel as though it runs in limited supply. VERY limited supply. So after you’ve made the bold move of sending in a pitch, or making an ask for your business, the thought of finding even more gumption where that came from is overwhelming.
This week's Smiley Sessions video gives you the boost to be fearless in your followups.
Read MoreWhen you hear the term ‘pricing strategy’, the first thing that comes to mind is discounts. And a lot of the time that’s the only thing that comes to mind.
But when you’re trying to boost sales of your products or services, relying on discounts means that you’re in a race to the bottom…and there’s no profit to be found down there.
Instead, motivate people to press that shiny Buy button by using the pricing techniques I’ll share in today’s Smiley sessions to tap into an innate human instinct.
Read MorePricing is simple, right? Figure out your costs, add on some profit, and slap that tag onto your latest greatest offer. Done.
Not so fast.
There's a magic mix of price, branding, marketing, niche and ideal clients that goes into creating a successful product or package. And if any of those variables is off, you end up with confused clients, and no sales.
Here's how to master that mix.
Read MoreAre you stuffing your clients full of cookies...only to realize that your jar is empty?
Here's how to up client sweetness, without the stomach-ache.
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