Accelerate Sales with 8a Business Development Program

Most of the small business owners across the states are looking to increase sales in the Federal Marketplace. One of the best ways to get into this is to participate in the 8a  business development program.   While venturing into corporate resources, some businesses make a fundamental mistake. They put the development of a marketing strategy in the hands of inexperienced sales people to create and implement a new business development program. This often conflicts with marketing basics, which is to provide sales personnel with qualified new prospects to convert into sales. Sales people are more likely to focus on the short-term goals rather than the long-term objectives.

How do you increase the average sales?

Don't take your current customers for granted: One of the most irritating things as a customer is to feel as if you are being taken for granted and not being appreciated by the selling company. Unfortunately, this is not uncommon. Companies spend most of their time and effort searching for new customers while overlooking the customers they see regularly. These repeat customers are usually ignored and left to conduct entire transactions without ever being asked if they would like to buy more. Reward them with special considerations and individual promotion. This is one of the  most important parts of the  8a business development program.

Complacency can be the undoing of a business

How expecting customers to buy a minimum amount of product or service without asking them to buy more? This attitude can eventually cause customers to spend less money. Customers must be offered reasons to keep buying from you or they will start buying the same products and services from someone else.

Cross selling and up-selling

These are two simple steps business owners can take to increase their average transaction amount by systematically offering customers more value via additional products or services at the point of sale. Cross selling is offering reasonably related items to the one being purchased, usually at a discount. Up-selling is offering discounts to purchase a higher valued item or adding accessories to it to increase the product's functionality and perceived value. If you  are planning  to get into the  federal  marketplace for cross selling and upselling,  it’s  important that you  get 8a certification.    

Sales prospecting or business development is a key activity for most sales driven organizations and for most sales people. It is also the cause of demise of most sales careers. Business development is a skill and must be mastered if you are to sustain a long-term sales career.

The Market Scenario

The current volatile economic environment, sagging consumer confidence, increasing customer distrust, more informed customers and tougher competition have put excessive pressure on sales teams in all the companies making it harder and harder to get out there and develop new business. As  a  result, many  new  and  upcoming  small businesses   are dying a premature death. Management should leave the marketing program in the hands of professionals, either those on their own staff or they should seriously consider outsourcing this responsibility.

Final Thoughts

Increasing the sales is all about increasing the return on your investment you make in your organization's business development program. Choosing the right business development program and implementing it effectively is vital for getting real sales value. However 8a business development program  comes handy in many ways.