Next Business Level

The sales process never ends. The cold calls, the networking, the prospecting – it (hopefully) gets easier with time, but it doesn’t end.

As a business owner, you have to accept that reality. But many of us don’t. Maybe you’re caught up in work you’ve already closed and need to fulfill. Maybe you started working for yourself because you wanted to get paid for doing something you loved – and you don’t love sales. Whatever it is, most of us aren’t out there selling enough.

I spoke with a young entrepreneur recently who had a ton of questions about growing his business and even more ideas of how to get his name and brand out there. Funny thing is, none of those ideas involved picking up the phone or asking someone directly for their business.

I’m all for having a strong consistent brand, but it can’t replace direct selling – pounding the pavement and knocking on doors. A website and blog, a Twitter account, a snazzy leave behind or schwag gift – they’re all great marketing tools but that’s all they are. Tools that need to be wielded thoughtfully and judiciously.

Like everything else, you need to strive for balance. You can’t reach sales goals by marketing alone – you have to actually sell. This means, yes, making cold calls when you have to. And yes, going out to as many networking events as you can.

Because the best way to get your name out there is to get your face out there as well. So what are you doing to reach out and touch someone today?