So, I happen to know a few things about selling, especially in the gaming business. If you would allow me one bragging moment, I have been head of products for a betting company and grew that products to billions of naira in sales, I also started another company from scratch, even though I'm no longer there, I created a platform and enough clout for them to grow. All of which is out there to see and has brought me accolades from all over the world. Okay, bragging done. I just wanted you to know that the advice I have is solid and real. There are numbers to prove it.
Whether you think I'm an entrepreneur a.k.a business person, a CEO, an innovator, a top gaming professional, if you refer to me as any of those titles, you are right. On any day, I fit any of those titles, but deep down in me, I consider myself to be nothing but a salesman.
As a businessman, I'm selling every day. Showing people why they should buy what im selling instead of forcing them to buy what im selling. Why I'm I selling? Because that's the only thing that can sustain any business.
As a game professional, I'm selling my brand every day to users, to agents, to colleagues to the international community as one of the best gaming professional ever liveth in the history of Nigeria.
Sales is at the heart of any business. No matter how amazing your product is, if you can’t sell it, you’re done. That’s it. At the end of the day, you have to make money somehow, right?
To be frank, sales have changed in the past couple of years, sales are now more of 'branding' than 'confrontational'. If you are good at sales, you don't need to force people to buy what you want, show them why they need what you are selling.
Today I will write a bit about what had helped me in my career right from when I was an employee to becoming a businessman.
Use Content Creation as your leverage: All my life I have always been a content creator, even when my writing wasn't that great, I find a way to communicate my thoughts, either on social media channels on in face to face meeting. If you are looking to become prominent in your industry or trying to sell more. You need to learn how to start creating contents. I didn't become the guy they invite to shows, or that everyone wants to meet by just sitting in my corner. Nope, I showed my talent by doing. Please google my name, and you will see my footprint on the internet. So create relevant content and push it out on social media, linkedin, blogs and also in video and audio format.
2. Build Relationship instead of selling: So many people meet you the first day, and they immediately want you to buy from them. This happens a lot on LinkedIn these days. What happened to get to know the person first then use what you know to understand how best to sell to him/her?
Whether you are a salesperson in a store or an executive selling services, go to your clients. Your customers. Approach them with a very open mind and attitude and ask them: “What are your pain points? What are your day to day struggles in business?” Cut the crap. Yes, you want to sell to them. But you can even point that out, be the first to say it, and still ask for a real conversation.
If your relationship with your customer is all about selling, you won't build a long-lasting relationship. If what you talk to them about every day is all about selling to them, trust me, the relationship will become spammy.
3. Brand, don't sell: Branding a.k.a your reputation is everything in business or career. Whether you’re a small business or a massive corporation, you need to start thinking about business as a long term game, not a single transaction. Branding is the reason why many gaming professionals young and old wants to work with me, why agents and business people want to do business with me or want to associate with. It’s because I care, and I’ve built trust. Everything I do is about building a brand. It’s about sharing my narrative and documenting my success. I’ve built a real business. I have real clients. I don’t need to sell you!
So focus on building a good reputation instead of trying to sell, build the right product, build experience.
For example, branding is what I'm trying to do with this content, this article. At the end of the day, what I’m trying to do is build a legacy. I know that if I bring a lot of value to my readers and they get good at running their business and make money, then when they are successful, their stories over dinner or at a conference, or to their grandchildren are going to paint a positive picture about me. That is far more impactful on my brand than getting one of them to buy one of my watches and then never reach success.
The funny thing is if you build a good brand, you will outsell any salesman anyday anytime!
I wish you tremendous health and success!
i want start my business soon. .
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