How to drive your sales?

How to drive your sales (an article that I wrote last year on Quora).

I believe:

1. Sales are driven by leads
2. Leads are driven by traffic (how many people are interested in you)
3. Traffic is driven by the trust
4. Trust is driven by visibility

So in nutshell, be visible and build trust (brand) with your potential prospects. 

How do we translate this philosophy into real actionable items?

You can utilize three approaches. 

Approach 1. Relationship approach: Utilizing existing relationship (trust is already built), easy option for starters

Go to your family, ex colleagues, friends, satisfied clients, 2nd/3rd degree of each category of relationships. Doesn't matter if they can directly help or not. Ask for their help. You'll find help. This is easiest way to start. 

Approach 2. Building network approach: Utilize social, meet ups, email marketing, or any other avenue in your easy access.

This is obviously going to be more painstaking process than #1. But key thing is to focus on building your brand.

People should be able to trust you on your niche. They should consider you a guru.

Key would be that rather than selling anything, they should trust that you'll be best person to help on the topic.

Unlike relationship approach here you'll need to also popup in from of them every now and then to remind of your existence.

Also, invest in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Search Engine Marketing, Social Media Marketing

Approach 3. Quick Turnaround but Short term: focus on paid marketing

While approach 1 and 2 are for long term establishment, approach 3 yields results very quickly and that's the reason it's most expensive too. 

Run Pay Per Click campaigns on Google AdSense (Very expensive) or Facebook Ads (Relatively inexpensive) or even Twitter or LinkedIn ads

You can buy contact leads from various companies specializing in this field

Buy qualified leads, as their are several companies around who only get leads from their web and social channels and sell those across (www.designquote.net is one that pops in my head)

Consider buying premium accounts of LinkedIn to find potential clients