October 2, 2012 8.00 am This story is over 136 months old

Serve not sell: Turning the business marathon into a sprint

Serve not sell: Aimee Holland explains why it’s important to carefully plan that final hurdle when you’re hoping to seal a deal.

Aimee Holland formed Grow My Profit in 2011 to support local businesses in their development. The team has now grown to include fresh young talent and a qualified programmer so that they can offer both offline and online business solutions.


Whenever you take business advice or listen to highly successful business owners, they will tell you running a business is a marathon not a sprint. They are right of course, but let’s not miss out on those final few hundred metres of grand finale.

When all your hard work has paid off and you have customer ready to buy how do you make the most of that sale? The sprint to the finish can be carefully planned to set you head and shoulders above the rest.

Over a decade in direct sales has taught me that asking for the sale can be difficult. My clients often say they feel apprehensive about ‘closing the deal’. Talking price can be a major barrier but asking for an investment in something that is valuable is a different matter.

To make the sale easier be confident in your offer. Know what your competition is likely to be charging and the quality they can deliver. Having confidence in your product or service and its place in the market can help significantly.

Offer choices to your clients, this could be a simple option between two different colours or a range of packages. This sets the buyers mind thinking about purchase options not whether or not to buy at all.

Always offer complementary products or services to what the customer has chosen. If they purchase a jumper suggest a necklace that would set off the neckline. If they are buying a service from you make sure they are aware of other things your company offers.

Remember the golden rule is to serve not sell. You are there to help the customer make a choice about what is right for them. No-one likes the hard sell, but help someone on their journey and they will remember and respect you for it.

Aimee Holland formed Grow My Profit in 2011 to support local businesses in their development. The team has now grown to include fresh young talent and a qualified programmer so that they can offer both offline and online business solutions.