The Inimitable RuPaul has the answer to your sales challenges
Sales Myths that keep you stuck - and how to solve them!
You may think that your next client is someone you haven't met yet. And that could be true.
But it’s far more likely that your next client is already in your world. They read your posts, they’re following along. They have watched your stories and asked you a question a few months ago.
This is why I want to talk about follow-up, relationship building and the myths that can send the most level-headed entrepreneurs into a spin.
Following up and building relationships isn’t about hounding someone with messages asking ‘are you ready yet?’. It’s about staying visible enough and active enough and maintaining relationships organically. Your next client is already in your world.
I teach a simple solution called ‘Activate your sales’. It includes seeing your clients really clearly, loving what you are selling and taking bold action. Today I want to talk about the bold action part and what makes it feel really difficult sometimes.
Here are four myths that might be keeping you focused on finding new people instead of seeing what’s already right in front of you.
Myth 1: Getting leads is important
I know this is what everyone talks about and you’d be forgiven for putting all your focus and effort here. If you spend any time online in the marketing world this is what people are talking about. Get more leads. Find more leads. Get more enquiries, build your audience.
But here’s the thing. If all you needed was more people, you’d already be making your target revenue. Because you’d already be selling effectively to the people around you right now! This is what to focus on before putting all your energy into adding more people into your world.
I believe that you naturally create leads by how you show up (also, I really object to the term ‘leads!’ They’re future clients)
When you are clear about what you do, who you help and the problem you solve, people automatically start to see themselves in your message.
When you talk about your work with more consistency and you are focusing on the right people, you’re giving your best clients the best chance to connect with you.
I break this down into two steps. Describe what you do in really simple language first (this comes with doing it a lot, getting the words out even if it sounds like ‘word salad’ to start with) Then make sure you’re giving yourself enough opportunities to talk about it - anywhere!
That is how you create opportunities to take the conversation further.
You don't need to hunt for people, you only need to give them a great reason to put their hand up and say ‘hey, that’s what I’m struggling with’.
This means showing up regularly in one or two places where your people are already spending time. It might be Instagram and your email list. It might be LinkedIn and a podcast. It might be a local network and referrals.
The biggest mistake I see entrepreneurs make is spreading themselves far too thin. Trying to be in all the places at once. Great marketing can only become great through repetition and understanding how your audience responds to what you’re putting out there. That’s really hard to measure if you’re everywhere. Focus down on the places that feel easiest for you and get good at connecting with people there.
Talk about the problem you solve. Share what you believe. Explain how you work. Show people what changes when they work with you.
Here’s a really simple visibility check you can run through today;
Have I explained clearly who I help today?
Have I talked about the problem I solve this week?
Have I told people how they can work with me?
Have I shared a useful idea in my own words?
Have I made it easy for someone to start a conversation?
Myth 2: They would have (and should have!) bought by now if they were interested
This is one of the most painful thoughts in business! It pops up all the time. Just because you’ve had someone in your audience, or on your list, or in your network of ‘warm’ prospects and they haven’t taken action, you think the opportunity has been missed. You think ‘well, if they haven’t taken me up on it now, they’re not the right person, or it’s not the right thing for them’.
It could be one or a mix of all of these things; You haven’t said your message enough times for them to feel comfortable. Or it’s a timing issue - and what wasn’t urgent 3 months ago suddenly is. Or it’s a certainty issue. They’ve been gradually warming themselves up by every time you interact with them until they think ‘it’s time’.
Most of your revenue will come from people who have been in your world for longer than 90 days. It isn’t the brand new people who typically buy the fastest - that depends on what type of buyer they are, how urgent their need is and how quickly you’re able to build trust and comfort with them.
‘Most of your clients don’t buy the first time they hear about you! Have a think about your last few clients - how long had they known you?’
That’s not to say that people can’t make fast decisions to work with you. But on the whole, to create more (and new) revenue you do not need more and new people around you.
I tend not to ‘follow up’. I maintain relationships. That’s a very different thing. Keeping up the conversation, sharing something useful and acknowledging that you’re thinking of someone is very different to asking the same question again and again.
You’re not following up because you want sales. You’re adding more value because you remember what they told you, you’ve been thinking about their problem and you are interested in what is happening for them now.
This is at the heart of consultative selling for service based businesses.
Myth 3: No one is watching
This is the hardest one. Factually, you could look at your social media, at the insights on click rates and say ‘my engagement is low’ or ‘no one is watching’.
And what’s wild is that engagement has no bearing on sales. The two just aren’t related. Your clients are there - they’re just not telling you! They’re not behaving the way you would love them to behave so you can feel a different way about your business. The skill is to remember that and keep showing up - knowing that they are watching! Either now or in 3 months’ time.
People are watching, and using your useful content. It’s just that now more than ever they’re not commenting or showing you their engagement. They open your emails and come back to them later. They look at your website. They ask someone else about you.
Then, one day, they send a message and they’d like to work with you - and you have no idea who they are!
You may have done this yourself. It can feel strange because you thought nobody was paying attention. But people often watch for a long time before they are ready to speak.
They are checking whether you understand them, they’re getting to know you.
This is why staying visible matters - it keeps reminding people that you’re here, you’re available and you’re ready when they are.
If you disappear every time nobody responds, people can’t find you (and don’t think of you) when the timing is right.
This is where I see so many people chasing the wrong metrics. Chasing audience growth or views. Yes, it doesn’t hurt to be seen by more people - but make sure that they’ve got somewhere to go once they’ve seen you! Stay consistent, and give them clear next steps.
This is why choosing simplicity wins out every time - it means you’re able to keep showing up in a rythym that works for you - wherever works for you.
You might:
Share one useful idea each week.
Talk about a common problem your clients face.
Tell a story about what changed for someone you helped.
Explain how your process works.
Invite people to message you if they want to talk.
Send a short email when you have something useful to say.
A relationship-first sales strategy for small businesses should support your energy, not consume it. I always say that your marketing plan needs to work when you’re having the worst week ever. Not to be something that only happens when the stars align, you’re feeling your freshest and you have all the capacity in the world.
Remember - engagement doesn’t equals sales, and your quiet followers aren’t ‘cold’ followers.
Myth 4: I need new people to sell to
You may not need new people. You probably just need to reconnect with the people already around you.
Think about your past clients. Former enquiries. People who came to a workshop. Followers who regularly respond to your content. People who asked about your offer but didn’t take a next step.
Think about the person who said, “This sounds amazing, but I need to think about it.”
What about the client who finished one offer and might be ready for another?
Your best clients are often already in your world. It’s much easier and faster to re-sign a client who knows you already than find someone brand new.
You can start with a simple list.
Write down:
Past clients you loved working with.
People who have asked about your services.
Warm contacts who understand what you do.
People who regularly engage with your content.
Referral partners or peers who know your work.
Former clients you haven’t spoken to for a while.
Then choose three people to contact and keep it really simple;
Hi [name], I was thinking about you today. I remember when we worked on [specific thing]. How are things going with it now?
Or:
Hi [name], I know we spoke a while ago about [problem]. I wondered whether that is still something you are working through?
Don’t add a pitch straight away, start with the relationship. Be interested in their answer. Ask a good question and see what’s changed.
If they need help, you can make a clear recommendation. If they don’t you can leave the door open.
When you see your clients really clearly, know what you’re offering and know why it works, you’ll take so much more action.
You don’t have to be exuberant about every part of your business. But you do need to stand behind what you are offering and feel great about it.
Because in RuPaul's words '"If you can't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else? Can I get an amen?"
The same goes for your offer. If you don't love your offer, how in the hell can anyone else?
Would you feel excited to buy it? Would you feel supported by it? Would you recommend it to someone you care about?
Your certainty grows when the answers to those questions are yes. It’s far easier, more fun and purposeful to sell something you know works amazingly well. Then the skillset to work on is simpler - learning how to communicate that to your best client.
Take bold actions
Bold action means doing something that has a possible result of you getting paid.
It could be following up with someone and being willing to hear ‘no’. Maybe you’ve been procrastinating on emailing your list.
Perhaps it’s saying you’ve got some space and telling old clients about it, or putting aside time to show up consistently on one channel and be really intentional with offering a next step.
Small actions are powerful. We tend to go to the big vision and the complicated strategy, but your revenue isn’t built that way. It comes through small steps, done repeatedly.
That’s how you can grow your service business without getting depleted or exhausted by it.Start with one person. One message. One useful conversation.
Your next client is already here, now it’s on you to make it easier for them to step forward.
If you want help with your sales mindset and sales strategy you can learn more about Meg’s one-to-one coaching and group skill-building programmes.
You can also read How to Sell Without Being Pushy: A Relationship-First Guide for Service-Based Entrepreneurs for more support with relationship-first sales.
If you’re ready to get tailor-made help for your business, book a free consultation here.