There are countless books, blogs and motivational speakers who claim to have found the secret to increasing sales. Entrepreneurs can waste countless hours and endless amounts of money chasing a trick, foolproof method or 10-step program that claims it will automatically grant an uptick in sales and increase in profits. These claims are tempting, but sales doesn’t have to be as complicated as many “experts” make it to be. In truth, sales is about people and relationships, not profits and products.

Success in sales largely depends on making a connection and building a relationship with potential customers. Instead of approaching a potential sale like an object, be genuine and passionate about the derived benefits of your goods and services. If you genuinely believe that your product will positively impact a person’s life and feel passionate about your offerings, people will pay attention. When a person is treated like a means to an end, or rather a means to a paycheck, it’s a turnoff. Customers and clients tend to patronize businesses that treat them like valued human beings, not walking dollar signs.

You’ve heard the old saying, “Listen twice as much as you speak”. While this is great advice for life in general, it could be crucial to your success in sales. The majority of consumers are inundated with hundreds, and maybe even thousands, of advertisements throughout the week. How can you make your sales pitch stand out over the noise? LISTEN. People are used to being “talked at”. Ask questions, be attentive to the response and remember what you’ve heard. Work hard to improve your listening skills, and don’t jump to conclusions. Whether you realize it or not, these small efforts can have a HUGE impact when trying to close a sale.

Ultimately, it is critically important to remember that sales is, first and foremost, about people. Potential customers and clients may not remember what you said, but they will remember how you made them feel. A radical people-first approach could be the key to a radical turnaround in your lagging sales.

How can you engage online readers with engaging web content? When people visit your website, blog, etc., you have an extremely small window of time to “hook” the reader before he or she moves on. With multiple distractions tempting internet users, including Netflix, news, games and social media, you need to clearly communicate the point, and you have to do it fast.

The key to attracting and then retaining readers is with engaging content. Online readers are particularly prone to skimming, which means that what your site “says” must be succinct, yet informative. Large blocks of text causes some readers to zone out, which means that the beginning of the paragraph or sections of text should begin with a sentence that hooks the reader, convincing him or her to continue reading.

Bulleted points or lists are a fantastic way to provide a quick overview of what can be found in the content. The popularity of articles and blogs with list-based content, such as Buzzfeed, speaks to the benefit of small amounts of content provided at a time. In a time where most Internet users are multi-taking or distracted by another site, it can be beneficial to communicate with readers in short bursts of information instead of large blocks of text.

The use of key words in web content is important for SEO purposes, but the use of these words throughout the text could be bolded or link to other sections of your site. Drawing the readers eye to a certain word or phrase can initiate further exploration of the site, which offers you an extended opportunity to communicate with new site visitors. Web content should be visually stimulating in order to capture the attention of people who tend to skim.

Engaging and captivating web content is a critical component when pushing to increase site traffic or retain people who visit your home page. First impressions count, and in a world of ever increasing competition and distraction, the power of the written word cannot be overstated. It’s not just about saying things but about saying the right things. If your site isn’t “hooking” readers, it’s time for an honest evaluation of your site and content.

A business school education is great, but there are skills that you simply cannot learn in a classroom. There is a high premium placed on a diploma, but plenty of people manage, own and operate successful businesses without a business degree…or a degree at all. Many important business skills are learned from experience or a good mentor. You don’t have to hear it from a professor in order to have good business sense.

Communication is a skill that many people simply do not have, yet it is essential for business success. Proper communication is much more than just knowing what to say, but rather pertains to when to say certain things, how to say them — and when to keep your mouth shut. Talking is easy, but it can be rather daunting when you are uncomfortable with verbal communication. Fortunately, communication is a skill that can be fostered and developed over time. Work with a mentor or professional coach to improve your speaking skills, if necessary.

Discipline is a trademark of every single person who has found success in the business world. The discipline to simply do what needs to be done is rather rare, as it requires hard work, extra hours at the office and a willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty. People in positions of authority have to juggle many different tasks at the same time, and discipline is required in order to effectively complete them. Disorganization or a general feeling of being overwhelmed may indicate that a person should cultivate and intentionally strive toward a more disciplined approach to business.

Attention to detail and an overall vision are two seemingly polar opposite things, but are rather two sides of the same coin. Small business owners and entrepreneurs must be able to recognize the small details that are necessary to propel the ultimate vision forward…and must be able to flip the switch between “small details” and “the overarching vision” at will. This is not an easy task, and business school does not have a class on multitasking. As a person develops his or her personal discipline and gains experience, this skill becomes more clearly developed over time and with intentional effort.

There are many benefits to a business school education, but success can be found without a degree. Learning the skills to properly and successfully operate a business does not require a 10-step process or graduate-level class, but can be developed over time. Don’t be afraid to work with a coach or mentor to further develop these skills, and try to be specific and honest about areas where you struggle. Acknowledging a shortcoming is the first step toward overcoming it!

One of the first priorities of any business should be to identify and establish your target audience. Familiarity with the target audience is critical to an effective marketing campaign, social media use and sales strategy. Making the effort to get to know customers better leads to a strong relationship between the business and the consumer.

To better identify and familiarize yourself with the potential target audience for your company, consider the following:

1. Don’t make assumptions. You may assume that your target audience is a certain age group or demographic, but your products or services may actually appeal to a wider range of people than you assumed.
2. Educate yourself. Properly identifying a target audience will require a bit of research. Don’t be afraid to delve into psychological studies, industry reports and more. If this seems like an intimidating task, turn to an experienced marketer for guidance
3. Listen to social media. What kind of conversations are you having through social media? Listen carefully to what your customers are saying, and take the time to notice who they are. The people who connect with your business on social media could be an accurate representation of your target audience.
4. Make room to grow. Close examination may reveal that your target audience is different than you originally assumed. Don’t hesitate to adjust your marketing strategy appropriately or, if needed, reach out for professional marketing help for advice regarding how to connect with your target audience.

It’s surprising how many businesses and entrepreneurs cannot appropriately identify their target audience. You may not have a picture of your target audience that is 100 percent accurate, but a closer examination of your customer base can help shape the vision for your business in a positive, profitable way.

Decision fatigue, simply put, is the idea that people become overwhelmingly weary of making decisions or being in charge for a certain amount of time. Those required, by choice or appointment, to make decisions consistently will eventually face the phenomenon known as decision fatigue. This is a certain hazard that comes with being the boss or managing certain aspects of a company’s operations.

This explains why some of these individuals may be short tempered, more likely to lash out at coworkers and family members, or make irrational decisions. Just a like a quarterback is more likely to throw an ill-advised pass right into coverage in the fourth quarter rather than in the first, a person is not at his or her best at the end of a long day or prolonged period of stress. Decision fatigue is more than just a bad mood or lack of motivation–it is a type of genuine mental and emotional exhaustion.

If you believe that you suffer from decision fatigue, you already recognize that there are times when you are not able to perform at your best. Acknowledgement is the first step to overcoming this obstacle, but you may also consider some of the following in order to avoid this issue as much as possible:

• Schedule important meetings earlier in the day
• Deal with personnel issues only in the mornings when you are mentally alert
• Make sales calls and contact referrals at times when your mental acuity is higher
• Commit to making a daily schedule so that you know what to expect out of every workday
• Take short mental breaks throughout the day
• At the end of the day, leave work-related issues where they belong–at work

Even the wisest people have times where they face decision fatigue. This is not a reflection of your intellect or practical understanding as a businessperson, but rather a signal that your body and mind need a break. Recognize these moments for what they are, and give yourself permission to deal with decision fatigue, or any emotional or mental struggle, appropriately.

If you are a business owner, there is no relationship more important than the one you have with your customer. Customer relationships are vital to your business, and it is of utmost importance that you get it right–because you will probably only get one chance. Your customer service strategy may not be on the right track if your business does any or all of the following:

• You try to manage your customers with software. Many businesses use a a software program to keep track of customer interaction, sales, returns and other various forms of contact. While this is beneficial on many levels, you must be sure that you are not neglecting building personal relationships with your customer and client base. If your software is dictating the way to deal with your customers, rethink your strategy and always aim for putting people first and computers second.
• You are receiving poor feedback. It is truly remarkable how many businesses ignore signs of poor customer service and relationships. One complaint is unfortunate, two complaints are a trend. The second you identify an issue with the way your company interacts with customers, fix it.
• You have few referrals and little positive interaction on social media. When people like something, they talk about it. If you are having positive interactions with your customers and they are pleased with what they are receiving from your business, they will sing your praises to family, friends and all of their Facebook friends. 

At the end of the day, every customer service strategy boils down to this: treat people well, and they will treat you well in return. When you go the extra mile, you not only impress customers or potential clients, you also lay the groundwork for a genuine relationship.