New To The Sales Process

July 20, 2012 by Stephen Willingmyre, Intern | Bootcamp Lights

Lately in my free time I have been thinking of new strategies and ways to reach out to potential customers.

I have some experience in sales, as a building engineer. But in this environment, customers come to me looking for retail space to rent. When it comes to making a pitch on a cold call that luxury is gone.

There is only a small window of time to retain the attention of your prospective client. Working closely with Bootcamp Lights sales director, Tim Wright, he has prepared me for making cold calls and getting out in the field to meet with clients.

The only way to learn new sales techniques is to get out there and try them myself.

I recently reached out to numerous businesses and organizations using sales techniques I picked up from working with Tim Wright. Making my very first sales pitch to a complete stranger was intimidating. But the experience and connections I am making are worth that anxious feeling. Using my contacts to get in touch with the right people was a key step in generating leads for Bootcamp Lights.

For example, I spoke with the Program Director of the Life Safety & Fire Education at Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service to see if they would be interested in expanding their fire safety program. I offered our platform to display messages at local firework shows this summer.

Additionally, I prepared a proposal for local Frederick brewery Flying Dog. Their name fits perfectly with us; flying in the sky with Bootcamp Lights. I am constantly trying to think of companies and organizations that could take advantage of our platform and reach their audience in a new way.

My experience so far has taught me that having good sales skills is so much more than knowing how to sell a product. It is about presenting yourself in a distinguished manner that leaves an impression.

Whether it's a job interview or a company meeting pitching an idea, having sales experience under your belt is a great advantage.