You cannot have a business without selling. You therefore need to be able to know how to sell, so that you can sell your product or service to potential customers. Generally, there are seven main steps of selling:

1. Prepare - Before you meet or telephone your potential customer, find out as much as you can about their business needs.

2. Introduction - Explain who you are and why you are there.

3. Identify the customers' needs - Use open questions that will get them to give more than yes or no replies.

4. Promote the benefits - Be ready to promote how the benefits of your product or service would suit their requirements.

5. Handle objections - Use it as an opportunity to guide the client in the right direction.

6. Close - Summarise what you believe has been said in the meeting and close as quickly as possible. If there is a follow up meeting arrange the date and time.

7. Keep in touch - Make sure they have what they want.

If you do not think you have the time or what it takes to make a good sales person, you can use other people to sell for you. One possibility is using an agent. An agent is not an employee but work for commission on each sale, usually between 10 - 15%. You can specify in agreement the conditions of the sale.

If you are doing the selling yourself, then you need to develop personal selling skills.