Let me say a few words about salesmanship (eek! not politically correct but sales ‘person’ ship is quite awkward!)

There are three kinds of sales people. Those that push to get a sale until they push you out the door, order takers, and sales counsellors. Although the first type is sometimes successful in getting their sale, they seldom leave the customer satisfied.

Fortunately, I think today most sales people fall into the latter two categories. The order takers just find out what you want and write it down. They occasionally sell up (Did you want fries with your burger?) because they’ve been told to do so. They really are clueless in how to turn a small sale into a larger one that benefits both them and their customer.

A sales counsellor listens to what the customer wants, determines what he needs, and delivers what is possible to the best of his/her ability. They know their product or service inside and out—both its high points and its limitations. They won’t sell a product or service that won’t perform the way it’s meant to perform. They will counsel their customers, educate them about their product or service and lead them to accept the best they have to offer within normal limitations.

If you are going to sell web services, then you must learn what a website is inside and out, backwards and forwards. You must know how a website works and how it draws visitors and makes them into customers. You can’t be an order taker. You must be a sales counsellor.