Hey there, my fabulous listener, welcome to episode 82 of the Small Business Made Simple Podcast.

Thank you for lending me your ears today – I know you have lots of choices, so I sincerely appreciate me being one of them!

If you’re a first time listener, super super welcome, I am so pleased to have you here.  I am your host Jenn Donovan, and it’s my job, via this podcast, social media and everywhere else actually, to make your business life simpler. 

I’m a thought leader when it comes to marketing here in Australia and I’m a marketing strategist for small business.

Why? Because business can be lonely and hard and complicated and it’s hardly ever easy, but it should be simple or at least simpler, so that’s my commitment you to on the Small Business Made Simple podcast!

One way I help to make your life simpler is by having a group of like-minded business owners all in one stop.  To ask questions, get answers and enjoy the journey of business! If you haven’t joined the Like Minded Business Owners Facebook Group, then hope over there after this episode and join!  Simply search Like Minded Business Owners in Facebook or come to the show notes for the like.  Show notes are at www.socialmediaandmarketing.com.au/82

www.facebook.com/groups/LikeMindedBusinessOwners

This episode is sponsored by my 6 Week Mini Mastermind. 

I love masterminds – they have been hands down one of the most incredible ways I have built, not just this business, but previous businesses as well.

Applications are now open for the 6 week mastermind. 

I’m only taking 8 people, for 6 weeks – so they have zero excuses!

If you’re looking to grow your business with a mix of community, accountability and 1:1 support from me, then, this my friend is your tribe just waiting for YOU!

You can find all the information you need to decide whether you’re a HELL YES for this special offering at https://bit.ly/mastermindwithjenn

There’s only 8 spots – so that you can get some guaranteed personal support, and 50% are already taken – so if you’re keen, get moving!

My passion for Masterminds is enormous.

Today we are talking sales funnels. 

Yep, the marketing chick is going to attempt to convince you that you need to be looking at your sales funnels through a 2020 lens.

What’s a 2020 lens – well, you I know you know it.

If you’ve been in my world for ANY length of time – you know exactly what words are going to come out of my month now.

A H2H lens.

A Human to Human Marketing lens.

Yep, you knew it, didn’t you!

Sales isn’t hard – it isn’t easy – but it should be simple or at least simpler – just like marketing.

So, let’s look at how sales funnels used to work.

• Promote to as many people as you can – doesn’t matter who, just people
• Promote EVERYTHING you do – all your products, all your services, just keep shouting
• Convince people to buy – talk to them, keep talking to them, until you have FINALLY convinced them to buy (they probably buy to shut you up)
• Apply pressure to make people buy
• Push people to make a decision
• Make the sale and move on – new customer new person to wear down for a sale

Sound familiar?

You can image it can’t you?  You can absolutely see in your mind, these exact selling principles in play. 

I see it every day.

In fact, it lands in my inbox every day.

I have someone landing in my inbox almost daily, at the moment, wanting to be on my podcast – and the emails have gone from reasons why I should have them on to “so how about it – what’s wrong with my ideas” – yep, I kid you not.

Note to that person, I will NEVER have someone on my podcast has hard sells to me, because imagine what they’ll do to you when I put them in your ears ….

Side note – remember marketing is everything – everything you say and do says something about you whether you meant it or not.

Never forget that.

Ok, off track.

Back on track.

Sales funnels – that, what I just said before, is the old way.

The new 2020, human to human marketing way is this:

• Niche your area of expertise
• Provide answers to prospects problems, solve their roadblocks and challenges
• Start with enormous value upfront
• Position your expertise with evidence – e.g./ testimonials (must do a podcast on them soon)
• Invite your prospect on a journey, invite them to take the 1^st step
• After they are in your world, know like and trust you, introduce them to your full range of services

Bam!  Sales funnels of 2020!

It’s not your job to try and CONVINCE anyone to buy from you, instead you must help them DISCOVER WHY YOU!

You see selling is broken down into two simple components CONVINCING SELLING or DISCOVERY SELLING and most people (unfortunately) drop automatically into convincing mode.

Your job is to help people DISCOVER why they need you.

How do you do that?

Simple…

Talk to them about THEM!

I know it’s a revolutionary idea! 😊

Here’s the thing, we all have the same favourite subject OURSELVES.

This may come as a shock, but your prospects don’t care about YOU as much as they care about THEMSELVES.

They don’t want to hear about YOU, what YOU DO or how brilliant YOU ARE at it. At least not until you’ve done one thing first.

LISTEN TO THEM.

All your prospects want is to feel understood.

This means your marketing is about THEM, THEIR challenge and how THEY can eliminate whatever problem or challenge you specialise in helping they with.

In other words, you help them DISCOVER why you by talking all about them.

You can talk until you’re blue in the face trying to CONVINCE the world why they should buy from you, or you can do the work and create a message that helps people DISCOVER why you.

So, take a look at your sales funnels, take a look at your marketing and ask yourself

“Is it about me, what I do, how well I do and how long I’ve been doing it for – me me me – convincing selling”

Or am I listening, trying to understand my prospect, seeing it from their point of view and seeing the gaps on how I can help them solve their challenges or problems.

Changing this one thing, in your sales and your marketing, could transform your business.

We all know someone who is a convincing seller, but is it you?

I’ll leave it there – this week – with that big question!

I know it’s not you – just to say, you’re too proactive and too much of an action taker to be that person.  I know it in my heart.

Ok, so that’s it for episode 82.

As mentioned at the beginning this episode is sponsored by my 6 week mini mastermind.  If you’re keen to find out more about it or get involved, head to

https://bit.ly/mastermindwithjenn

Got questions?  Head into Like Minded Facebook group and ask away – or send me a DM on Instagram or an email jenn@jenndonovan.com.au

But again, that’s all for episode 82, I’ll be back next Thursday with another great episode to help you simplify your business in 2020. 

If you’re enjoying this podcast, which if you have listened to here – you hopefully are, don’t forget to subscribe, share this episode with another superstar business owner who’s doing the daily grind and would appreciate someone making their business simpler, and leave a rating or review to show how much you are loving this free weekly content.

Massive love coming your way if you do!

See you next week on the podcast for episode 83.  But in the meantime, let’s hang out on social and get social on social – you’ll find me on Instagram, Facebook and my fav LinkedIn.

But whatever you do,

……..remember small business peeps, as my opening song says, there’s no point in dreaming small!