How to Create Consistent Sales Actions with a Sales Menu
Episode Summary:
When so many of my clients first start working with me, they tell me that they want to make more money without having to sell. It’s not that they hate selling, but they hate the way it makes them feel. But what if selling didn’t have to feel so icky? With a dedicated sales menu, it doesn’t have to. Join me on the podcast today to hear what a sales menu is and how it will help you create consistent sales actions so that you can transform your business in the next 90 days.
If you want extra support, the application for my 6 month mentorship and mastermind, Sell with Heart is open. Apply today and be sure to connect with me on Instagram!
Discussed in this episode:
The extra energy that goes into doing something new for the first time before you have a set system in place
What a sales menu or buffet is and how it will help you take consistent sales actions
How having a consistent time each week that you sell will actually make sales easier
Why you have to have a prior relationship with someone that you pitch your services to and how to create more engagement with your community
The importance of choosing at least 3x a week to sell and actually block if off your calendar
Remembering that you can shift in your business and adjust any process
Believing your success is inevitable and trusting that you can handle the change
Episode Resources:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google | Stitcher
-
** This is a raw, unedited transcript.
Anna Rapp (00:00):
Hello me dear, dear friends, I took a little break from recording the podcast because I was finishing up my book and oh, My Lands. It was a much bigger project than I thought, to be honest. I was telling my friend this and she was like, Of course you've never written a book before. So of course it's gonna feel a little bit stretchy and intense, but I'm so grateful. I feel like I'm able to get back to Pilates now. And, but chatta, and like, sometimes you just wanna normalize that. Like when we're going all in on something, whether it's like selling out your group program for the first time. Anytime we do something brand new for the first time, there's no system yet. There's no process. And so of course it's gonna take a little bit of extra energy. And so whatever you're in the middle of, I just wanna send you the biggest hug for it, right?
Anna Rapp (00:43):
Cause we're all taking brave action over here. But thank you so much for all of the feedback on the book. I cannot tell you what a gift it's been to hear you guys reaching out and saying, Anna, this really stuck with me. Or, I finally opened my Freedom Fund at a bank, right? I didn't know that I needed that. And now I'm starting to create financial wealth and stability for myself and my business and in my life. So could not be more thrilled to be on this Freedom Fund journey with you. Please email me when you hit those metrics, when you put your first $20 in your Freedom Fund, when you hit 10 K, when you hit your 20 K. Like I wanna hear, and I wanna fricking celebrate with you because it is a huge, huge deal. I also wanted to share, I'm so excited that the applications for, I'm doing application only now for my mastermind cell with heart, just so I can make sure it's a fit for what you most need.
Anna Rapp (01:35):
It's a short application. It'll just take about five minutes. But if you're interested in working with me as your coach, now is a great time to apply. If you are already making $2,000 a month in your business or more, and you're looking to grow to consistent six figure and beyond your ears on part-time hours, I would love to coach you in my it's a hybrid. You get personal private support from me, but you also get group support in the mastermind. Would love to chat with you about it and see your application. Feel free to let me know if you have any questions. And today's podcast is related to this. This is a topic I talked to my ladies in Cell with Heart, the mastermind a lot about, and that is taking consistent sales actions, but making a lot easier by creating what one of my beautiful clients calls a sales buffet.
Anna Rapp (02:24):
Also, I call this like a sales menu, but the idea of it is in your business, really in order to get to six figures and beyond, you need to be consistently selling. But when it doesn't mean that you need to be selling all the time. In fact, I find when you actually have like a 30 minute window, a few days a week to sell, you actually think about selling less, right? Because you do it, you do your 30 minutes of sales actions and then you're done for the day. And then you can like get on with your life and hang out with your kids and like do whatever else you do, serve your clients, right? But I find one more, like a lot, lot of times we don't wanna be intentional because we're afraid that it's gonna be overwhelming, but I find that that's the opposite.
Anna Rapp (03:05):
Once we commit to something and decide on something, it actually becomes so much easier. Just like social media, right? Maybe social media used to be overwhelming for you, but when you figure out a rhythm of like actually getting visible consistently, it's actually not a big deal at all. Right? So today I want to introduce to you the idea of a sales menu and give you some options for that and encourage you, My loves <laugh>, if you want to start making more money consistently in your business, prioritizing selling, right? Like I tell my clients all the time, they'll say like, Oh, I wanna make more money, but I don't really wanna sell, right? And I'm like, Mm. I think what you mean is you wanna sell in a way that doesn't feel icky to you. You want to make money in a way that feels in alignment to you and your audience.
Anna Rapp (03:46):
Like you want it to feel good, Okay? <Laugh>, is that the truth? If so, you can figure out a way to do that. And I have some really, this is, today's episode's gonna be super practical and I'm just gonna give you some options for what selling actually means and looks like so that it's not vague and so that you can come away with a little plan. And ideally if you have like a, a piece of paper in front of you or like a little sticky note, ideally you just have a sticky note with like, Oh, these are my sales actions and I just need to like sit my booty down in the chair and do this three times a week and then I'm gonna start making more money in my business. It's really as simple as that. It really is as simple as that. But what gets in the way is all of our mindset around it, right?
Anna Rapp (04:29):
So you guys know, I devote a lot of this podcast to mindset, but today is gonna be a little bit more strategy and just super practical. So I'm gonna give you some options of what I mean. And this is gonna be based on your personality. Some of my clients really like structure and they prefer to have a specific plan that they're doing. For example, I send five dms inviting people to my free discovery call, right? Every day for three or three days a week, right? That same task, that same metric. Other of my clients are like me, where we're a little bit of like a rebel spirit and we don't wanna be told what to do even by ourselves. And so you might have some different options. It might say send dms to people in, in Instagram. It also might say go into someone else's Facebook group and help out five people, right?
Anna Rapp (05:19):
It also might say, Right? A email to your newsletter encouraging them to consume your freebie, right? Like repromote your freebie. So for me, I like to have dedicated time like three days a week for 30 minutes or whatever it is, right? But then during that time, I like to have a little bit of freedom to pick what to do, <laugh>. And then you get to have those things that are potent sales and money making tasks, but they're also in alignment to you, right? Okay, So here's some examples. Let's dive in. I'm just gonna say them all and then I'm gonna explain them more thoroughly. Okay? So let's start let's start at the beginning, right? And so when you think about a sales path or a sales funnel or a client relationship map, in order to sell to someone, you first need to have a relationship, right?
Anna Rapp (06:09):
When sales feels weird, it's when someone dms you and pitches you a call and you've like never heard of them before, That's weird, right? There's no relationship there. Where it doesn't feel weird is if someone has been consuming your content, right? They've been following you on Instagram, they've been watching your reels, they've been watching your stories, they've been connecting. Maybe they've even messaged you a time or two. Maybe they've commented on your post and then you reach out and you say, Hey, I would actually love to connect with you on a free call. Let me know if you're interested and I can send the link. And they're like, Really? Oh my gosh, I would love that. I've been like, I've been connecting with you through your content and now I would love to hop on a call, right? That doesn't feel weird, right? That feels like furthering the relationship.
Anna Rapp (06:50):
And so if you are not foster, some people are like, Well, I don't even know who I would pitch. You need to go back to square one. So that's what we're gonna do today is like go back to square one, ground zero, right? One of the sales or connections or money making actions you can take is creating more connection. Okay? So if you don't have a lot of engagement with your community, how you do this is number one by creating value, right? So posting value online, getting visible on social media in your community, in other people's communities, right? And really creating a reason for people to connect with you, right? So posting value and then posting engagement. You guys know I talk about visibility in one of four ways, and one of those ways is just engaging with people on Instagram. This might look like you doing some stories and doing some polls so people can easily engage with you, right?
Anna Rapp (07:42):
On my Facebook group, my favorite way to do this, and I just enjoy this too, is get to know you questions, right? So maybe you ask like coffee or tea right? In your Facebook group, or maybe it's something more related to your niche, but just getting people to engage with you and connect with you is that first step and your sales actions are gonna be so much easier if you have that traction. Okay? another action that you can take is connecting and engaging, not just expecting people to do it on your content, but engaging on other people's content, right? Really creating connection where other people are, right? Like if you're a fertility coach, going into maybe a Facebook group or a hashtag and you're seeing where your clients are hanging out, seeing where they are going to them, creating value, creating connection, whether it's by commenting, by messaging and you don't have to do this to like 90 people, like three people.
Anna Rapp (08:36):
You know, like just really seeing where you can create connection and relationship is where it's at. Okay? Another thing, let's see, what else did I put? Yes, connecting on other people's Instagram accounts, other people's Facebook groups, posting content in other people's Facebook groups. I love doing friend requests, whether it's a Facebook firm request or a DM friend request, right? And then connecting whether it's voice memo message, I really like to do my sales actions first thing in the morning. A lot of times people say like, Oh, I'll do it in the afternoon. If you can do it in the morning right after you've done your mindset work, right after you're feeling high vibe, because this is what I say when you connect with people online, right? Worst case scenario, even if they never buy from you, I always like kind of say this prayer of like, I hope I make someone stay better, right?
Anna Rapp (09:24):
Like, and I think we also do this thing where we're like, you know, am I selling to them or am I being kind to them? Like, what if we're just out there putting positive energy on the internet <laugh> and trusting that the right people are gonna wanna buy from us, right? And really being unattached from the energy and from those connections, but really go going out there to encourage people and make the world a better place, right? Not to be woo woo, but okay, another action that you can take towards the beginning of someone's journey with you is inviting pe your connections to your free stuff, right? I consider a sales action, not just inviting someone to your paid offer, but if you're just connecting with someone for the first time, you can say, Hey, have you downloaded my freebie? I would love to invite you to my free challenge, right?
Anna Rapp (10:11):
Oh, do, did you know I have a podcast? This is an episode I think you'd like, right? Or like, Tell me what you're struggling with and I'll link you to a blog post that I think will be most useful from my blog, right? Encouraging people to take that next step with you if they're not even on your email list, if they're not even following you on Instagram, if they're not even in your Facebook group, don't feel like you have to pitch them your paid thing. Like pitch them your free thing, right? Say that all together. Pitch people your free thing. Another thing is just remembering to connect with the people that are already following you. People say like, I don't have a big enough audience. Like I am of a huge believer that you can definitely scale multiple six figures with a small engaged audience.
Anna Rapp (10:52):
For me, I honestly prefer it. It feels like it's less drama. I feel like it's a big reason why I have like zero to none problem clients, zero to none. Audience members that are are problematic because I feel like I really have grown slow and steadily and I've really done it in a really nurturing, organic way. And so like that's one of the benefits to it, right? So when it comes to your current people commenting on your posts, replying to your newsletters, right? Following you on Instagram, joining your Facebook group, are you sending them a no? And are you saying like, Hey, I'm so grateful to connect with you, right? And then when it comes down to those relationships that are warm, that are connected, I think it makes so much sense to be super direct and to invite people to your paid offer, right?
Anna Rapp (11:41):
Not feeling like you have to like go back and forth and like build a relationship for seven years with the just like waiting to pitch them. Like, that feels weird. I actually feel like it's less weird if you are thinking about inviting someone to your paid program, just being direct and just tell them that like, Hey, I have this offer, this is who it's for. If it's a fit for you, let me know and I can send the link. I really like to ask for consent in that way. Instead of like just sending the link all the time. I'll say like, Let me know if you're interested and I would love to shoot you the link to my discovery call. And then they can say, Yes, I would love that, right? But I think it's so useful to be direct instead of feeling like, Oh, I have to like awkwardly like ask how they're doing for nine questions, right?
Anna Rapp (12:22):
Unless you actually are curious, right? If you actually do care about them and it is the start to your relationship, do that, right? But there's nothing wrong, which is being direct in saying like, Hey, I have this offer. Let me know if it's a fit and if not, that's okay. Right? Again, ideally with the people in your audience that you already have relationship with. I also put as a action in this category writing, like I said before, like writing social media, content, writing email content, but ideally not. That's just value, but that's being more direct in selling. So examples of this are a testimonial post, right? A client win something that's talking about the features or the benefits of your program, right? Something that's taking your audience behind the scenes of your program, showing them what they get when they buy and purchase with you.
Anna Rapp (13:11):
So I hope that this was useful, <laugh>, I know that that was a lot, but the goal is that you would pick like three or four things and that you would actually do it consistently, right? And you would think through what are those things that I can do super consistently? Oh yeah, when someone follows me on Instagram, I can send them a voice memo connect, right? When someone joins my Facebook group, I can shoot them over a little message, right? I can invite three people to a free call with me every week, right? Whatever are your metrics getting so clear on that and then literally blocking off time on your calendar to do it, right? This is the tricky part. <Laugh> actually saying, Okay, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 8:00 AM to 8:30 AM I'm gonna do it. And you know what I'm gonna tell you guys, it feels so good once you do, right?
Anna Rapp (14:00):
I'm a big fan of like serving your fir for your current clients first. And so maybe you decide like, Okay, I'm gonna check in with my current clients and then after that I'm gonna do my sales actions and then you've got the rest of the day free, right? To do whatever you need to do for your business, for your life, right? But I really encourage you to get more fears about what those actions are. Could even include some visibility actions in here. Maybe it's pitching yourself to podcasts, right? But it's really getting clear on like, what are, what, what's two things? Number one, what's the time of the day, time of the week where you're gonna do this and actually calendar it in? And then what are you gonna actually do during that time? What are you gonna actually do during that time? Again, either creating an agenda for yourself or creating little actions.
Anna Rapp (14:48):
And then for my clients, often they'll check in with, with me as they're getting in this habit of actually doing sales actions every week they'll clock in and they'll clock out, right? In our Slack group, I have a few clients that do this that will say, Okay, Anna, on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, I'm gonna commit to doing this and I'm gonna clock in at 10:00 AM I'm not gonna be a minute late for myself. I'm really gonna show up for myself and sell for three days a week. And the cool thing about this is then you actually know if what you're doing is working or not. And if it's not working after 90 days, you can shift it. If it is working, you can keep doing it instead of going off of your own motivation, going off of your own inertia, right? You're really sticking to a plan.
Anna Rapp (15:29):
And then you can assess how is this working? Am I getting conversion? Am I monetizing from these sales actions or should I do something else? It also helps as you grow and scale your business because then you can outsource to your team help with some of these tasks, but you don't wanna do that until you've first been doing it yourself, right? Okay. I would love to hear from you, email me and share with me your sales buffet, your sales actions, your sales menu that you wanna commit to doing for the next 90 days. What is it again? Those two questions. When are you gonna be doing it? Like Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 8:00 AM to 8:30 AM you need, I think if you are in a season of really working to grow your business and monetize more, you need to be selling at least three times a week for 30 minutes a day at least, right?
Anna Rapp (16:16):
And I truly believe you can find actions that feel an alignment for you and your audience, right? But you've got a number one block off that time. Number two, you've gotta find actions that feel best to you. I am, I do do a limited amount of mini sessions. So if you get stuck on this, let me know. I can tell you if I have any mini sessions open in whatever month you're listening to this. But I really highly recommend getting support around these custom actions, not just like guessing, because you're gonna be doing these for 90 days, right? And so you want to be able to decide and pick the most potent aligned sales actions possible for you in your business, but do this for 90 days and you're gonna get wild results and shock yourself, right? Do not expect results on day two, okay?
Anna Rapp (16:58):
<Laugh>, because it takes a little bit of time, right? It takes a little bit of time for these actions to convert. But I guarantee you that if you show up and take calculated sales actions for 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, you a hundred percent see results in your business because of it. And the cool thing too is like you're taking all these like sales actions, right? But you are really releasing the results, right? And so you are showing up with your actions, whether it's like posting value content, sending dms, right? Writing emails. You are taking your actions, but you're trusting the universe to show up and support you and trusting that the sales may not come. Like maybe you DM three people, right? Maybe not all of those three people convert to paying clients tomorrow, right? Maybe one converts into a paying client in three months, maybe one doesn't convert, but you know, know ends up really falling in love with your podcast and sharing it with a friend, and then that friend ends up becoming a paying client, right?
Anna Rapp (17:55):
Like maybe that other person doesn't become a paying client, but they become like a great biz bestie to you, <laugh>, right? Like, we're not gonna be attached to these actions, but we know that when you take brave, bold sales action, money making move, the universe responds to that and supports you and does her half, right? You just do your half. And then we're just gonna trust that the results, that the money is gonna come in because you are putting out your part and you're opening your hands to receive. I mean, I've just seen this happen in my business time and time again, right? I do seem me say this out loud if you're listening to this too. I feel called to share this with you, right? I do my part, I trust God with the rest, I do my part, I trust the universe with the rest.
Anna Rapp (18:36):
I let go. I show up in asking yourself, Am I doing my part? Am I showing up and selling three times a week for 30 minutes? Like it's not that hard. It doesn't take that long. I get it feels hard when you start doing it right? And especially the mindset that like what holds us back from doing that honestly is money mindset. Like believing that it can be that simple, right? Believing that it's okay to sell and that we're not gonna be spammy or out of alignment or out of integrity, right? All that mindset stuff is what holds us back from just the simplicity of showing up and doing the work three times a week and then seeing the massive results come in. Like, it really is that simple when it comes to making six figures and beyond in your business is sitting down and actually prioritizing that.
Anna Rapp (19:16):
And I get it's hard to do that. I get that you have current clients you're serving. I get that you have life stuff going on. I get that you have other business priorities, right? But, but, but, but sales is self care, right? Sales really like the, the sales actions you're taking today are the selfcare for your future self in 60 days, 90 days. And so figure out a way to make it happen. And if you want me to be the coach that will help you make it happen. I would love, love, love to support you in getting clear on your sales actions and also helping you take those actions consistently. You know, making those sales. And also once you, I think we also have this fear of like, okay, what if this actually works? And what if I actually make six figures and multi six figures?
Anna Rapp (19:57):
What if I'm overwhelmed and overloaded and don't like my life or job or business? My other job is your coach, is to make sure that you're creating a business you love, right? That you are creating something that you enjoy working in, that you have, you know, limited hours so that almost all of my clients work part-time hours and I work part-time hours. I work between, I would say between 20 and 30 hours a week. And that's because I really value my time with my littles. I really value my time dancing. But chatha, right? Like I value, like all those other things working out. And so give yourself permission to keep it simple, but also do the money mindset work that's keeping you believing that if you did this and if it worked that you wouldn't like it, you are going to love your success. You are going to love making more money. You are going to love being happier. You are going to love being more abundant. You're gonna love making more money. You
Speaker 2 (20:47):
Are going to love it. It's going to be good. You know, our brain likes to tell us and give us all these fears of like what could go wrong and what could be bad. But you can trust yourself. You can trust yourself with more money. You can trust yourself with more resources. You can trust yourself with more happiness. You can trust yourself with more clients. You can trust yourself with a bigger business. You can trust yourself with the team. As it gets bigger, it gets better. As you receive more, more will come your way. You can trust yourself with more money, with more happiness, with more support, with more abundance, with better friendships, with a an amazing partner, with, you know, a beautiful relationship with your kids. It can get better. It can get better. It will get better. It will get better.
PS: In the midst of this challenging time I’ve been asking myself what I can do to help? One of the #1 ways I support my clients is by helping them simplify their business so that they can increase the flow of money without creating extra work. In this season simplified visibility and sales is needed more than ever.
So if you’re craving personal support as you reposition your free and paid work, I’d love to help you simplify your sales process so that you can produce income in your business even during a challenging time. If you want support you can check out my services and book a free discovery call here, or you can send me a DM on Instagram.