Part 1: Build Momentum
I learned that to build sales, you need to build momentum.
I built my career on driving sales.
One restaurant I added +£300k to annual net sales in six months, spending zero on marketing.
I’ve started a new brand from scratch and achieved £13k weekly from week 6.
I also grew an entire brand from £1m annual to £7.5m.
I spent £0 on paid marketing.
Building momentum was a primary enabler.
Momentum builds engagement and loyalty, firstly from team, then customers.
I see building sales momentum as similar to lighting a campfire:
- An initial spark is needed
- Plenty of oxygen
- Small dry kindling on top
- It needs nurturing in its infancy
- Time given for it to establish
- Larger logs added as the fire grows large enough to handle them.
- Soon there is a roaring established fire
Sales momentum:
1. Sales momentum is sparked initially
- A passionate leader with a vision for sales, customer experience and/or product
- Vision is shared with the team
2. It's nurtured in its infancy
- The team may discuss ideas, problem solve, new initiatives.
- Rewards and incentives may be involved
- Team begin see their role within the team and buy in
- Excitement builds at the prospect of the challenge ahead
- Core human needs begin to be met: belonging, esteem and self actualisation
3. Time is allowed to develop
- Further ideas may be gathered
- Concepts may be reflected on and developed
- Teamwork and collaboration begins, new relationships likely form
- Team begin to share, help each other, bond further as people, not 'colleague with function [x]'
- Team members start to implement, excitement prevails
- Core human needs met further: belonging, esteem and self actualisation
4. Small kindling
- The effect snowballs. Optimism runs through teams in other business areas
- Senior leaders are positively encouraged
- Culture is enhanced and less formal somehow
5. Larger kindling/logs
- Team at all levels are buzzing
- People come out of their shells, personalities flourish
- Customers see and feel the buzz. It’s tangible.
- Tip income increases
- More 5* reviews than ever
- Customers begin to tell their friends. They’ll likely post on socials. They’ll likely have you in mind for an event they’ve got coming up.
- They’ll be back, and sooner next time.
90% of building sales is done in the venue and costs nothing.
👥 I’ll be adding to this series so stay tuned.
🌟 Key Takeaways
- Creating a spark costs nothing
- You don't have to be the CEO, anyone can rub two flints together
- Create an environment where everyone in the team can feel the vision, hear it and engage with it
- Suddenly you’ve created a different place for your team to work and customers to buy from
- Don’t spend on marketing until you’ve done this
- Don't believe me? I've proved it several times over, I've built my career on it
Give it a go.
💬 What do you think? Share your views in the comments.
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