Elinor Stutz, Smooth Sale
Smooth Sale, launched in 2003 in Petaluma, Calif., motivates and teaches people how to apply relationship selling to all endeavors.
‘Ah ha’ moment that led to launching the business: I was on a stretcher with a broken neck hearing the prediction of paralysis but I was having a different experience at the precise moment.
Ideal customer: Entrepreneurs and sales teams motivated to move their business forward, people about to go on interviews, and conference organizers wanting an inspirational/motivational speaker.
First client: I found my first client networking at a Chamber of Commerce event.
Measuring success: At a networking event, it was clear my message was off when I stated, “I am a sales trainer.” The men laughed, believing a woman couldn’t possibly know enough about sales to be effective. The women ran away from me. That night I began studying marketing materials. The common factor was they all said, “Write a book”. I wrote my first manuscript in three months. Sourcebooks, agreed to publish the book, Nice Girls DO Get the Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results. It was soon featured in a TIME Business Supplement, translated into several languages and was an international best-seller.
Biggest struggle: Overcoming lack of self-confidence about the very steep learning curve that entrepreneurship entails. I gradually overcame this by doing coaching — alternating between men and women to gain both perspectives. I also tried new strategies that were risky — jumping into social media three years ago before it was popular. Today I have a very large online following and I have also embraced online video technology – again ahead of the curve. My confidence has soared.
Surprise!: When you set your mind to achieving something, no matter the predictions or the odds, you will be on the right track for doing so.
Promoting sales: Everything I do is traced to sales know-how. I spent an 11-year corporate career as a top sales producer. Social media works beautifully for attracting opportunity – it’s a level playing field. I was asked to speak at several online conferences, contribute to nine other books and speak at the Learning Annex Money Fest Conference last year headlined by Suze Orman.
What you wish you would have known: To track what was working best in terms of revenue upfront and to completely ignore negative people. Once I began to ignore the negative and not allow negative minded people into my home my confidence soared and things began to take off.
What keeps you up at night (business wise!)?: For a long while it was money and things I needed to learn. Now it is customary for these to be on my mind and they no longer keep me up.
Ever tempted to throw in the towel and just get a job?: The easy answer was to quit. I thought of it frequently in the early years and less frequently as time went on. I advise others, “When you quit, you will never know what was just around the corner.” Slowly but surely I found the better path.
A good tip: Video in social media is cutting edge. Always look for the opportunity that will put you ahead of the crowd to build your brand, attract wider audiences and put you on the map.
The absolute best part of owning my business is: the freedom to try something new to see what happens; bring on new challenges and find what works best. The song, I Did It My Way, comes to mind.
If I had to start over again, I would: have moved away from the negative minded far more quickly and planned my business better.
I never imagined: entrepreneurship would be so difficult.
If standing on a rooftop facing crowds of aspiring or struggling small business owners, I would shout: “Entrepreneurship is a commitment to continued education and you must believe in yourself to succeed.”
