Putting bums on seats for your expert workshop or business event, converting people in your sphere of influence into buyers for your business offering, getting past the gatekeeper to persuade decision makers to 'use' you and ably handling objections so people feel silly saying 'no' are critical entrepreneurial business competencies. If you own and run your own business, you need them. Yes, in time, you may grow to the luxury of having help in any one or more of these areas, but in the early stages, it's on you.

It is NOT enough to have created a great service or product if you can't sell these - every month, in sufficient quantities and at a profit each time. Many a brilliant designer, photographer, baker, accountant, sports coach, journalist, HR expert, therapist, restaurateur and musician, to name but a few, has quickly discovered that building a business out of what they do is not the same as plying their craft. And that consistent sales each month can be peskily elusive.

But what continues to separate those who make it from those who don't in economic winter - where money is tight, value is demanded, decision making cycles are lengthy and customers have choice - is this ability to turn on a sale when it's needed. This does not meant just when it happens thanks to word of mouth, or because of an in-bound lead off social media, an online inquiry you did not initiate or a 'spray and pray email blitz to a database list you don't know.

It means being skilled in being able to identify, converse and meet up with and ultimately persuade others to buy from you - it's like dating. It takes time, a process of interacting personally and telephonically with your business prospect or 'date', preparation on your part, competence, lots of real-life practice, good questions, a curated curiosity, proper targeting the right people and thought around what value it is you actually have to offer.

If any of this sounds foreign, overwhelming or novel....you have some work to do on yourself and for the sake of your business. Why not start with my book PEACE by Piece which has been written for such a time as this and for exactly these sorts of business-owning crossroads? Others just like you have confirmed it helped them build the competencies and confidence they needed. You can get your copy at http://amzn.eu/d/0CINNLi