I’m always curious as to what the key to success is. Especially in the business world. Because at the end of the day, we’re all fighting the same battle. If you want to call it that, it’s a rat race. Fighting an uphill struggle all the time. We are frequently frustrated. Occasionally, I feel defeated. But what if I told you that the keys to business success aren’t nearly as complicated as many people believe?

Business is hard, but if you put in the work and keep a positive mindset you will succeed.

I know you’ve come to read the 5 keys to business success, and I’ll get right to it, but before we do, let’s speak about sales for a minute – or less, depending on how quickly you read.

How to Sell Pretty Much Anything to Anyone

Personally, I believe that you must be able to sell in order to achieve business success. It is, without question, the most vital skill you can possess. Everything centers around the concept of sales and you’ll have a hard time succeeding in business if you’re not good at selling.

Influence is another key factor to consider in sales, this is not to deny the fact that other persuasion techniques that perform well in business exist. However, if you want to be successful, you must have a few essentials in place. You can pretty much kiss your chances of success goodbye if the essentials that can help your business succeed aren’t in place.

So let’s just refer to these essentials as “secrets.” They are, without a doubt, fundamental. They are, however, strictly confidential, and I do not mean that in the sense that no one knows or understands them. People, on the other hand, tend to overlook them. 

Take a moment to consider what you’re selling at any given time. No, I’m not referring to goods, services, or information. I’m referring to self-promotion. If you want to succeed, you must be able to sell yourself at any time. Check this out. 

• To secure a decent job, you must pitch your skills to a potential employer.
• You have to convince a potential spouse or date to be with you.
• You’ll need to convince your parents to give you an allowance.
• You’ll need to convince a landlord that you’d be a decent tenant
• You’ll need to convince your customers that you are better than your competition
• You’ll need to convince a client that you are capable of delivering the service that they want.

Everything revolves around selling. Everything. Without a doubt. Now, selling without adhering to a number of so-called secrets will not ensure your long-term success. Sure, you’ll make some improvement in the short term. Great strides, however, are not one of them. There isn’t going to be any exponential growth.

5 secrets to Success in Business

If sales is the foundation of business success, what are the secrets to succeeding at sales? There are essentially five fundamental keys that must be in place at the start of any organization. It’s not simply about making an enticing offer. Yes, you require it. But you’ll need a lot more in place before you can conceive or manufacture it.

While there are undoubtedly dozens, if not hundreds, of success secrets, these five are essential. You can find your way to long-term success if you follow these guidelines. Not in the short term though. Keep in mind that it’s all about being consistent in your approach. It’s not about stumbling, surrendering, or making excuses. It’s all about remaining on the right track no matter how many times you fail.

1. Offer something of Real Value

It is the foundation of Business Success. If you think about it right now, the world’s wealthiest people have created the greatest amount of value. It is, without a doubt, critical if you want to win in your field. So, why is value so important, you might wonder. 

While some people may be able to sell anything, long-term success is not guaranteed. You will lose if you put your own demands ahead of the needs of the customer. Whatever you sell, make, construct, or think up, do it with the best interests of the customer in mind.

Ponder on this for a moment. Most of the world’s most successful companies added value – First –  before they ever made a dollar/naira. Through a large social network, Facebook connects the entire world. Google gave the most uncannily accurate search results before they decided to run ads, Uber made it easy for people to get cabs and ride to their destination in comfort, and BrandDrive is helping business owners make data-driven decisions and handle their finances with ease.

I guess all I am trying to say is if you want long-term success, offer something of real value.

2. Make a Positive difference in other people’s lives

You should not only provide true value, but you should also look for methods to better the lives of people with whatever you’re selling. Sure, for a little time, you could sell anything to anyone whether it helps them or not. However, you’re wasting your time if you’re not enhancing the lives of customers.

You may truly transform your business and propel it into the stratosphere by creating products, services, or knowledge that enhances the lives of others. It’s long-term exponential growth we’re talking about, and it is above and beyond anything you could possibly imagine.

That doesn’t rule out the possibility of making money from your efforts. It simply suggests that you must prioritize enhancing the lives of your customers. That is the key or the secret to business success in this situation. Concentrate on that, and you’ll see your company take shape and reach new heights. Ignore it and watch it go up in flames in the longterm

3. Be authentic and straightforward.

Nobody likes a jerk. You will be unable to sell anything that way, not even yourself. Please don’t be the business person who everyone avoids talking to. The rude online vendor. The shady, low-balling, greedy salesperson. Please don’t be one of those people. Just don’t do it. Instead, if you truly want to succeed, be genuine, friendly, and truthful to your customers.

Make no unrealistic promises. People are able to see straight through them. Rather, be open and honest about what your product, service, or knowledge will accomplish. Use real-world feedback from folks who have tried out whatever you’re selling (good or service). Those endorsements mean a lot.

People can detect when you’re being inauthentic, whether they’re Gen Z, millennials, or baby boomers. People aren’t irrational. So don’t try to fool people by pretending to be or saying something you’re not. It’s a complete waste of time and will cost you in the long term.

4. Focus on the positive aspect of things. 

While you should not aim to please everyone all of the time, you should always try to think positively. To put it another way, don’t entertain negative thoughts. Yes, it is challenging. It is, nonetheless, required. If you begin to fall into a state of negativity, it will have an impact on the remainder of your life. 

Given that we have up to 60,000 ideas per day, the most majority of which occur in the subconscious mind, you will feel out of control if you do not focus your thoughts on the positive. You will not be able to control your own destiny, and if you’re in that frame of mind, you won’t be able to sell anything.

You simply cannot advance if you are continuously focused on the pain of a negative outcome rather than the joy of a happy end. Sure, business is difficult. We’re all aware of it. However, as long as you put in the effort and maintain a positive attitude, it will become easier with time.

5. Adhere to the 80-20 Rule

According to the 80-20 Rule, 80% of the results come from 20% of the efforts. In sales, this suggests that 20% of the consumers account for 80% of the sales.

Concentrate on that. Determine which efforts are yielding the best outcomes. This isn’t about working long and exhausting days, toiling away, or constantly being the last one out of the office. It all comes down to productivity. You can scale it up if you find what works. Consider a 4-hour workweek rather than an 18-hour day.

Too many people believe that straining themselves to the bone is indeed the key to success. No, it doesn’t. Simply identify and scale the activities that are yielding the best results. That is how you expand out and grow a business.

Thank you for reading, I hope my few tips have assisted you in one way or the other on your way to Success. Till we meet again, remember that “Na small small pikin dey big”