How to Increase Sales for Your Business: The Real Strategies That Work

By Jordan Evans

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Your business is up and running, you’ve built a customer base, and things seem steady. But you know there's potential for more. The question is: how do you increase sales without just throwing more money at ads?

Most small businesses hit a point where they struggle to scale beyond a certain threshold. It’s not for lack of hard work or even demand—it’s about finding the right strategies that drive growth without spinning your wheels and wasting precious time.

Let’s break it down.

1. Your Best Leads Are in Your Pocket

It’s easier (and cheaper) to sell to someone who’s already bought from you than to find a brand-new customer. Plus, returning customers spend up to 67% more than new customers. Yet, many businesses chase new leads without leveraging their existing customer base. That’s leaving money on the table.

Here’s an example. Will an electrician in Colorado, ran a successful business, but his growth had stalled. He wasn’t getting as many new customers, and his profits had plateaued. The solution? Database reactivation. By sending a simple email to his old customers offering a service check-up, Matt filled his calendar for weeks—without spending a dollar on new ads.

Here’s how you can do it:

• Send a Re-engagement Email: Craft a personalized message offering a special discount or check-up. For instance, “It’s been a while since we last helped you. Need a maintenance check?”
• Use a CRM: Store customer information and set reminders for follow-ups, seasonal offers, or even birthday discounts.

The return on investment (ROI) from re-engaging past customers can be astronomical. They already know and trust you, which shortens the sales cycle.

2. Automate Your Sales Process

Entrepreneurs often spend 30-50% of their time on administrative tasks. The good news? Most of this work can be automated! This means less time selling and more time getting bogged down by paperwork.

Take painting company owners, for example. One company in New York had been spending hours manually following up with leads and scheduling service appointments. After implementing a missed call text back feature, they had more time to spend on working jobs and less time on chasing down missed calls. An added bonus is that if they missed a call, the customer didn't go elsewhere for work!

How can you automate your sales process?

• Use a CRM: CRMs like Jobber, ServiceTitan, or our LeadConnector App, can send follow-ups, handle invoicing, and track lead status so you don’t lose track of potential jobs.
• Implement a Chatbot: Use a chatbot on your website to capture leads 24/7. Customers appreciate immediate responses, even if it's automated.

3. Upsell and Cross-sell Like a Pro

Many business owners overlook the potential of upselling or cross-selling. If you're already doing a job for a customer, it's an opportunity to offer additional services.

Roofers who simply add one question can sell more: "Would you like us to check your gutters while we're here?" By offering this service at a slight discount, roofers increased their average sales. It was an easy win—customers appreciated the convenience, and roofers boosted their revenue with minimal extra effort.

How you can start upselling:

• Create Bundles: Pair related services. For example, if you’re a plumber, offer a discounted water heater inspection when doing a leak repair.
• Suggest Add-ons: Simple add-ons, like offering an air quality test with HVAC maintenance, can improve sales without feeling pushy.

4. Boost Online Reviews—Organically

Do your customers rave about you in private, but your Google Reviews look sparse? The problem is getting customers to leave them. Large companies like Apple and Zappos thrive on their customer service reputation, and that starts with reviews.

A local junk removal company in Texas found that by simply asking for reviews at the point of service, they were able to collect over 100 five-star reviews in less than a year. The higher rating, combined with authentic customer stories, led to a noticeable uptick in new clients from organic search.

How you can get more reviews:

• Ask at the Right Time: The best time to ask for a review is right after a job well done. Have your team mention it while wrapping up.
• Make It Easy: Send a follow-up text with a direct link to your Google Business Profile, making it effortless for clients to leave feedback.

5. Focus on Repeatable Systems, Not Heroics

A common trap is relying on spur-of-the-moment, heroic efforts to make sales. But what really scales is building repeatable systems. One local landscaping company I worked with was constantly in reactive mode—trying to handle sales, customer service, and marketing all at once. They felt like they were constantly putting out fires.

We implemented a sales funnel and nurture campaigns, which followed up with potential clients automatically after their first contact. The results? They spent less time chasing leads and more time closing deals.

Your action plan:

• Create a Simple Funnel: Capture leads on your website, send automated follow-ups, and nurture relationships through email campaigns.
• Track Your Numbers: Know your conversion rates at each step—lead to estimate, estimate to sale, and sale to repeat business.

Call to Action: Make Small Changes Today

So, what’s your next move?

• Send that re-engagement email to past customers. Or have pros do it for you!
• Automate at least one part of your sales process.
• Introduce an upsell in your next customer interaction.

The key to increasing sales isn’t about working harder—it’s about working smarter. Each of these strategies has the potential to move the needle for your business. The real magic happens when you implement them together.

Want personalized help growing your business? Contact us at 99 Calls for lead generation solutions that actually work.