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Boys vs. Girls in Small Business? Sort-of…

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Published: 12Sep2007
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Women small business owners often operate much differently than men. In the beginning, in my experience, men are more likely to select their businesses based on potential for making big money and women are more likely to choose based on a passion.

Some women are able to start very small businesses, like a MLM or personal service business, because their husbands are the primary wage-earners and their income is not ‘needed'. Most men do not have this option open to them.

Women often have a tendency to think smaller than men, too. They are less likely to beg, borrow and steal to get the money they need for business development. They think smaller, spend smaller and build slower. Often, this means they stay very small because they are unable or unwilling to spend anything on their marketing or business education.

In networking, a man is more likely to be direct, ask for what he wants and be unconcerned about hurting his fellow man's feelings. In fact, that thought probably never crosses his mind! Women, on the other hand, skirt issues, avoid conflict and sometimes don't ask for what they want and need for fear of offending. Women also nurture and educate more, making the relationship-building component of networking easier and sometimes quicker.

Networking is an opportunity to do business in a social way. I have noticed a significant growth in the number of women's networking groups in the last few years – probably because women and men network differently. The local chamber and some weekly leads groups often have a more male culture. Women successfully combine hugs and business development, getting business and some social needs met simultaneously.

One big problem that negatively affects women's success is ‘taking it personally'. We want to be liked and sometimes lose perspective – it's business. It is OK if everyone doesn't like you – it's business. Your mission is to market your business to a target market and get people to buy what you're selling. Making friends will happen organically, just like in any workplace.

The sales process is also quite different. Women have a lot of unnecessary fear that can easily be worked around, often based on their negative past experiences when they were the prospects. Men do not have as much difficulty asking for the sale. The sales meeting, or fr'ee consultation or demonstration, will be controlled by someone and it should be the business person doing the selling! Have an agenda and follow it. It is perfectly ok to establish rapport by having a short personal discussion, then get to the business at hand.

Listen to the prospect tell you their problems, demonstrate your ability to solve their problems, then use their own admission of their problems to close the sale. If you honestly believe in your service/product, then you will know when you are doing the prospect a favor by offering it to them. So offer it, already! Ask for the sale! Here are some great options:
- I would really like to work with you; would you like to work with me? (must be delivered with genuine sincerity or it will fall flat)
- How would you like to move forward?

The most important part of the sales process comes next – be quiet! Allow the prospect to think about your offer and give you an answer. The first person to talk loses – this is a basic rule of sales. The mistake many women make is to keep talking – and giving discounts. Please don't do this!

As a purchaser, I love it when you do this! If you offer me a deal, I'm going to take it. However, if you had not offered the deal, I probably still would have made the purchase.

There are more issues faced by women, such as work/life balance, especially for those who begin their businesses when their children start school, or after a divorce. With adequate education and investment in business development, and a clear understanding of all her goals, a woman can certainly have a successful business; and the same can be said for a man.

Audrey Burton, Small Business Coach, is “The Tigress”. Get her FREE Special Report, “Closing the Sale is Not Complicated!” and her FREE monthly email newsletter at http://www.TigressCoaching.com .

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