Why Your Family Business is Losing Sales

Friday, December 20, 2024

Six Ways To Improve Your Sales

You’ve got a great product. Let’s call it a ‘widget.’ You know it’s good. It’s well-made. It solves problems. It’s priced fairly.


But no one’s buying it.


Why?


Because making widgets isn’t enough. Selling them is the hard part. And family businesses—the ones without a professional marketing department—fall into this trap all the time.


Here’s what happens:


1. You panic when someone questions your price.A potential customer says, “Why is it so expensive?” Or worse, “I can’t afford this.”And suddenly, you’re sweating. You’re thinking, “It’s been weeks since a new order came in. Maybe I should lower the price. Maybe I’ll lose this sale if I don’t.”So, you cave.You slash your prices.And now, you’ve taught the customer one thing: you don’t believe your product is worth it.


2. You take pricing personally.Someone questions your price, and it feels like an attack.“How dare they?” you think.You’ve poured blood, sweat, and tears into your widgets. So, you fire back:“Do you know how much work goes into this?”Now it’s a fight. And guess what? Customers don’t want to fight. They walk away.


3. You treat every sale like a competition.It’s not about beating the customer. It’s about working together.When someone says, “I’ve got a budget issue,” don’t take it as a challenge. Take it as an opportunity.Ask: “What’s most important to you?”Help them get the essentials. Guide them on what to leave out. Be their partner, not their opponent.


4. You justify your prices.Justifying your price is the fastest way to lose authority.It makes you look desperate.Think about it.When you go to the supermarket, do you ask why milk costs what it does?When you go to a car dealership, do you expect a breakdown of the price tag?No. You expect confidence.So, why explain yourself?Your price is your price. Full stop.


5. You let family dynamics muddle the message.This one’s a killer.In a family business, roles get blurry. Who’s in charge of sales? Who’s in charge of communication?When everyone’s doing a bit of everything, no one’s doing it well.And customers notice.They see mixed signals. They hear conflicting messages. They lose trust.Fix this. Define roles. Stick to them.


6. You’re too busy making widgets.Making widgets is safe. Selling them isn’t.Selling means talking to people. Hearing objections. Facing rejection.It’s uncomfortable. But it’s essential.Because without sales, there’s no business.


The Bottom LineRunning a family business is tough. There’s a lot to juggle.But if you’re not selling confidently, you’re leaving money on the table.So, stop taking pricing personally. Stop justifying yourself.Start working with your customers, not against them.


And most importantly, remember this:
Selling isn’t about the widgets. It’s about the people.
Figure that out, and your business will thrive.

© 2025 Stephen Bray. Patterns in life and business — told simply.