We're excited to be working on a formal relationship with Sales Geek to be able to offer you a range of support options from 1-1 training to sector group sessions, helping you to grow your UK and export sales.
In our latest session with Tom from Sales Geek, we explored the fundamental principles that drive successful sales for international entrepreneurs entering the UK market. The discussion centered on a critical framework known as AIDA - Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action - which mirrors the traditional sales funnel and helps businesses understand how to convert prospects into customers. A key insight emerged early in the conversation: while people buy from people they like, the emotional connection matters more than we might think. The human brain's limbic system, often called the "chimp brain" or "lizard brain," actually makes purchasing decisions based on gut feeling and emotional response, with the rational prefrontal cortex simply justifying those decisions afterward. This explains why we sometimes make purchases we later question - and why building rapport and emotional value is crucial to sales success.
The session emphasized the critical importance of developing a sharp value proposition rather than trying to be all things to all people. Many businesses fall into the trap of claiming to be convenient, unique, relationship-focused, and inexpensive all at once, but success comes from focusing on one or perhaps one-and-a-half of these attributes. Tom stressed that understanding your value proposition isn't about being "salesy" - it's about clearly articulating what you do supremely well and identifying customers who will see the most value in your service. This targeted approach leads to higher conversion rates, better customer relationships, and more effective cross-selling opportunities. The golden rule emerged clearly throughout the discussion: features tell, but benefits sell. Every feature must be linked to a tangible benefit through "which means" statements that connect product capabilities to real customer value.
For international entrepreneurs navigating the UK market, the conversation provided reassuring context about cultural selling differences. While there are some broad cultural variations - with US markets tending toward more transactional conversations and markets like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and India being more relationship-focused - the UK's multicultural population centers have created a melting pot that blends the best of different approaches. The most important skill isn't adapting to a specific UK style, but rather learning to read individual customers and understanding whether they prefer "big chunk" headline information or need granular details. Tom emphasized that knowing your customer base remains the universal foundation of sales success, regardless of geography or sector. Whether selling glasses or SaaS platforms, the principle of building value - understanding where customers will see worth in your offering - applies across all business types.
The session concluded with practical pathways for entrepreneurs to access sales expertise without breaking their budgets. Sales Geek offers free sales clubs across the UK including multiple locations in London and the Southeast, providing networking opportunities alongside high-level sales strategy sessions. For those seeking deeper support, mentoring services and cohorted sales directorship programs provide access to corporate-level sales expertise at a fraction of traditional costs - typically £12,000-£15,000 annually rather than the £150,000+ required for a full-time sales director. Particularly exciting for our members working toward export targets, Sales Geek's international network spanning from California to Mongolia means UK businesses can tap into local sales expertise in target markets abroad, providing on-the-ground support as they scale internationally.
To contact Sales Geek and find out more about how they can help you, click below and complete the contact form:
Richard Harrison
To watch the full session, click below:
