sales tips & articles

It’s difficult to ignore the news of the financial crisis that is occurring around the world and the fear and uncertainty that it is creating. Here in Australia many companies have been tightening their budgets and reducing their spending over recent months and it looks like it’s going to continue. So what does this mean for those of us running businesses or working in sales?

To me it means choices. You can:

1. do exactly what you have been doing in the past and hope that it works
2. admit defeat and tell yourself there is nothing you can do, or
3. sharpen your sales skills and see it as an opportunity not a threat

Opportunities, at a time like this? Yes because situations and events create opportunities.

It’s times like this that many businesses are open to discussing other options and some may even need to evaluate current supplier relationships. It’s a great time to get back in touch with old prospects, find new prospects and to spend time with customers to ensure they are indeed satisfied and happy with your product and service.

No matter how bad the economy may or may not be, people and businesses still have problems that need to be solved and they will still need help to solve them. Sales may slow but they aren’t going to stop.

Here are some ideas on how you can increase your sales and maintain your client base:

1. Maintain or increase your marketing, it’s important to remain visible.
2. Re-focus your sales team and talk about the opportunities.
3. Re-contact prospects that have been called over the past 12 months.
4. Pick up the phone and talk to your customers.
5. Work on your selling skills, particularly your questioning. Make sure your asking the right questions e.g. “Why do you think that?”, “What impact will that have”.
6. Dig deeper and uncover the real need or buying reason. “We need to improve productivity by 5%” is not the real need. Asking “why” will start to uncover the real reason.
7. Improve your listening skills and be an active listener. If you receive a response that is vague or you’re not sure what it means, ask questions.
8. Focus even more on the needs of your customers and your prospects.
9. Stay positive, it will rub off on everyone around you.

Remember, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going and the rest will just complain”.

Which one will you choose?


This sales article was written by Karen Andrews, Director of Shine Sales Solutions, a Sydney based Sales Coach and Sales expert that works with businesses to increase their sales through strategy development, sales coaching and mentoring.

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