Proven Ideas to Help Your Sales Success in Times of Confusion, Complexity & Uncertainty

This is not a topic that many business owners want to talk about right now for the fear of looking greedy in a time of uncertainty with everyone at home. Yet, the reality is for over 70% of small businesses there is a burning question of how they will stay open without new money coming into the business. 

It’s a balance that we’ve never experienced so quickly.

Behind close doors, business owners are sharing with me the reality that their sales and sales processes were adequate before but now this time has magnified what was missing from their business all along. Their sales process or lack of one were built on an illusion. The foundation of business sales was never put into place and now it’s so obvious what they have to do.

Yet, how do you survive and still sell when people are focused on their health and not wanting to spend money?

It’s a complex topic right now for most businesses in an even more complex situation because none of us have gone through this type of health and business upheaval. We don’t have experience and knowledge as to what is the best way to maneuver our way through the crisis.

However, there are proven sales ideas that have worked in past recessions and when this country went through 9-11 that can increase your business’ competitive edge and take this disruption as an opportunity to increase your value, increase your uniqueness and have a clear and compelling message that demonstrates that to the market you serve.

Proven Sales Ideas

1. Deepen relationships with your existing clients. Increase your connection with them. Let them know you want to be an advisor to them and give them more of your time. Your listening skills are the most important sales tool you have right now.
2. Protect your business and current clients. A knowing business owner knows in this time of change many people will start looking for other ways to do business because during complex times alternatives come out of the woodwork - some good some not so good. Stay informed so you can communicate with your clients and potential clients.
3. Give more - in a way that makes sense. Right now everyone seems to be giving away free stuff to be helpful. You should but don’t give away your business during this time. Balance your generosity with the need to be a business owner. Give away additional training. Do extra research that benefits your market and share.
4. Look at you and your business and work as to the value you bring to the market. Spend some planning time and really dig deep. This will benefit you the most especially during the recovery phase.
5. Articulate that value in your messaging, marketing and sales process. Now is the best time to hone in on what you really bring to the market and what makes you unique. If you don’t when the recovery begins, you will be in the back of your market trying to catch up with everyone that did this work.
6. Get better at your own sales skills. Develop a better sales process for your business. Your business talked back to you in this abrupt change we are going through. Pay attention and do what showed up that’s missing for you and your business.
7. Make a plan. Make multiple plans - plan for the next 48 hours. Plan for the next two weeks.  Plan for the next 30 days. Plan for the recovery period. Plan for growth after the recovery.

That’s the work my clients and new clients are doing now. Plan. Be flexible. Plan. Be focused. Plan. Be ready. Plan. Get better. Plan. See opportunities. Plan. Position for growth.