Being in sales, you know that it’s not necessarily about you when people say “no.” The product is important; how you pitch it, your approach to selling, and your personality — when that all comes together, the stars align.
Having said that, the sales process from introduction to close varies depending on the product or service you sell and why people buy.
During this quarantine, many have had a forced purchase break limited to online shopping. Some are hungry to purchase items that haven’t been available during this time, while others will focus on necessities until there’s ample cash flow.
For many of you, there may have been time to evaluate what and why you spend your money on. From eating out to cooking at home, reevaluating your wardrobe with your business attire hanging in the closet, home decor, and office needs, you’ve had an unprecedented time to catch up, organize, plan, and prepare for what’s next.
Here are 8 areas to consider reviewing as you prepare yourself for phase 2 with businesses reopening in the coming weeks that you may or may not have already addressed:
Your strategy
How are you going to approach your clients? With all of us being super busy as we reopen, what is going to be your strategy to get your business going? Have you looked at why your clients buy from you? Have the needs of your clients changed?
How you conduct business
Masks and physical distancing may be part of our new normal for a while. That could mean fewer people in stores and businesses. Ventilation of any place of business will become more important than before, and more business may continue over phone/Zoom over in-person. What changes do you anticipate in your business?
Your need vs. their need
You have a need to close sales to get your business going. What do they need now that they didn’t need before? For many, purchase patterns may continue to vary as their businesses reopen; for others, it’s going to be from 0-100. What many may struggle with is cash flow, so explore what flexibility in payment terms you can extend; it could mean the difference between closing now or later. What do they need?
Your questions
Questions are always key to anything in life. Asking open-ended questions helps both the client get clear on what they really want and need, and it also helps you get clear on providing a solution that fits their needs. Do you have a list of open-ended questions that helps you probe without being pushy?
Your connection
For many of you, it will be business as usual as you’ve stayed in contact with your existing clients during this time. This has no doubt created a stronger bond and will pay off in ways you can’t foresee. The company I work for has bonded more than ever before just by staying in touch and connecting several days a week via Zoom. What comes from that is loyalty to a company that money can’t buy. The same goes for our customers.
Your sales pitch
Review what you’re pitching. Has anything changed during this time that you can tweak? Is there a different story or argument as to why they need your product that wasn’t there before? Do you pitch before your client is ready, and if so, can you add in some qualifying questions that you haven’t thought about before?
Your solution
As you know, when people say no, it’s not necessarily about you or your product; it’s no for now. Sometimes small tweaks in how you present your solution make the difference. The most important one is being clear on your client’s problem before presenting a solution that matches their need.
Your sales mojo
What do you provide that no one else does? How can you use this to your advantage moving forward and continue creating a win-win? Your natural talents and strengths create an edge that no one else can replicate. Do you know what they are? Is now the time to invest in you?
What else can you address before you hit the streets again?
