By:Doug Dvorak
h5ease productivity. It requires discipline in thought to have a positive attitude when the entire media is blaring gloomy news and forecasts 24×7. It requires vision and clarity of thought to see beyond. Recession worse than the current one, have come and gone. This one will also pass. The best thing is to concentrate on the task at hand – keep on trying to sell.
Work Harder
Hard working sales people know that this is the time to work even harder. This is a testing time where the hard workers are rewarded. This is not the time for the journeyman salesman, the 9-5 order taker, or the mediocre wannabe. This is the time for the hard worker, the ones that eat, sleep, and drink SELLING. This is the time when the salesmen with can-do-it attitude have to make 50 calls instead of the usual 20 calls to get one order.
Sales people passionate about selling will have to put in more sincere efforts, make more calls, qualify more prospects, give demos with all their hearts, and serve with earnestness. Network harder and try to sell as if your life depends on it.
Work Longer
There are no short cuts to success. And when the times are tough the route gets longer. You have to work harder and work longer. It’s a bit like playing long rallies with patience. You will have to spend more time working. Lunch breaks have to be short and free times have to be utilized productively. Leads that you would have ignored previously to save time should be explored more to qualify as prospects. That requires additional time than the usual.
Pay More Attention to Customers’ Needs
You have to be really caring and attentive towards customers’ product needs to get business in tough times. When customers have cut down on spending drastically and trying to manage with the bare minimum you have to really pay attention to their requirement. You have to be really grateful to the customer for doing business with you.
Give Your Best Shot
Ace tennis players know this. When the situation gets really tough they produce their best game. Champions like Pete Sampras and Roger Federer fire away aces, hit tearing down the line forehands, and ripping cross court backhands to pull themselves out of difficult situations. They have produced some of the best tennis actions when they are trailing 0-2 or 1-2 in five setter matches. They may make many unforced errors when leading but not when they are trailing.
As a sales person you need to sharpen all your skills to perfection. Your physical and mental fitness, listening skills, speaking powers, persuasive abilities, tact in handling objections, product knowledge, and preparedness with facts and figures should all be perfect or near perfection. Like a champion you can do no wrong when it comes to your job. Victory will definitely be yours.
About the Author:
Doug Dvorak helps companies and professionals achieve results through customized, creative and non-traditional sales training systems that are “one size fits one” and developed to the unique business needs and “sales pain points” of each client. He is available to speak on these topics.
For more information visit https://salescoach.us or call 847-359-6969 FREE
Permission is granted to reprint this article in print or on your web site as long as the paragraph above is included and contact information is provided.
Copyright 2008 The Sales Coaching Institute, Inc.
Sales Skills Training Strategic Sales Coaching
Doug Dvorak, CEO of DMG International, is the Author of the forthcoming book “Build Your Own Brand” (Pelican, 2009)
