Now whether you think the “recession” is real or not we need to face the facts and admit that a lot of our prospects and clients are scared shitless!

So what can we do to make more sales in this tough economy?

Pray? Win the lottery? Whack our prospects over the head and threaten that Joe Pesci will come and get them?

Ah ok then, here are 5 quick sales tips for a tough economy:

1. Have a strategy in place for longer sales cycles

Stalling, delaying, call it whatever but sales cycles are longer in a tough economy.

Question: what are you doing to manage the prospect during the lag time? I don’t mean just bombarding them with emails or calls – that’s just counter productive. But instead, how are you adding value to them in the meantime before they make the logical choice and choose you?

2. Farm your existing accounts

I came across some research research from Accentures “The Point” Volume 4, Issue 4.

Basically it said:

20% of customers provide 80% of margin
85% of margin comes from only 4 products
More than 50% of the customer base uses only one or two product

You say you’re farming your existing accounts, but are you really?

Work them harder and have a strategy in place for this.

3. Have a response for econojections

Now don’t steal my phrasiology there! I came up with that!

You know that your prospects will use the economy as an excuse not to do business with you so you should use the economy AS AN excuse to do business with you!

Have a response ready and test it and test it and refine it and then test it some more until you nail the response that get’s you the best response.

4. Don’t you use any econojections either!

“My sales figures are down, it’s the economy”

It’s easy to fall into the trap of not selling hard enough or churning out the activity in a tough market and blaming it on the economy.

Sure, your figures might not be as good as they once were but are you still putting the effort in? Don’t use this as an excuse.

5. What have you got up your sleeve?

As a salesperson in a tough economy you’ll most likely be asked for a discount at some point throughout the sales process.

So how are you going to respond to this?

You’ll need to have something up your sleeve or be crystal clear on what you’ll “give” and what you’ll “want” in return.

Practice responding to this kind of demand.

So there you have it!

5 quick sales tips for a tough economy.

Happy Selling!

Sean

Sean McPheat
The Sales Jedi
MTD Sales Blog

Have you downloaded my latest report yet? “The Sales Person’s Crisis” has been downloaded by over 10,000 sales pros and entrepreneurs. Don’t miss this unique report that lifts the lid on modern day selling!

Click on the image below to find out why you’re very existence as a sales person is in doubt…

And yes, don’t get me wrong there are some out there but in all of my travels around the world and having come into contact, trained and witnessed literally thousands of sales people in action, there are a lot of sales professionals who would be done under the trades description act if they indeed did call themselves a sales pro!

I really think there are some defining factors that make it easy to tell the difference between a “salesman” and an incredible “sales professional.”

So how can you tell an amateur from a professional?

Here are 10 thoughts to get the ball rolling:

1. Amateurs are nothing but order takers. They don’t actually HAVE to sell.

2. A sales professional has clear objectives and knows what outcome they want to achieve at each stage of the sales process.

3. Amateurs “wing it”

4. A sales professional has a plan and a proven method for success

5. True sales professionals are always well prepared for any situation. They can adapt their presentation at a moments notice and still achieve their goals

6. Sales professionals are viewed by their clients as trusted advisors

7. Amateurs talk too much

8. Amateurs think about the commission more than the need to help the next prospect

9. Sales professionals analyse their numbers, understand their numbers and refine and modify
their approach

10. Amateurs don’t listen to sales improvement cd’s or improve their knowledge

So, how many of those do you do?

Are you a pro?

Or are you “The diet coke of sales professionals?”

Happy Selling!

Sean

Sean McPheat
MTD Sales Blog
MTD Sales Training

Telephone: 0800 849 6732

Have you downloaded my latest report yet? “The Sales Person’s Crisis” has been downloaded by over 10,000 sales pros and entrepreneurs. Don’t miss this unique report that lifts the lid on modern day selling!

Click on the image below to find out why you’re very existence as a sales person is in doubt…

Insight Radio was Europe’s first radio station for blind and partially sighted people and I was very pleased to do a 6 part series for them on success and personal development.

Here’s the recording which you can listen to now via streaming or you can download to your computer or ipod:

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Happy Selling

Sean

Sean McPheat
MTD Sales Blog

Telephone: 0800 849 6732

Have you downloaded my latest report yet? “The Sales Person’s Crisis” has been downloaded by over 10,000 sales pros and entrepreneurs. Don’t miss this unique report that lifts the lid on modern day selling!

Click on the image below to find out why you’re very existence as a sales person is in doubt…