When it comes to being a sales professional, experiencing hard times is inevitable. Over the last forty years, I have sold through four previous recessions – this will be my fifth – and before I started selling, countless others weathered their share of economic storms.
Although our profession requires a lot of grit and fortitude, it should be understood that sales is a delicate process. Now more than ever we need to pay attention to our prospect’s journey, which is just as uncertain as ours. To them we all look the same. To them we might be perceived as a rude interruption or an irritating convenience. More than ever we need to make sure that our messaging is direct and that our offerings can provide unmistakable value for them.
There is plenty of free advice on how to do this, both on this blog and elsewhere. It’s always helpful to get field-proven tips from other sales professionals on topics like how to differentiate yourself from the competition, cultivate your “garden” (current customers and promising newcomers), respond rather than react to their needs, use your CRM, and so much more.
In addition to continuing our blog – haven’t missed a day in more than eight years! – we are redoubling our efforts on the live/virtual training front. If you’re looking for some free sales training, make time to attend our 5 Key Sales Tactics to Help Navigate the Rough Waters Ahead on October 13th. More than a thousand other energy professionals have registered for this free training so far, and you should check it out as well!
