“My sales team is doing everything they can to stay in front of our customers and prospects, so what else can we do?” That was the question recently from a leader who was convinced his team was fully engaged and doing all they can to sell in these wacky, and sometimes disheartening, COVID-19 times. Because we had the opportunity to further discuss what his sales team was doing, we uncovered some things they weren’t doing – things that seem very basic but which are too often overlooked. With that in mind, here are 3 things your sales team can do to generate sales right now.
1). Go see your prospects and customers
You respect your customer’s safety needs and want to protect your own health, but many companies are living behind their computers these days and Zooming away. We recently had a client remark to us that they are closing several orders, in large part because their competitors are repeatedly calling, emailing and living through the lens of Zoom – but not visiting in person. We have no bias against Zoom or any other technology, but it’s no replacement for physically meeting with prospects, as long as they’re open to it and safety precautions are observed.
2). Help yourself to referrals
Open up to your network, get reconnected and help those you know, used to work with and have known for years to make connections. Make them aware of who you’re targeting and see if they’d be willing to do the same for you. Leveraging LinkedIn and your network is a strategic sales essential.
3). Strategically bundle and close
Many companies today are “succeeding” because they’re cutting deals left and right. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s not a sustainable model.
Find ways to add unique, valuable support to your client by upselling more of what they already buy from you – and your competitor. That’s right, be aggressive (and respectful, of course) and find ways to win an increasing share of your customer’s spend.
These are just a few ideas we’re helping clients to capitalize on. We’d love to hear what’s working for you.
Dave