Articles by Fran Goldstein CPC CSP

One of the coolest things about sales is that it is recession proof!  Depending on what you sell and the value of it to your client consumer, the more recession proof it may be.  But what really matters are the steps you can take to prevent declining sales in a declining economy.

First of all, do an attitude check!  Your attitude will greatly determine the strength of your sales production.  In any economy it is really up to you how confident and positive you come across to your clients and prospects.  If you communicate with hesitancy or fear, your clients will pick up on that, and buy from someone else.  If you communicate with pessimism letting your client know how worried you are about the current market, your clients will pick up on that, and buy from someone else.

So start by treating each sale as if it is your only sale!  Build trust, loyalty and confidence from your clients and they will always buy from you.  Always.  Selling is a relationship business and people buy from people they like.  It’s a known fact.  Always provide impeccable customer service.  Always thank your client for their business and referrals they send you.  Keep your headset grounded and focused.

Easier said than done?  Maybe!   But if you take care of yourself and pay attention to your own headset you can stay ahead of the curve.  Ten tips:

1. Pay attention to the market but ignore negative colleagues and clients.  Negativity and fear are contagious and before you know it the person sitting next to you who has given up has rubbed off on you. 

2. Practice “Self Care”.  Every day.  Whether you exercise, diet, meditate or journal, do something every day to stay strong.  It will pay off big time. Sluggish disposition and health leads to sluggish sales performance. 

3. Get a mentor or become a mentor to someone.  It’s the best way to provide a consistent rhythm of checks and balances.  Mentoring is a great way to keep your own skills and expertise sharp. It also is very gratifying to see your influence positively support someone else’s growth and development.

4. Pay extra close attention to your sales numbers.  Typical trends may not be typical.  Peaks and valleys may be more frequent than you are used to.  Margins may be slipping in an attempt to close deals and loosen up on strong negotiations.  These are signs you can analyze daily, weekly and monthly.

5. Dig deep into your client base.  Make sure you contact buyers you have lost touch (and sales) with.  Stay in close touch with them.  When tough times hit, some of your competition will move on and leave accounts waiting for you to pick up! That’s money on the table for you.

6. Stay current.  Keep up with certifications and necessary training.  This is a perfect time to work on your sales skills and product knowledge.  Master the process in tough times and you will breeze through the rest of your sales career.

7. Network more.  Attend association events and industry gigs.  Stay in the limelight (or get in the limelight) and become known as the expert in your field. Make it your business to be first on clients minds when they have a need but are limited to how many vendors they can call for quotes, bids or proposals.

8. Watch your expenses.  Keep them conservative.  Reduce them where you can.  Cut back on expenses you can live without for a month and see how you do.  If you are a CEO or CFO, keep headcount lean and quotas aggressive.  Reconsider plans to expand, relocate or invest in new furnishings or equipment. 

9. Renew your passion!  Read testimonial letters you have collected.  Call a colleague that inspires you, or read an industry book or trade magazine.  Fall in love with what you do again… Remember you have chosen to do what you do, right?

10. Document accomplishments and successes every day!  Stay aware of what’s going right.  When you document daily, imagine what kind of reading you have written for yourself at the end of a tough month.  That kind of motivation costs you the price of a computer page or pen and pad of paper.

I remember my first recession.  I didn’t even know what the word meant. (Yes, I was that young.)  Everyone around me was talking gibberish and doom & gloom.  I just kept selling!  My sales were higher that year than ever before.  Lesson learned.

Start today!  Take these ten steps, create a few of your own and you will recession proof your sales. 

Yes, it is the middle of the winter in New England.  Yes, we have been bombarded with snow storms and ice and cold … And it is only February!  What does that have to do with sales being “off”?  I dont know!!!

If you are in a slump, hearing rumors of a recession and combining that with the weather you will not get out of your slump.  It’s very common for people to fall back on the weather as an excuse for poor sales or not meeting quotas.  I hear it all the time from clients. 

My very first boss in the recruiting industry used to tell clients on the phone things like “Ah…this weather is so bad for business”  or “Spring will be here soon and sales will pick up”.   I remember thinking you gatta be kidding me!!!!  But it is true, I think it’s human nature for people to use the weather as an excuse for their own slumps. 

The weather excuse is contagious.  People buy into it.  They get into a headset that it is ok to be average during the winter.  Well, the truth of the matter is, if you buy into that you are leaving money & sales on the table! Managers and CEO’s especially set the tone with such comments.  Then they wonder what to do to motivate and hold their producers accountable…

Make sure you stay healthy and positive during the winter.  Business is out there and it is up to you to go get it!  I’m not saying the weather does not impact our moods…it certainly does.  But make sure you are practicing “Self Care” to stay positive.  Work out regularly, pay attention to your nutrition intake and focus like you never have before.  It will pay off and you will exceed your numbers and be ahead of the game when spring and summer come. 

Selling and the weather…. What’s your excuse?!

We all buy from someone we like or feel a connection to, it’s human nature. That’s why sales is a relationship business no matter what it is you sell or produce. The beauty of sales over time is the residual or repeat business. Relationships breed relationships and referrals breed referrals. Multiply those over a 10 year career or a 20 year career and you’ve cultivated quite a client base!

Everyone knows setting the bar high and exceeding those expectations keep clients loyal and singing your praise. The work in sales however, comes from being able to set the bar high and leap over it each and every transaction or sale you make. As simple as it sounds, think about your lost customers… Go back and analyze what happened to that bar you set. Do you find a connection between the two?

An example that comes to mind is my car. My father always bought Buicks from the same salesperson at the same car dealer his whole life. So did my mom. That kind of loyalty is one of my core ideals. I have bought my cars from the same guy for years. His customer service bar was so high and he always exceeded my expectations in some way. One time he came out to pick up my car when it needed service, another time he arranged a complimentary loaner for a weekend trip we were taking!

Three months ago I bought a new car. Called the same guy up… he was eager to see us and made time that afternoon. We test drove a couple cars & he closed the deal that day. I boasted to my husband “See! See why I always buy from him! Isn’t he the best! Aren’t I so smart!!??”

Mud on my face big time.There were some minor issues with the car that we weren’t aware of or told. I had to chase him down this time for service. Something felt different, as if he was taking my business for granted. Each call there was less energy and customer service to his tone. At one point I felt like he had written my sale off (mentally) and was done with the follow up issues. I couldn’t really put my finger on it.

Then one afternoon I got a call from him. I was assuming it was a follow up call to the one outstanding issue. Instead, he asked me if I got the follow up survey from the dealer. I hadn’t. He said he would send it again and to please complete it because the survey is tied to his commission! Not a word about if my service issue had been taken care of.This was my last car purchase from him. And I won’t send any more referrals his way. Will he ever know? Does he even care? I don’t have a clue.

Think about your lost sales… Did you lower the bar with out realizing it? Did you maybe, just maybe take that client for granted? It’s never too late- that’s the other beauty of sales. But it is up to you to recoup and set the bar back where it was when you made your first sale with that client. It’s never too late. Define your bar, measure the ROI and watch your sales explode!

 Ever wonder why people buy from you? Most salespeople aren’t conscious of the perception they create.  They focus on their presentation, sales technique or product.The truth is selling is all about perception! Think about it.. when was the last time you bought something from someone you just didn’t like???? NEVER! (unless you had no choice & knew you wouldn’t buy from that person again.)No matter what you sell- staffing, copiers, iphones or Mercedes, the very first impression you make to a prospect determines their interest level in buying from you. How confident do you sound? Does the passion for what you are selling come through in your presentation? Are you articulate or are you stammering over big words you aren’t used to using, just to make an impression? Do you stop and really listen to your client’s objections and concerns?

When was the last time you recorded one of your cold calls? How often do you practice your scripts to make sure they are updated and written in a style that matches yours? (what scripts?!) Do you know what your word fills are? What happens to your voice and body language when you get nervous?

The beauty of sales is no matter what you are selling, you have total control in how you deliver your sales presentation because it’s really all about you! You have the ability to look, dress and communicate the way you choose. Not many other professions come with that much autonomy, just think about that!

Before you make that next cold call or client visit, take a look in the mirror. Listen to your own voicemail. Practice your scripts and record them for word fills and confidence level. Do your dress, demeanor and communication style create the perception you want?

Client objections don’t have to rattle you. They are part of the buying process. You can minimize client objections by coming out of the gate strong, confident and passionate.

Just ask yourself, would you buy from you?