Sound familiar over the past couple weeks? As a Leader, how do you help your people overcome their fear? What MUST you do to help them separate their “sales mission” from all the “noise” they are hearing (and possibly believing?)
Depending on the age & experience of your sales team, if they didn’t go through the 2008-2009 Financial crisis and recession—they are in SHOCK and DENIAL! This is an unprecedented time.
Help them with their MINDSET. Where is YOUR business today? Give them guidance, hope and direction:
- If you sell in Industries like Travel, Restaurants, Hospitality; let your people know it’s time to build relationships for when things return. Have them work on building relationships & developing their sales skills (phone, messaging, tonality, follow-up. Also, remote meetings using Zoom or other platforms.)
- Areas/verticals still doing reasonably well: Medical, Pharma, Food, Supply Chains, Chemical, Transportation, 3PL. Get after it! They are working tirelessly.
- Professional Services. People working-all at home.
Remind them that much of the economy will be coming back…they must “own” this belief. Have it be part of their messaging. Also: Let them know, we may not be able to control the events and situations that are currently happening around us; but we can decide how to respond!
Messaging– we’ll share the What” and “How to.”
Here’s “The What”:
- Being able to talk to people in ways they haven’t before.
- Building relationships & a pipeline for the future
- Being “yourself,” not robotic. Being genuine, concerned and consultative.
- Letting people know: “We’re here for you-How can we help you? How can we be “creative” to help you? Develop a “partnership” with them rather than a “competition.”
- Have your salespeople think of themselves-NOT as salespeople, but Problem Solvers in this environment
- Must speak to a business ISSUE(S) NOT a Solution—when prospecting or re-establishing a relationship. Why? Solutions put people to “sleep” in this current environment.
Messaging: The How: After your “intro/greeting” on the phone:
- “We help people like you (title—VP Ops/ Transportation MGR/ Chief Engineer, Safety Director, IT Manager, etc.)
- Who are (select an emotional word- Concerned, Worried, Bothered) about___ (issues they face: for example- “Production falling behind because of antiquated machinery;” IT platforms that don’t account for “Business Continuity;” “Not having the right people in our manufacturing plant to handle the increased demand.”)
- Get them talking: Ask: “Do any of these issues resonate with you?”
What it sounds like:
You: “We work with (title)s who are worried about issues with (insert
the problems you know the prospect has / the kind you
solve).
You: “What we hear most often is …” (insert situations you know
the prospect/title typically has.)
You: Do any of these resonant with you?
Prospect: Yes_____ (You may hear “no”, in which case you ask, “can you tell
me about your issues?”)
You: “Can you tell more about that.”
NOTE: In either case, when the prospect begins to speak, you are most likely to start a good conversation. Just stay out of the way…. meaning-don’t “pitch a solution.” Just listen, ask questions, and engage them.)
AS the sales Leader, now is the time to coach, train and “drill,” so your people develop confidence, skills and business.
Our next Kash Sales Brief we will be about “How to handle, stalls, objections and push back” and increase sales in this uncertain business environment.
