How to sell when times are tough

By Professional Academy Sales Trainer and Mentor, Niraj Kapur

"Call Us Back In 6 months!"

"Everything Is On Hold!"

"Not You Again!"

I've heard it all over the last fortnight.

Like most business owners, I've seen much of my future earnings wiped out by cancellations and postponements.

It's been brutal. I’ve spent the last two weeks supporting my clients who are enduring enormous change and helping friends who are terrified of how to pay the bills.

Over the last few days, I’m helping friends who have lost jobs by improving their CV’s, massive positive changes to their LinkedIn profile and recommending them to recruitment consultants.

These proven techniques and strategies will help you over the next few months:

1. Learn Every Day 

The more you learn, the more you earn. The time you're saving commuting, make sure your team dedicate 30 minutes a day to reading books, listen to podcasts or watch videos on how to sell more. It will make a massive difference to revenue generation. 

2. Adjust

Working from home sounds great. Less stress, save money on travel, no back to back meetings all day. However, there's a huge adjustment involved and if you're home alone, it's even tougher.

Get dressed up like you're going for work. You achieve more sales in a smart shirt than tracksuit bottoms.

Have a routine every day like you would in the office.

3. Communicate

When you communicate to your team, don't just use email or text. Picking up the phone and talking to someone makes a positive difference to your wellbeing. At home, you stare at the screen so much that talking breaks the monotony.

Every day start off with a 9.30 Zoom team call. Share a laugh for a few minutes then ask what’s everyone’s commitment for the day.

4. Take A Lunch Break

Go for a walk. Run. Meditate. Don’t stare at your screen and spend the hour on Facebook. This matters to your wellbeing and mental health.

5. Support Your Clients

Many of them are scared. They could be out of a job in 2-3 months.   Listen as much as you can. Don’t just listen to what they say, listen to their tone and what they don’t say. Like, comment and share their content on LinkedIn, they will appreciate it.

6. Your Space

It’s tough being at home for 8-10 hours. Working in a coffee shop or hotel is out of the questions so make your work space as comfortable as possible. Candles, cushions and framed photos of family/friends/pets do make a huge difference.

7. Turn off Social Media

It will distract you from achieving your targets and earning more money. Before work and after work you have plenty of time for social media.

8. Protect Your Income

I was asked last week to help a business generate more revenue from new clients. I asked: “what about your existing clients?” That’s 70% of your income. When clients want to cancel or move, which many of them will, you need to ask how are they going to keep promoting themselves? How are you going to get branding and new leads? Ask questions, Listen. Advise and protect your income.

Niraj is an expert sales coach, trainer and author of the Amazon bestseller Everybody Works In Sales. Niraj has delivered group training for over 160 companies from Barclays, Sainsbury’s, to SME’s. Contact him today through Professional Academy to get results for your business.

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