BREXIT: Leading & Generating Sales in Uncertain Times

Chris Brindley - Former MD of Metro Bank
In times of uncertainty great companies realise that you need effective leaders at every level. Your business challenges may change, yet the key success differentiator will be your people. Their ability to respond to changing conditions, their engagement with your business – the desire to deliver outstanding performance, and the self-awareness to realise that some behaviours need to be modified and others accentuated to deliver success are all critical identifiers of high potential future leaders within your business. Develop your people, don’t slash the training budget!

Communicate, communicate, communicate! Provide clarity of message and focus on the positive. Failure to do so will result in your people filling the void with rumour and mistruth. This can spread like wildfire. Be careful of knee jerk reactions with comments around job losses and pay freezes. Motivate!

Providers of quality, rarely suffer a downtime in uncertain times. In fact as a trusted organisation or individual, more customers seek you out in times of uncertainty. Have belief in who you are and what you have to offer! Go out and speak with your existing customers and prospects, providing solutions to their issues! Focus on their agenda not yours!!

Sir Trevor Soar - Former Commander in Chief (Admiral)
When a major decision outside your remit is made which is totally contrary to that expected and it throws everyone into confusion and doubt, the universal view made by many is ‘let us wait and see’ and a paralysis of inaction results. This can be the time to step to the fore, provide leadership in the vacuum that exists and drive forward your programme. In the confusion and fog of war you gain ground early, provide a leadership focus that will otherwise be absent and gain the initiative and the pace.

Democracy is a viable decision making tool in the leader’s armoury, however the leader needs to be able to trust the people who are having a decision ‘shared’ with them (Tannenbaum and Schmidt decision-making continuum) and has to accept the result. It is also perfectly valid for the leader NOT to delegate a decision if the risk is too great (for example the UK parliament would never have a referendum on the death penalty because it is likely that it would be voted back).

When selling focuses on ‘slamming the competition’ it can have a positive effect on the sale itself (i.e. makes it more likely to happen), however it doesn’t do much for the long-term relationship, especially if the product you are selling (as is normal) proves to only be 10-15% better than your competition’s - so if ‘everything else is rubbish’ you are setting yourself up for some stern after-sales service discussions.

Rob Brown - Networking Sales Expert
In uncertain times, the money will continue to flow through the strongest connections. Wealth is fluid and always goes to those who innovate, create value and maintain their network! 

As we enter a new world post brexit, boundaries, politics and cultures count for something, but commerce drives forward. People will continue to to do business with those they know, like and trust.

The post referendum landscape is complex. Nobody truly knows what will happen. So focus on the two things you can control - your network (who you know) and your reputation (who knows you).

Grant Leboff - One of the U.K's leading sales and marketing experts
Ensure your value proposition is right on the money. What are the challenges that are currently facing your customers in relation to what you do? Take into account the context and environment in which these challenges occur.
Make sure you have defined 'who' your customers are. Companies will struggle to differentiate trying to be all things to all people. Really understand your target market and create an incredible offering just for them.
The biggest enemy in sales is often the status quo - companies doing nothing and sticking with what they have got. In light of current events what areas of your market place are most affected and disrupted? Are there sectors where doing nothing is no longer an option? These are often good areas of the market to target, as there is already an acceptance that change is inevitable.

Hear more from Chris, Grant, Rob, Sir Trevor and many more at the
National Sales Conference on the 6th October at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry

We have Extended our Early Booking Deadline until 7th July.
Send your Sales Team - Order your ticket here