Bring It On! - Sales & Selling in the “New World”

2020 has been a memorable year for all the wrong reasons and as we come closer to finishing out the year, it’s a good time to reflect on what has happened both good and bad. Yes, we can all talk about the bad stuff and the big “C” word but with my rose-tinted glasses some good things have happened too. As with most human beings, we tend to focus on the negative rather than the positive. I remember my first ever video on LinkedIn. It was done from my car, on the side of the motorway with a wobbly iPhone in my hand and filled with the enthusiasm of creating a masterpiece. Suffice to say…I didn’t. I got and remember specifically…99 likes and really positive comments on my video and one negative one which described my video as amateur. Which did I focus on? Yep you got it right (and to be fair so did he…it was amateur) But you know what? I got my biggest client, one of the biggest names in the Exhibition industry, a global heavyweight as a result of it. Sales is not about being flash or having all the lines or even having the best Zoom background…Its about being real and having a passion for what you do.

In my opinion, passion and belief are about 85% of sales success. Don’t let anyone tell you that you have to know everything, wear a flash suit or have the best Zoom background. These may all help but they pale into insignificance when it comes to a real zest for what you do. Yes, sales is a process but it doesn’t need to be a robotic one. Sales is about 2 people talking and finding out about each other, finding out what the problems are and how you can solve them together. That`s real sales…not textbook sales.

The reality of the “New World” post Covid19 whatever that is will involve a far more back to basics approach and there is nothing wrong with that. The realities are that there will be less money in the economy, less businesses, greater unemployment and recessionary times. Do I say this to be negative or scare people? No, I say it because its true. So, what are our choices?

Give Up or Be Better?

For me there is no choice…

The other reality is PEOPLE ARE STILL BUYING but they are buying from people who are better prepared, better organised and better client focussed and whilst you may not be able to change the economy, you can change yourself.

The new reality of sales…

Buying Lead Times may be longer – So what? You will get a far stronger client when you give them the time to make their own decision. These will be clients and not just sales.

Buyers Will Have More Choice – Yes probably and this means you have to be and need to be better and this is very much in your control.

Less Money – Yes and this gives us the opportunity to really showcase our value

Harder to Find New Clients – Well yes, you will just have to be more creative and think outside the box a bit more. A challenge yes, but humans thrive on challenges so make it more fun.

Sales will become more about Finding, Keeping & Engaging with your clients and thankfully we will be moving away from the whole “spray and pray” approach and looking to how we can develop real and meaningful relationships not ones just based on the number of phone calls you make or emails you send.

I think if COVID-19 has taught me anything is that fundamentally we are all the same and we all had this challenge and that we all suffered in some way and in a funny kind of way that has brought people closer to each other as people, not as clients and sales people but just as people and my experience is that people(most) have actually become better people and are more understanding of each other and this will actually help sales people to understand more that it’s not simply about selling products but rather about solving problems.

Personally, am I happy that 2020 is drawing to a close? Yes, but I am also really excited about the opportunities for 2021 as there are many. Will it be challenging, yes absolutely but you can’t really enjoy the success or the winning unless you have felt the pain of the losing and having tough times.

Sales for me is so much more than selling, its about creating long lasting relationships and friends and yes building a business along the way by helping people.

Wishing you well and get in touch at any stage,

Stephan Murtagh, The Exhibition Guy Ltd/ The Sales Training Guy