Improving Sales During COVID-19

With the pandemic shifting sales online and consumers flush with stimulus checks, Amazon reported $108.5 billion in sales in the first three months of the 2021, up 44 percent from a year earlier. It also posted $8.1 billion in profit, an increase of 220 percent from the same period last year. (New York Times)

We are not all as fortunate as Amazon to have a business which naturally flourishes during lockdowns.

You can't just pick up the phone and get a meeting like you used to in pre-COVID times.?

So how do you get meetings and increase sales??

There are several considerations which can be hugely beneficial to succeeding during lockdown.

Generally speaking you need to commit to a long-term sales mindset- the sales cycle will be longer in many instances as people as all busy and can be distracted more easily while on video calls.

Using social selling is far more important than ever as physically seeing people is still mainly prohibited.

Having a strong digital persona can significantly increase your chances of getting meetings and therefore build new relationships much more quickly.?

        

You can also continuously connect with a volume of customers you could never dream of face to face.        

WORKING FROM HOME STRATEGY

With regards to your team:?

• Interact more with your team more and involve them in your decision-making
• Empower and trust your employees to work from home where necessary?
• Address sales team's needs logically and with empathy?

With regards to your clients:

• Reconnect with all active sales prospects, leading with your high-value content
• Don't forget to show the love to your current clients
• Adjust your annual sales targets, including the impact on your P&L
• The value you provided yesterday might be irrelevant
• Re-evaluate your content
• Collaborate, don’t pitch
• Don’t lose your low-hanging fruit

With regards to your own mental well-being:

• Find ways to take breaks
• Don't forget family?

BUYER CENTRIC MENTALITY

In order to be successful in selling in these new COVD-19 times it is crucial you have a buyer-centric mentality.

Examples of this implementation of this include:

1. Let buyer decide to meet in person or virtually?
2. Develop a new sales and marketing plan with marketing?
3. Abolish machine gun cold calling?
4. Adjust KPIs to encourage honest behaviour
5. Clearly define leads, prospects and opportunities

WE MUST UNDERSTAND BUYER'S PROCESS MORE THAN EVER

Buyers are better technically than previously. Their expectation of salespeople is therefore higher than ever. They want us to solve solutions not sell to them (their KPIs tougher so help them achieve them).?

MEET BUYERS EXPECTATIONS

Do your homework and bring market knowledge to a meeting. Don't just sell products- provide insight on their required solutions/ build relationship with the buyer. Ultimately, you should strive to become a trusted advisor with integrity who they will trust.

YOU NEED TO EXCEL NOW NOT JUST BE GOOD SALES PROFESSIONALS

Listening is more important than ever- we should aim to listen 80% and only talk 20%. Ask informed questions that can help provide solutions for the purchaser.?

Engagement is also key so use all the technology at your disposal:

• Use voice notes and hone your video call/recording skills.??
• Maximise the benefits of your CRM.??
• Harvest real time data analytics.
• LinkedIn's Sales Navigator is worth considering.?
• AI can also be used to see where can improve.??

Maximising the features of LinkedIn is massive in terms of perception- you should provide insightful comments on posts rather than just likes. Publishing articles and videos will enhance your image as a trusted authority/influencer.?

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE (EQ)

Having good EQ allows you to make good judgement on relationships with empathy.??

You need to use your social skills to make the buyer feel at ease while still appearing genuine. Then you should tune with what buyers needs through provocative conversation. Questions need to show knowledge of business and appreciation of pain points. Then provide a roadmap for the solution.

RESEARCH/PLANNING/PREPARATION?

You need to know your client and their business better than competition.??

Online you can dig deeper into a company by:

1. Looking past the corporate page to divisions on website?
2. Get corporate presentations from investors page
3. Use LinkedIn to develop an organogram?

PRESENTATION?

Digitally we can engage faster as it's easier to get all the stakeholders to a Teams meeting then in person. It is beneficial to email the meeting agenda and get them to agree to it.?You should also always customise the presentation and map the solutions process at the end.?

FOLLOW UP

Ensure a swift follow up with required supplementary information/quotation and then ask for the order. Once the PO is received manage expectations and deliver on time.?

NEW RULES OF PERSONAL SPACE?

It goes without saying we should maintain social distance with no hugs or even handshakes. We just need to use our emotional intelligence and remain perceptive and professional, reading body language to ensure clients are comfortable.

NETWORKING AND COLLABORATION?

Use networking to become an influencer:

• Reach out to sales to share best practices?
• Connect with buyers with market insight?
• Use referrals from buyer
• Contribute on LinkedIn & Twitter e.g. posting, commenting, articles, videos
• Actively grow your influencer status

SUMMARY

Be mindful to network thoughtfully and sustainably and ensure all your departments are aligned to the company strategy.?

If you do all this, adopting a buyer-centric approach then you will become a trusted advisor and influencer. Once you reach this status then I think you are giving yourself every chance to improve sales during these challenging COVID times.?

Written by Kevin Murray