SELLING DURING TOUGH TIMES

Let’s face it. You are reading about another few thousands of new cases of COVID-19.

You are witnessing another country shutting down to the absolute minimum.

You see the empty shelves in your favorite grocery store. How easily does it seem now to put your sales target aside and your business? Very.

The focus has definitely changed. As the world as we know it continues to rapidly change, we are pulled in many directions and priorities, and selling may quickly go down on our to-do list. Indeed, it competes with you stocking up the essentials, ensuring the family is safe and figuring out the new reality.

And while at the moment nothing seems to work like before (except for Netflix, thanks for that!), depending on where you are in the world, your situation may not allow for selling or prospecting activity like you normally do and it’s as far from “business as usual” as you can get.

But even with everything going on the world, remember that it’s not the time to stop selling! Now is NOT the time to “decide” that nobody is buying and to sit back until things get back to normal.

The first thing to remember, under no circumstance allow anyone to make you feel guilty for continuing to sell your product or service during this time. You have a responsibility to your family, your employees, and your customers to do everything in your power to provide and lead. It’s your job to continue to do so, especially at the time of crisis.

If you feel you might need a confidence boost in this havoc, the following are 9 exercises you can use to boost your confidence in sales at any time. Especially now.

1). Record your Sales Wins

Keep an ongoing list of your successes and update it at least once a week. It’s good to remind yourself of any sales accomplishments you have achieved. This helps you to repeat the process and build confidence. Anytime you doubt yourself, refer back to your own log! You did it!

2). Be Grateful

It clears your mind and calms you. The best way to achieve this state is to focus on expressing gratitude to others. Start each day by thanking or congratulating someone. The positive side effect of this is that you feel better about yourself and not so stressed. Also, noticing the talents and accomplishments of others makes you more keenly aware of your own.

3) Seek Positivity

Sales inspiration comes from a positive outlook and confidence. Try to limit the negative. Stop reading the news more than what’s necessary to stay on top. Reach out to positive people, past and clients are the best! Push negativity away as it can be contagious and damaging, it will de-motivate and deflate you. That includes negative people. Sales motivation is reliant upon supportive people who are confident in themselves as well. Reach out!

4) Set Weekly Sales Goals

Start with the ones you can achieve early. Once you do you, allow the feeling of success to propel you to the next goal. That’s one sales tip that will boost confidence! Success breeds success. At the beginning of the week, set one or two goals you can achieve. When that happens, take the time to congratulate yourself. You’d be amazed at what kind of impact this can have on your confidence and lead to further sales inspiration.

5) Think Long-term

As much as we are now tempted or pressed into taking one day at a time, the focus on short-term robs you of an ability to put things in perspective. Instead, focus on a bigger picture. Thinking long-term allows people to put challenges into context, and it will reduce the pressure on your daily tasks, and give you the space to grow confidence in the sales process. It’s important to give things time especially when everything changes.

6) A Learning Opportunity

View this coronavirus situation as a learning opportunity and there is a lot to learn in the Sales process. ( Prospecting techniques, Sales objection handling, Negotiations, Closing techniques to name a few). Allow yourself to enter a mode of continually learning. This can enable people to see there are no “bad” situations in sales but rather, opportunities to learn, grow and change.

7) Never Think Impossible

The worst thing you can do to your sales confidence is to tell yourself “impossible.” You’re are the only one that says you can’t accomplish something. And you will always fail if you never try. Defeat is never an absolute thing. You must choose to make it so. View anything you haven’t accomplished as simply a work in progress.

8) See Yourself as Confident

If you don’t actively see yourself as confident, why should anyone else? Do not ask of people what you cannot first ask of yourself. Any top sales expert or sales coach will tell you that the level of confidence you have going into a sale is what will determine your level of success.

9) Learn from Others

If you have trouble boosting your confidence, look to others who you see that way. What are they doing that conveys confidence? How do they hold themselves? Try to find a role model or sales coach for yourself. As the old saying goes “fake it till’ you make it.” You can get away mimicking your mentors until it becomes second nature and your own self-confidence evolves.

There are many more tips we can share. Anytime you want to chat about sales confidence in these challenging times, give us a buzz.

Stay calm, stay safe, and keep on selling!