Five Things to Remember When Selling In A Recession!

Just the other day, I was listening to a conversation between a couple of businesses on the current state of the economy and how they needed to hone their sales skills in this marketplace.   We discussed many things, but came up with these five points to remember in your sales strategy when business is scarce and competition is even tougher. In your next sales presentation, focus on these five things to separate you from your competition.

Present a solution and nothing more.  Many times we as sales people get involved in talking about our company and ourselves.  We need to keep in mind that our prospective client only cares about how you can save them money, grow their revenues, or reduce their risk. Detail your proposal so that you show your prospect how your product can help them and then tell stories about how the plan has worked for others.

Keep it simple.  I watched three construction firms pitch to build a new playground in the past year. No presentation had less than 10 points. None of the messages were memorable. What I remember most about these pitches were that none of them said these simple things.   "We'll build your project on time. We'll meet your budget. We'll deliver quality work."  These would have separated them from their competitors.

Speak with passion. If you're competing, you know that your competition can do a great job as well, so what is your point of difference? Personal style and relationships can be the separator. When its close, many of the decisions just come down to who connects with us best.  Passion in the voice helps you connect and keeps the relationship intact.

Leave ample time for questions. Questions address your prospect's hot buttons. Your competition often makes Q&A an afterthought. Avoid that mistake. It should be at the forefront of planning a presentation.

Rehearse.  The prospect can always tell if someone has rehearsed.  Most seasoned sales people who have been in the same industry for awhile don't rehearse.  These are the people who also tend to have people choose their competitor but are never really sure why they were not chosen.  Practicing sets you apart and makes you see your proposal from another perspective.

In a recession, sometimes the pool of new business can be small. Focus on sales basics to make sure you can grab your share.