So, What Do You Do When Customers and Prospects Don’t Want To Spend Money?

There is, indeed, a secret to meeting sales goals in times of tight fists". The secret is re-think your own habits of selling.

Positive Things to Consider During Economic Down Times:

1. People like to buy from people they know and trust. Go back to exiting customers and get to know them again.
   a. Take them small customer loyalty gifts.
   b. Show them new products you may have never shared with them.
   c. Engage them again in a strong customer relationship.
2. People don't want to take risks when money is tight. Show prospects the safest way to complete a sale with the most effective delivery of products or services.
   a. Demonstrate ways you save them money.
   b. Show them ways other customers have benefited from using your products or services.
   c. Assure them of the ease of the sales process.
3. People always want to feel they have made a good investment when they have to be monetarily accountable.
   a. Apply their specific needs to the long term savings in their investment with you.
   b. Introduce them to employees, in your company, that can assist them in each part of the delivery process.
   c. Make sure you allow them easy access to you should questions
   or issues arise.

Positive Ways to Consider The Prospects' Position:

1. People like to know their company and you, the sales person, have a good working relationship.
2. People like to feel important all the time.
3. People want to be surrounded by the familiar.

Positive Ways to Consider Yourself:

1. People want to buy from experts. Position yourself as a consultant sales person
   in your field of expertise.
2. People want to buy from the trustworthy. Position yourself as one who follows through on your promises.
3. People want to buy from those who care. Position yourself as the one who cares the most and they will remember you, first, when it is time to buy.

The secret is to re-think your selling habits. Let's face it, your tired routine may need a gasp of fresh air. So, get rid of negative thoughts, go after your existing customers, continue to build new prospect relationships, and ask for the sale once you're in front of the buyer. Remember, it could be YOU that is making this slower buying trend seem dismal.

Never Forget What Your Customer Wants

One of the great rewards of being a sales trainer is hearing back from your students that what they're doing is making a difference in both their personal lives and the lives of their customers.

Following a recent seminar, one of the sales managers in my class forwarded to me a testimonial letter one of his newest salespeople received from one of his customers. This young sales rep was relatively new to the business, but apparently he took his training on the IMPACT Selling System very seriously.

It the letter, the customer mentioned he had spoken with other salespeople from the same organization in the past, but in each case he never saw enough value in the opportunity to make the decision to "buy." Specifically, the customer said the person sitting across the table never asked what he was looking for or showed true concern for what was important to him. In his words, the "level of comfort" or "personal connection" was never made.

The customer went on to say all that changed when he met the new salesperson. He walked the customer through the entire buying process, exemplified the utmost personal attention and professionalism, answered all the questions and committed himself to what the customer needed and wanted. In the end, the customer said the salesperson created value that was more than just a short-term benefit - he created long-term value that would brighten his entire future. As a result, the customer made the decision to "buy" and has no regrets. In fact, he wrote the testimonial on his own because he was so pleased with the entire buying experience.

Isn't it ironic that a newer salesperson that practices the "basics" can outshine an experienced representative? How about you? Do you still work to establish the level of comfort or personal connection that makes a customer want to buy from you? If the answer is "No," remember the words of Zig Ziegler who said, "You get what you want by helping people get what they want."

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Invest in your Health to Increase Productivity

If you're like most professional salespeople, you have more than enough on your plate to keep you busy. When you're not prospecting, you should be selling, and when you're not selling you ought to be prospecting. Sounds simple, doesn't it?

However, I contend there's an additional activity you can engage in that will do wonders for both your prospecting and selling activities - physical exercise! Professional selling is challenging, mentally and physically. Long workdays, difficult travel conditions, and the stress of trying to keep existing customers happy while continuing to build a bigger book of business can take their collective toll on your health. And because your work schedule is so full, it's easy to justify not exercising on a regular basis.

Nevertheless, being physically fit will make you a better salesperson. How? Besides the opportunity to shed some extra pounds accumulated from those lunches with clients, exercise is a great stress reliever. It also helps you to sleep better, feel stronger, and build your endurance for the selling challenges that lie ahead. Just how much exercise do you need? That varies from person to person, but rule-of-thumb says at least 30 minutes a day, three times a week, at a minimum. However, if you're not currently exercising on a regular basis, check with your doctor first before beginning any aerobic training program.

Remember, professional selling is a lot more than a 100-yard sprint; it's more like a 26-mile marathon that requires a steady pace and the endurance to go the distance. Be sure to set aside time on your calendar for those regular workouts - treat them like important appointments - the kind you hate to break.

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