In these tough economic times in some industries, you may be seeing a dip in your sales numbers. Granted in some industries, sales numbers rarely fluctuate as drastically as others. An example may be the food and grocery or pharmaceutical industries whereby, even in tougher times, people need to eat and they need their medications.
However in other industries such as advertising, cellular, or even insurance, you might realize more of a downward trend. That's not to say that these industries are all down and out right now by any means, but my point is that sometimes when money gets tight, people may tend to purchase less of one over the other, and things like food may be considered more of a necessity.
As sales people, we can only control so much and certainly the overall economy is not within our realm of control. So rather than wasting your energy and efforts on worrying about it, you have to worry about what you can control... YOU!
Easier said than done, what makes a good sales person a great sales person is his or her positive attitude. Your clients purchase from you for a couple reasons. You are likely an expert in your field, but more importantly they like you. They have to like you. If they don't (unless you have blackmail photos or an absolute monopoly) then they're buying from someone else who they do like.
So work on keeping positive. Now is a great time to reach out to some of your key, friendly accounts that may also be slow. Buy them a coffee and brainstorm how you can mutually find more business. If you can keep in the habit of discussing products, services, and hunting during this time, you'll stay sharp and be ready for the market to stabilize. You also may find some way to grow your sales too. Either way, after your meeting, you'll feel way better.
It's also a great time to read that book that's been sitting on your shelf for the last year. This is a great way to stay motivated. Try reading something like the Magic of Thinking Big by David Schwartz. I don't think it's possible to read that for half an hour and not be charged up!
Now is also a great time to hit the gym. Get a good run in, or lift some weights, ride the bike, do yoga, whatever turns your crank. This is one of those activities that if you're not used to, you'll dread it right up until you start but I can guarantee you that you'll feel awesome when you're done! You can even crank some tunes or your favourite podcast to double-charge you up!
These types of activities can really help you keep your positive attitude as well as your sharp edge. Keep on smiling, keep your shoulders back and your head up. Down times do not last forever and when the dust settles and you're standing there all full of buzz and energy, you'll dominate the sales game once again!
This is the way I see things. I speak from real life experience and I don't pretend to think my opinions or experiences speak for all. However I hope that this can help somebody out there somewhere. If you'd like to read more, please visit http://www.outboundsalestraining.com/. I'd love to hear from you.
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