Strengthen Business Sales in a Tough Market
Different thinking and solutions open doors and lock out competitors

In several conversations these past weeks have focused on how to maintain good business in these challenging times. Business and customers are pulling in their spending and getting existing much less new sales is getting more challenging.

The first conclusion that most come to is one must change their thinking about how customers buy and business can be conducted. From this new thinking other ideas can spring forward and set you apart from your competition.

The challenge is that management often times does not open up to different thinking or the sales force gets stuck in the old mode of doing business.

Once this old thinking is broken and the business is open to a different approach the following ideas have made the difference for others.

Many of these ideas are not really new, so the question is how are you using them? Some are being used internally to save time and money for the company, but what if you offered them to your customers in some fashion as a solution for them as well.

Social Networks: These are popping up on the internet like an overpopulation of Rabbits. There seems to be a new one launched every day!  The reality is that more upper level business people are using this mode of communication and connection.

Facebook, Twitter and Konnects are just a few of the hundred sites out there. These are great ways to build a network, find experts and sell ideas and services. Take one and figure out how you can use it, and then help your customers do the same!

Blogs: There are more Blogs out today than there are Rabbits I believe. What if you had a blog about your product or service then had your customers and potential customers driven to it? What a great way to educate them about the solutions you can provide without pushing product. Could your customers also benefit from their own Blog?

Websites: Today if you business does not have a web site you are behind the curve! The next generation and even the older generation of business and buyers go to the Internet for information before buying! If you're not there who is?

Salespeople, do you have your own website? I don't mean your companies, I mean Joe Salespersons personal site with their own Blog and unique message about the added value you provide. You can tie all your Social Networks into this as well.

Newsletters: A Blog or website can be an electronic newsletter, but does everyone have access or use the Internet in that way. A quarterly newsletter with some real content that gives others value and ideas can drive business your way and build credibility as well as trust. By real content we do not mean product information, rather new ideas or solutions that help the customers survive! There are even online services that will handle all the work, you just supply the content and list!

Articles: If you’re an expert on some area, why not share it though articles. Editors both on the web and off are looking for experts to provide content. If you have solutions for others, the Editors are looking for you!  I know of several "experts" that are now regulars on radio, TV or print that started by doing articles with real value.

Once more, this is something every salesperson could be doing, not just the company! Do your customers have some capability as well? Could it help build their business and yours?

Electronic Meetings: With gas and other travel costs going up have you been using more electronic meetings? I know many of my clients use teleconferences and even live electronic meetings internally, but are they using them externally as well?

With services like Skype which anyone can sign on to and utilize from any internet connection, you can talk face to face with customers and demonstrate ideas as well. All that is needed is a computer, an Internet connection and a very inexpensive computer cam. Might your customers also be able to benefit from using this technology?

Even live meetings with groups do not require huge investments. One company uses a service such as "go-to-meeting" and a projector and screen. They can have group meetings, have designers and engineers or other groups all involved in a live meeting at one time! Their total investment, a few hundred dollars!

What if you helped your clients understand and use this technology? Might it save them money and build their business?

Brand Yourself: No you folks from Montana and Texas we are not talking about Cattle type branding. Marketing people talk about branding a company. What about a salesperson branding themselves!

So often people think branding is a logo or tag line. No, branding is what people think and say when they hear your name! If I say Coke Cola or Kleenex you immediately have an image or thought of who and what they are. Those images and thoughts are their brand! Yes this might be different for different people so marketing works to have the same image and thinking occur the majority of the time.

What image or thinking occurs when your name as a salesperson, engineer or consultant comes up? What could you be doing to direct that image?

All of the items listed above can be used to create your brand, your companies brand and your client's brand.

What if you were able to help your customers build their business in a different way? Would this set you apart from others and build a stronger relationship with them?

As I have always said, it is not always about the product in sales, its more about the trust and relationship that sets you apart and binds you together.

What are you doing for your customers to help them build their business? Or is it just about getting an order for more products? Change that thinking and it just may open up some new doors and ways for you to provide that extra that makes the extra sales!

Take one of these ideas and work on it for a month, then take another one and see what happens to your business over this next year! Nothing ventured, nothing gained!

Till next week, to your success!

Harlan Goerger

© Harlan Goerger 2-2009
Permission to reprint in entirety