ReSELLsion Part II - More on Selling in a Recession

T h e C h i e f S a l e s O f f i c e r

There are sales to be made and markets to be attacked

even during lean times. Here is Part II of
ReSELLsion

Sales Professionals!

In this second entry in this series, we look at more ways to adjust your sales efforts during lean economic times. Some companies in weak markets are having their best seasons ever; others are struggling even in good markets. Here we discuss an approach that must be considered just to stay in the game and it works more often than you may think.

In the first installment we discussed two concepts: Increase Your Numbers and Find the Buyers. That edition is available in the Archives (see the link at the bottom of this edition).

Also, I am offering a free DVD to stimulate your thinking. As long as supplies last, as a subscriber to this newsletter you can receive "A Brief History of the Day After Tomorrow"; see the details below.

The requests for help in reengineering, restructuring, refocusing and/or otherwise changing the way organizations sell are increasing faster than ever. I'm spending more hours coaching and consulting in this area than ever. So much, in fact, that there is not much time for non-clients. If I'm slow in getting back to you, please be patient. I will put as much information in these updates as possible and I will be producing more frequent updates. Email still remains the best way for us to communicate; clients have my office, mobile and home phone numbers. Meanwhile, here's another idea.

This is an exciting, growing time for some companies - yours could be one of them.

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ReSELLsion

How to change the way you sell to capitalize on the opportunities in a lean economy

Make Yourself Essential

"We're Eliminating the Nonessentials"

You are looking for ways to optimize your business right now. You want the fastest and the most effective ways to cut costs while also implementing the strategies to increase your revenues. You and most of your customers have something in common! One of concepts being pushed now is "eliminating the non-essentials". It is a smart way to cut costs as long as only essentials are being cut.

If your customer perceives your product or service to be non-essential, prepare to be cut.

Existing clients may notify you that they are terminating their business or not renewing contracts. Potential clients may be telling you that your proposal cannot be funded right now, that they need to think about it in terms of priorities, etc. They are only having these conversations with the vendors they believe to be nonessential. They are spending their time trying to negotiate fees and prices with essential vendors. If you're not viewed as necessary they may not have time to talk with you.

Become Essential

There are two basic approaches for moving into the essential category. Either you help your customer generate or retain revenues or you offset other expenses. In other words, it's time for you to be using your best cost-justification talents.

What does your product or service do to help your customers sell? The better your sales team is with Supply Chain Selling, the easier this will be for you. Some ideas include:

- Gives them a differentiation over their competitors
- Shortens their sales cycle by giving their customers a reason to buy sooner
- Shortens their sales cycle by doing some of the selling for them
- Increases the likelihood that your customer's customer will be more profitable
- Stimulates vertical sales

What cost reduction benefits could your customers and potential customers realize from doing business with you. Here's a hint: lowering your price is not one of them. Some ideas:

- Can you offset other sales or marketing expenses?
- Can you offset other manufacturing expenses?
- What is the calculated ROI (qualified and quantified) from doing business with you?
- How can you increase sales or other efficiencies for your clients?

Our clients are seeing results from these approaches. They are not easy - selling in a down economy rarely is. Dig deep enough and you'll find some of the best and most creative sales approaches ever.

Summary

Think About Tomorrow - or the Day After Tomorrow

Don't do anything now that will come back to haunt you in the future. Remember Chuckism #13: "Once you give something to a customer it is theirs for life." Those of us who have seen these down times before know that the sun will come up tomorrow. Let's don't set ourselves up for "morning after regrets". There are many different ways to respond before we have to cut our prices.

May I help?

Sometimes an outside set of eyes and ears can help you uncover those non-traditional opportunities that take you off of the non-essential list?

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Free DVD