Business owners and leaders must recognize that this recession has brought on a new dynamic to our markets - long term frugal customers. When it comes to selling your product or solution today, you must develop new strategies.
1. Rethink Marketing: Because most customers go to the net first, you need to get savvy with search engine marketing, blogs, Facebook pages, Twitter and so on. They will not only engage potential customers but also build a growing digital footprint.
2. Value Message: You need to reflect on and re-craft your message. There's an ROI in every decision making process these days so make sure you demonstrate your value proposition from the start.
3. Customer Feedback: During tough times, your customers may be looking for alternatives. This means you need to communicate more and perhaps even provide enhanced offerings. In fact, this may help increase "word of mouth," which could result in getting more customers. Ask your customers some questions, such as: What do you value the most? What else would you want? This can be extremely valuable in terms of targeting new customers, as well as fine-tuning your marketing.
4. Be Upbeat: In light of the negative media, it's not easy to be positive. But as a leader, you need to set a mood mood of resolve and optimism. It's critical for mobilizing your employees and building confidence with vendors and potential customers. Plus, its infectious and just plain old feels great!!!
If you would like more information about creating new marketing messages, mobilizing employees, or redesigning your sales process in light of the new situation -Request a Free Consultation. We help business leaders achieve success through all of these strategies and more.
Related posts:
Do-You-Own-the-Mood?
As a business leader, how wonderful would it be to have top talent lining up at YOUR door?
In The Encore Effect Mark Sanborn asks the question: What if as a leader, you had such a reputation for effectiveness that you never had to look for new employees? There was always a long line of job applicants ready to do whatever it took to work for you?(Example: In 2006, Google received one million job applications and made 5,500 hires.)
So the question is: How do great sales managers create the ‘Google affect' in their organizations?
1. Raise the Bar to Entry
Strong sales organizations know that rock stars want to hang with rock stars. Instead of making it easy to join their company, they install hiring processes that are designed to screen, eliminate and only allow the best to join. Google's culture begins and is maintained with a rigorous hiring process.
If you don't have a documented process for hiring, there is a good chance you are still hiring from the gut, bringing bias to the interview, and keeping a fair amount of finger crossing in your final selection.
2. Create Cultures of Accountability
Great sales managers know how to take a team from startup to grownup. Effective sales leaders know that even good, disciplined salespeople work best when there is a culture of accountability. This starts by having systems, processes and metrics for performance in place. If you don't have anything to measure, you can't inspect, which means you can't expect. High performing sales organizations have metrics for hiring, on-boarding, business development, sales and client retention.
3. Be Excellent Teachers
Marshall Goldsmith authored the book, "What Got You Here Won't Get You There." This pretty much sums up the challenge for a tops sales producers transitioning into sales management. What got them to management was their ability to sell and close business. This skill has zero value if they don't have the ability to teach and transfer skills. Sales managers are only as good as their sales team.
4. Create Community
We may be living in an increasingly virtual world; however, people still want connection. Look at all the different groups on LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. Strong sales leaders are connected with their sales team, regardless if they are local or global.
Arunas Chesonis, CEO of Paetech, has a Friday afternoon conference call with his 4,000 employees every week. People on his team look forward to the call because it's an update on what's happening, where the company is headed, and includes a good deal of humor. The salespeople might be located all over the country, however, are connected to the mission and vision because of the video conference.
Contact us for more strategies on attracting and keeping top producers to fuel your companies growth.