The Threat of Recession and The Field Sales Professional
The Threat of Recession and The Field Sales Professional
So, for those of us working stiffs in sales who are still going to work every day, what does all this mean?
It means we need to go to work and keep doing what we always do, but in a more proactive manner.
In my recent experience I have seen that the majority of sales professionals spend a lot of their time with existing customers securing that business. This makes them totally dependent on the success of their customers for their well being. They are putting all their eggs in a few baskets. And in this economy, that is very risky.
When the economy is unpredictable, we need to grow our customer base so that our "eggs are in a lot of baskets."
The only way to do that is by Prospecting. No other skill allows us to grow our business or use all our selling skills. We need to get out and talk to everyone who can use our products and services.
There are two components to a complete Prospecting system. Tele-Prospecting and face to face Prospecting. Of these two, Tele-Prospecting is the most utilized and face to face the least - by far. But neither are used correctly or enough
Therefore, most Prospecting systems are unbalanced and need dramatic repair.
Most importantly is a continuous Prospecting effort. Not just quarterly, but every week you should have a set number of Prospecting calls you make. The number of Prospecting calls should be determined by your goals, not just an arbitrary number pulled out of the sky. Then you MUST actually make those calls every week.
Also, when you are in the field never drive past a potential customer without stopping. Make those face to face Prospecting calls. Use our BLITZ CALL® System or some other, but don’t miss those opportunities.
Since we all know that sales are made after the third call in Commercial/Industrial sales, follow up is the life blood of sales. So a follow up system must be part of your Prospecting program and you MUST have timely follow up.
Remember, some people sell simply because they keep following up. When we are proactive lots of wonderful things happen to us simply because of Serendipity.
I have made a lot of sales simply because I kept following up. Remember, a follow up call or contact shouldn't take more that a couple of minutes. We can all afford that.
Also, we must be smart enough to know when to step back or drop a prospect that just isn't right and is wasting our time.
One of the wonderful aspects of Prospecting on a regular basis is that you will have a continuous supply of potential customers. So no one Prospect is critical.
It is the person who isn't Prospecting regularly who must sell every one they call on because they have such a limited number from which to choose.
So, Prospect regularly and you will come through these tough economic times without the stress that so many of our competitors will face.
Sell Well and Often,
Bill
Bill@BlitzCalll.com
© copyright 2008 WJ Truax ® BLITZ CALL is a registered trademark of WJT Truax
The Threat of Recession and The Field Sales Professional - To learn more about this author, visit Bill Truax's Website.
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The news is full of the fears of recession. The stock market has taken an unbelievable dive. The sub prime housing fiasco seems to have hit many of our largest financial institutions hard and the Fed dropped the prime rate by ¾ of a % yesterday - which is a lot. That is the news.
So, for those of us working stiffs in sales who are still going to work every day, what does all this mean?
It means we need to go to work and keep doing what we always do, but in a more proactive manner.
In my recent experience I have seen that the majority of sales professionals spend a lot of their time with existing customers securing that business. This makes them totally dependent on the success of their customers for their well being. They are putting all their eggs in a few baskets. And in this economy, that is very risky.
When the economy is unpredictable, we need to grow our customer base so that our "eggs are in a lot of baskets."
The only way to do that is by Prospecting. No other skill allows us to grow our business or use all our selling skills. We need to get out and talk to everyone who can use our products and services.
There are two components to a complete Prospecting system. Tele-Prospecting and face to face Prospecting. Of these two, Tele-Prospecting is the most utilized and face to face the least - by far. But neither are used correctly or enough
Therefore, most Prospecting systems are unbalanced and need dramatic repair.
Most importantly is a continuous Prospecting effort. Not just quarterly, but every week you should have a set number of Prospecting calls you make. The number of Prospecting calls should be determined by your goals, not just an arbitrary number pulled out of the sky. Then you MUST actually make those calls every week.
Also, when you are in the field never drive past a potential customer without stopping. Make those face to face Prospecting calls. Use our BLITZ CALL® System or some other, but don’t miss those opportunities.
Since we all know that sales are made after the third call in Commercial/Industrial sales, follow up is the life blood of sales. So a follow up system must be part of your Prospecting program and you MUST have timely follow up.
Remember, some people sell simply because they keep following up. When we are proactive lots of wonderful things happen to us simply because of Serendipity.
I have made a lot of sales simply because I kept following up. Remember, a follow up call or contact shouldn't take more that a couple of minutes. We can all afford that.
Also, we must be smart enough to know when to step back or drop a prospect that just isn't right and is wasting our time.
One of the wonderful aspects of Prospecting on a regular basis is that you will have a continuous supply of potential customers. So no one Prospect is critical.
It is the person who isn't Prospecting regularly who must sell every one they call on because they have such a limited number from which to choose.
So, Prospect regularly and you will come through these tough economic times without the stress that so many of our competitors will face.
Sell Well and Often,
Bill
Bill@BlitzCalll.com
© copyright 2008 WJ Truax ® BLITZ CALL is a registered trademark of WJT Truax
The Threat of Recession and The Field Sales Professional - To learn more about this author, visit Bill Truax's Website.
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John BrennanJohn Brennan Ed.D. Dr. Brennan is President of Interpersonal Development, LLC, a training and development firm. Interpersonal Development has provided sales training and coaching to more than 3,000 sales reps from over 100 companies. A native of Australia, Dr. Brennan received his doctorate from the University of Rochester. His dissertation researched the effectiveness of Behavioral Modeling Technology in training people in interpersonal skills. While he has spent most of his career designing or delivering training, he was also a Vice-President of Sales of a training and development franchise with operations in 25 markets. Dr. Brennan has designed and delivered sales training in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. He has been a guest speaker at numerous national and regional professional conferences. When Microsoft wanted Best Practices articles on sales for their web site, they called Dr. Brennan. The results are at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011387391033.aspx His firm’s clients have included Volvo, The Prudential, Merrill Lynch, Eastman Kodak, Gannett, Equifax Europe, the Economist Group and countless small businesses. - Visit John Brennan's Website |
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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Anne BarrAnne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
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George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
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David BarrDavid Barr is the President of Venture Opportunities, Inc. David has been a professional business broker/intermediary since 1980 focusing on General Business Brokerage and Mergers and Acquisitions representing client transaction value from $400,000 to $20,000,000. Mr. Barr has handled the sale of over four hundred and fifty companies. David earned a university degree from the State University of New York majoring in economics and business. David holds the Mergers and Acquisition Master Intermediary and the Certified Business Intermediary designations from the International Business Brokers Association. He is also a Senior Business Analyst and a Texas licensed Real Estate Agent. For more information about David and Venture Opportunities, visit www.bizdealmaker.com. - Visit David Barr's Website |
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