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Selling in Uncertain Times

Written by: John Brennan

Article Overview: There is no doubt that we are living in politically and economically uncertain times.I can allow the uncertain times to effect me negatively, or positively. I can slow down my sales activity and wait for tomorrow, or I can recommit myself to finding those prospects who are ready to do business today. It is my choice.

Selling in Uncertain Times

There is no doubt that we are living in politically and economically uncertain times. The United States is on the brink of a war, perhaps on two fronts. Stock markets around the world, which hate uncertainty, are fluctuating wildly as they go nowhere. And, in North America anyway, even the weather, barely predictable in the best of times, is adding to a sense of foreboding.

If I allow it, the current reality can have a very negative impact on my sales efforts. In times like these, my mind (which is often out to get me) offers up these excuses; “Nobody is buying because of politics/the economy/the weather. So there’s no point in
a) making the extra effort,
b) calling those prospects, or
c) following up on that lead.”

Fortunately I have a choice; I do not have to act on the advice of this “stinking thinking”.
Instead, I can choose to entertain more positive thoughts like,
“There are people out there today closing deals”
“Out of turbulent times emerge new winners”
“Ten percent of my customers are frozen with fear; so go sell the other 90 percent who are not”.
“If my customers are cautious, I simply need to be more patient “
“Selling is about helping people get what they want. What do my customers want in uncertain times?”
“If I stay in touch today, I’ll get orders tomorrow”.
“This too shall pass”
Fear freezes us. Today it may be fear of uncertainty. Tomorrow it will be fear of something else. Fear interferes with our willingness to do the activities that lead to results. President Roosevelt was right: we have nothing to fear but fear itself.

In addition to setting my thinking straight, it is important that I choose to take action. I can modify my sales activity. I recently re-read Werth and Ruben’s wonderful book called High Probability Selling*. In it, there are two important messages for the current times.
1. Give prospects the opportunity to disqualify themselves. Ask early in the process if they are MAD (have the money, authority and desire). If they are not, find the ones who are, because they are out there, even today.
2. Don’t demonstrate or show your product unless the prospect is fully qualified. Get an understanding of their needs and requirements first. Then get a pre-commitment to buy, provided that your product meets those needs and requirements. How many times have we expended time, effort and money, doing “dog and pony shows” for semi-qualified prospects? You know, the prospects you’d enjoy doing business with, or those you think ought to be doing business with you, or the ones you are almost certain are qualified, or you hope are qualified, or who will be qualified after the demo, or those you assume are qualified. Do not kid yourself. Accept the reality. Sell the qualified, but forget the disqualified.

So, I can allow the uncertain times to effect me negatively, or positively. I can slow down my sales activity and wait for tomorrow, or I can recommit myself to finding those prospects who are ready to do business today. It is my choice.

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  Coping with Uncertain Times
  Play the Full Table

Article Tags: business today, no doubt, prospects, uncertain times



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Re: Info for would be franchisers... - [quote="Sebastien":1d29sdv1]Like Franchise Times, Franchise Update is a very practical magazine. There is no blah blah, just straight facts that anyone in the franchise community can relate to. I just want to mention that all these magazines are NOT franchisee oriented. I mean these magazines are for franchise professionals. If you're looking to buy a franchise, you won't find much information in there. To answer your question, getting published in Franchise Times was fairly easy. I don't want to brag too much but I think I am known in the franchise industry. I was the marketing guy at Franchise.com for a few years before joining my new company, the World Franchising Network. So people know me and I have a very good relationship with Nancy Weingartner, the Managing Editor at Franchise Times. I was talking with her at the last Franchise Expo South in Miami and she mentioned she'd like me to be profiled. I was like "ok, sure!". I like this franchise executive profile thing in Franchise Times as it is rarely BS. People are usually really natural in there.[/quote:1d29sdv1] Thanks for the follow up Sebastien! And I can't say that I'm surprised that networking with the right people and managing your relationships with them properly are the keys to being published. I guess the old adage holds true of "it's not who you know, but who knows you" that's important.
Does a New Company need a "Big" PR firm? - I've started work with a brand new company that is going to do loss mitigation. My boss intends to hire a "big" PR firm - ie one that costs a lot of money - because he wants press releases sent out to the New York Times, the LA Times - all the major papers around the country - and he think they'll be more likely to print them if they come from a "big" firm as opposed to a one-person PR firm. I think it doesn't matter where the press release comes from as long as its well written. What are the opinions here?
Re: Does a New Company need a "Big" PR firm? - [quote="OmnivoreInk":dmj1i0sv]I've started work with a brand new company that is going to do loss mitigation. My boss intends to hire a "big" PR firm - ie one that costs a lot of money - because he wants press releases sent out to the New York Times, the LA Times - all the major papers around the country - and he think they'll be more likely to print them if they come from a "big" firm as opposed to a one-person PR firm. I think it doesn't matter where the press release comes from as long as its well written. What are the opinions here?[/quote:dmj1i0sv] I think the most important factor is whether your press release will reach the most number of your target audience or not. It won't matter if the press release is well written if no one has the opportunity to read it. I also believe that credibility comes with having your press release in an established source like The New York Times, LA Times, etc... For instance, if you enjoyed playing tennis, who would you trust more? The advice from a recreational tennis player who has his own column in [i:dmj1i0sv]Tennis Magazine[/i:dmj1i0sv] [u:dmj1i0sv]or[/u:dmj1i0sv] the recreational tennis player who has his own blog? I don't know about you, but I'd listen to the guy on [i:dmj1i0sv]Tennis Magazine[/i:dmj1i0sv] over the blog owner at least 9 out of 10 times.
Re: Does a New Company need a "Big" PR firm? - I agree with Kevin [quote:3b8fyubd]I think the most important factor is whether your press release will reach the most number of your target audience or not.[/quote:3b8fyubd] You dont a big company that will charge mega bucks as Im sure they will even add a %age to the cost of the press release. Im sure if you approach New York Times, the LA Times with every thing presented professionally I think it will still stand the same chance. I would start advertising online, then locally thats when the NYT can see what there missing out on! And to test the water first!
Re: Info for would be franchisers... - I concur with the above posters. Franchise Times is a very good industry publication.


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