Let us assume that your business has fallen off or stood still in the last few months – after many years of continuous growth. If you are asked the reasons for this slump, do not immediately reply “It is the fault of the recession”. This is the common response from many delegates attending sales training courses.
Without doubt, the stormy situation in the general economy has a considerable effect on your business. Explanations such as “reluctance to buy”, “solvency difficulties” or “political uncertainty” are mostly only half the truth. If your business is regressing it may also be due to your sales force, to methods of acquisition, to the way they work.
Do your salespeople treat regular customers too routinely or too casually, because they think that their business is safe? Do they tell customers that they are happy with the business they have received so far, instead of working to extend it? Examine business from the most important customers over recent years. Where is there less business? Where is the business standing still? Analyse negative developments carefully. Consider the skills of your sales people, when was the last time they received sales training?
How much business have you lost in the last few years by customers deserting you? Has the business which was lost been made up for by business from new customers? Intensify efforts to win new clients. Devise a plan to get new business. Set a monthly target of business to be gained from new customers for all your sales staff.
Do your salespeople mainly call on major and unproblematic clients? Do they neglect medium sized and difficult customers? Do they spend more time in town than in the country? With the help of your turnover statistics, lists of customers and purchasing power data, analyse the structure and potential of your customers.
Are things like routine (gaps in journey planning), comfort (no nights away from home) or private interests having a disadvantageous effect on the way your salespeople work a specific area? Examine the way they work. Systematically outline their route plan and the places where they make calls, on a map. Encourage them to try to improve their journey plans and try to save mileage.
Are your sales people in the habit of “churning out” their sales talk without enthusiasm? Have their powers to convince and inspire the customer slackened or disappeared completely? Urge them to review their sales presentations, update their negotiating skills and take their will to achieve carefully in hand.
Addressing poor sales figures through careful analysis and correction of the above factors will help you succeed whatever the economic climate. sales training can help maximise success in difficult market conditions.
Richard Stone ([email protected]) is a Director for Spearhead Training Limited ( http://www.spearhead-training.co.uk/ ) that specialises in running management and sales training courses. Richard provides consultancy advice for numerous world leading companies.
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