The global pandemic is affecting all aspects of life as we know it including the business world specifically, sales. Sales teams typically on the road every day or in and out of meetings have found themselves working from home and holding virtual meetings. Some businesses are scaling back operations and completely rethinking their selling strategies. In a world of unknowns, it is important to maintain best practices and processes for your sales team. An article from Thrive Global discusses four best practices for sales professionals in this pandemic, which we highlight below.
1. Connection is Key
Your prospects’ needs may have changed over the past few months. As a salesperson, it is important to understand this while you are connecting with your prospects. You should discuss how your product or service can benefit the prospect’s new needs by having deeper conversations. Additionally, with most businesses working from home, the way you connect may be different. Email is always a solid channel of communication, but keep in mind some businesses do not have their office phones available at home. Try mixing in SMS when you have a mobile number to allow the prospect alternative avenues to communicate and connect with you. The more channels you use to connect may be the key to opening the door with a prospect and starting the conversation about their new needs.
2. Stay Top-of-Mind
As your prospects’ needs change, available funds for spending may be different as well. Continue communicating and keeping yourself top-of-mind with the potential customer so that when the time is right for them to purchase, the prospect will think of you. Consider offering some free consultation or scheduling of virtual product or service presentations to keep your prospects aware of your offerings.
Furthermore, you may find your sales call turns into a check-in call to see how the prospect is navigating updates in the business landscape. The point is, be flexible and empathetic in your approach. If you are able to connect with a prospect, try to gauge a timeline of for follow-up conversations that takes into account the potential for uncertain timelines. This positions you as a partner or friendly, rather than a pushy sales rep which increases the likelihood continuing the conversation with a prospect when the time is right.
3. Adjust Your Offerings Accordingly
The pandemic is affecting each business differently and posing new, unique challenges. It is important to look at each prospect as an individual and to understand how your product or service can specifically help a new challenge they are facing. Think about how you can adjust your offerings to benefit the prospect immediately or in the near future. Discuss current pain points with your prospects and determine how you can package your products or adjust your services to meet these new challenges.
This is a time to be creative with your offerings to meet these unique needs. For example, if your offerings make the work from home experience more efficient, do not be afraid to take advantage of this new market. Being able to adapt and adjust in any situation will set your sales up for short- and long-term success.
4. Think of Prospecting as Helping – Not Selling
When you look at your list of prospects, remember that each name in your list is a human-being, affected by the pandemic just like you and everyone else. Most of your prospects will be working from home and are craving some human interaction so be prepared to have more of a conversation than you normally would.
Prospecting is about reaching out and building a mutually beneficial relationship with somebody. If you think of your prospecting as helping rather than selling, the conversations and the relationships you build will be more meaningful and productive.
Businesses and selling processes have certainly changed over the past few months. Your sales team must adjust to these changes and strategize your sales practices accordingly.
How has the pandemic affected your sales team? Are there any tools or processes you have introduced that you have found helpful in promoting efficiency? Reach out to us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., we would love to chat!
AMPED is with you during this unprecedented time. AMPED provides you with unique prospecting features that allow you to stay up to date with relevant information on all your prospects before making that connection. Additionally, AMPED integrates with premier voice services like MAXvoice and Twilio allowing a seamless transition for your at-home sales calling and messaging.
Right now, you can sign up for AMPED for free at https://amped.ai/free-trial.