There is no greater feeling in sales than when you are on a roll, and everything you touch turns to gold. That Midas touch allows you to make more calls, set up more appointments, seek out new prospective business and even helps you to close more sales. You feel on top of the world!
Which sounds great, but what about the opposite?
What happens when no matter how hard you try, sales just aren’t coming through? You aren’t hitting your sales targets, prospects are going to your competition, and you aren’t generating enough business.
There is no doubt ever single person reading this, in fact, every single sales person has gone through a sales dry spell, or a sales slump in their time. It happens to the best of us; and trust me, I am talking from experience here.
If you are going through a sales slump, there are some useful things you can do to turn the ship around. It is never too late, and the important step in all of this is to recognise you are experiencing this slump and to start to navigate your way through it.
In this article, I have pieced together my top tips on what to do when facing a sales slump; and these are all tried and tested and have no doubt will help you to get things back on track!
- Remain Positive and Optimistic
A positive mindset is always so important when it comes to sales; let’s face it, it isn’t always plain-sailing. The need for this positive mindset is amplified when you are going through a slump, because it can be so easy to let your head drop down and to let your anxieties and negative thinking get in the way.
However, no different to that of a Premier League striker, you must keep that head up and remember that good times will come again. You will get back into a positive rhythm and sales will once again come back.
Perhaps take some time reading through testimonials and case studies on work you have delivered, or even call your clients just for some positive feedback from them to help boost your mood and your morale.
- Speak Out
Many of us are surprised at how thoughtful and caring our colleagues are, our superiors are, and even our peers. If we shut off into our own shell then there is nothing anyone can do to help and support us.
Which is why I always recommend reaching out to your support networks and seeking their advice. Do you have a superior who can offer some mentoring or coaching? Do you have a colleague that can help fire you back up? Do you have anyone else close to you that you can practise your sales pitch with and brainstorm ideas off of?
- Stop Selling, Start Helping
This point sounds ridiculous, right? But trust me, it works.
There is nothing worse than a desperate sales person. We can all smell them a mile off, and your customers can too. A desperate sales person will try to close any old sale, in any old fashion, just to bump up the numbers and to get some work through the door. But from my experience, this desperation can only push your prospective customers away.
Instead, stop selling, and start helping. Start switching to more of a consultative selling approach. What problems can you help your customers with? Can you help them in any other way other than what it is you are selling?
If you can do this, before long the problem solving skills you have initiated will soon lead to further opportunities.
Remember, you are never alone when it comes to being in a sales slump. My team and I are always on hand for mentoring and coaching sessions if you need to run through some ideas. Simply reach out to us we shall come back to you.
