It is ironic that many sales teams have been waiting anxiously for an economic recovery. Now that it appears to be a real possibility, they seem entirely unprepared. Managers and producers who couldn’t get any momentum during bad times now have trouble keeping up with new orders and inquiries, which are coming in with better stock prices and employment reports.
This is not the place you want your sales team.
Your sales team must be able to get the job done quickly in order to thrive in the coming economic recovery. A quick start will not only bring in new customers and revenue, but it will also give you an edge over your competition, which could be a competitive advantage that could help you steal some of their largest buyers.
Receipts, like recessions, have their winners and losers. Here are steps to help your sales team get to the top of the market as the economy heats.
Prioritize opening accounts quickly.
Although many buyers are beginning to emerge from the woodwork, they don’t all have the same spending habits or budgets. Your staff should focus on opening many accounts and building new relationships. As your customers get more settled in the recovery, they will make larger purchases. You’ll also have their business.
Invest in training.
Selling is like riding a bicycle. Can you forget how? It is somewhat like trying to balance on two wheels. And it doesn’t usually take too much time to get your bearings right again. There is a big difference between doing it and doing it well.
If they want to be able to perform at their best, salespeople may have picked up bad habits like wasting time, not prospecting as much, arriving late to work, etc. A quick training program is the best way to help them. It will remind them of the basics and lay out a solid selling strategy, as well as motivate them to succeed.
For backup, call.
You can only be as competent as the other departments within your company. This is because you can’t make a sale of what you don’t own. You cannot use or spend anything you don’t own. Talk to your manufacturing, marketing, and finance colleagues to discuss what you might need. You might not get everything you need right away. However, you don’t want to miss significant sales because you don’t have the right resources.
