Yes, that’s right – just give up!! What’s the point, no one is buying.
Well, that got your attention – but … how wrong is this!
You only have to watch the evening news to see that people are still heading out to spend money. Supermarket shelves empty, homewares stores waiting for stock, whitegoods being wheeled out of electronics stores and hardware retailers rushed off their feet. Yes, we’re talking about essential grocery items, pharmaceuticals, homewares and appliances – but does that explain why the share price of online retailers keep soaring, or the success of businesses that have embraced technology to continue growing?
Buying behaviour has changed, no argument there. The thing is – what are they buying? Purchasing decisions are still being made by individuals and businesses for the goods and services that will help them improve their life or business (or their customers’ lives and businesses) in this current environment.
Solutions to current problems still need to be solved, and you could be the one who has the answers. Today, business leaders are most concerned about: keeping their business afloat and may need to look for ways to cut costs, maximise their budget, pivot their business model, transform their offerings, improve cash flow, keep their teams productive, change their processes or operations. These are all universal problems, and you may even be experiencing them in your own business.
Sure, you may agree. However, you’re still thinking ‘but how do I find those customers’?
The simple answer is – you need to work harder in your prospecting efforts and be laser-focused on who your ideal customer is now – as that may have changed. Which industries in your target market are thriving? Which companies do you want as customers?
There are plenty of golden nuggets out there to be found, but they won’t jump out of the ground into your bucket (aka sales pipeline). You have to dig for them. The goldfield (aka your market), may be buried under a thick protective layer of rock right now, but those gold nuggets are there and waiting to be found. If you’re not out there prospecting, chances are, your competitors are, and they may strike gold before you!
Planning for success and having the right tools, combined with a positive and focussed mindset, will prepare you for the effort and determination to find those ideal customers. These ideal customers are waiting for someone to come along with solutions to their problems.
If you genuinely believe that you can solve those problems, then it’s your obligation to ensure you go out and find ways to share your expertise with those who need you!
Don’t stop selling, just because the market is tough.
Sharpen up your outreach efforts, reach out for help from your sales manager or sales coach, focus on your goals (and targets) and start digging for gold. Just as the gold miners in 1850s found it tough going, they were consistently focussed on what success would look and feel like. Use this ‘golden nugget’ analogy to drive your motivation – and don’t stop selling!