Are you in danger of getting behind in your sales quota? Do you want to know how to get out of a sales slump? Here are some helpful tips.
Falling into a sales rut is something every salesperson deals with at some point in their career. For salespeople who receive commissions, the level of pressure felt during a sales downturn can be extremely daunting. Furthermore, if you have a family to support, the strain can be multiplied exponentially.
When a sales slump occurs, salespeople have two options: They can accept the situation or refuse to accept it.
In refusing to accept the situation, they are essentially blaming others. For example, they might blame poor leads, a weak economy, or that no one is buying. They may believe that prices are too high or competitors have a better product.
The other option is to accept the situation by identifying and addressing the true issues at hand. To be successful in climbing out of a sales slump, however, you’ll need a strategy. Here’s one that has proven effective for some in overcoming the sales slump:
1. Believe That There Is a Way Out of the Sales Slump
There is no way around the fact that “this too shall pass.” However, it won’t happen if you just sit around doing nothing. Furthermore, nothing will change if you don’t change yourself and the actions that got you here in the first place.
Therefore, some adjustments may be needed. Keep in mind that after making these changes, you have a really good chance of succeeding. The first step is believing that it is possible.
2. Stop Trying to Close Deals
When under pressure, especially if you’re in commission sales, it’s easy to lose sight of the needs of the consumer. In addition, it’s even easier to become preoccupied with the urge to clinch a sale.
However, you must push away your personal concerns to concentrate on the issues that your prospect is facing. This includes declining a transaction if it is not a good match for your prospect’s needs. Suddenly, that untrustworthy tone in your voice goes away and you can engage in genuine discussions with your prospects.
Like the old saying, it’s much easier said than done. However, if you want to accomplish your goals and get out of your slump, you must put others’ needs first. This is vital if you want to succeed.
To put this into practice, change your mindset before you pick up the phone on each sales call. Prepare yourself by thinking about how you might help the person on the other end of the line. This will assist you in maintaining your concentration and remove the strain you are feeling from your voice.
3. Go Back to the Basics
In sales, one mathematical fact is that Skill + Production = Results.
You’ve likely let production deteriorate over the past few weeks or even months. This may be precisely why you’re in a sales slump. Further, this may be the reason your desperation is coming through loud and clear over the phone.
Making use of the suggestions above will help you to maintain the proper frame of mind and tone of voice. However, now it’s time to get down to business. Once you have the right mindset, start dialing more numbers and making fewer excuses.
Sure, your skill set could benefit from some fresh new sales approaches. However, you didn’t suddenly lose your ability to sell overnight. Therefore, implement the three fundamental actions outlined above to get back on track.
The majority of top salespeople only experience a major sales slump once in their careers. These people learn from their errors and strive hard to prevent them from happening again in the future. If you work your way out of your rut one sales call at a time, success is in the bag!
Image Credit: Anna Shvets; Pexels; Thank you!
