Balancing Sales Training and Recession
Balancing sales training and recession is indeed a tough job because the term recession implies a troubled economy in which ‘loss’ is the byword and hence most of the sales training provided during recession is aimed at development of strategies which would reduce the loss by reducing the uncertainty. Hence, much of the sales training which is imparted and acquired during the recession teaches the trainees about the ways in which loss can be dealt with and proper and effective handling of uncertain situations.
Many salespersons suffer from the fear of loss during recession because while making a sale during tough economic times, the sales person may not be paid the entire amount at one time. Therefore, there is always a chance that this amount may not be paid at all and this causes fear in the mind of the salesperson. An effective way of handling the situation would be to take into account the negative aspects of selling so that the salesperson is able to complete the procedure without experiencing any fear. Balancing sales training and recession also involves dealing with uncertainty in terms of putting in the extra work but not being sure of the returns. Uncertainty can be overcome by indulging in reference selling, using testimonials and making known the customer success stories.
Having overcome the psychological fears, further balancing sales training and recession entails cultivation of certain characteristics like a simple and proper introduction which would create the right impact, not pushing the client into closing the sale rapidly, gaining a full understanding of the needs of the client by thorough questioning, being a good listener and maintaining relevance throughout the conversation. These attributes form a positive impression on the client as he realizes that the salesperson is not trying to push his product and close the deal for his personal achievement but is concerned about the actual requirements and hence is genuine.
Balancing sales training and recession also involves being aware of the various ways in which the sales teams can be led and managed especially during the difficult times. This entails taking cognizance of the phoenix effect which happened when the dot com bubble burst leaving many computer-based companies in a lurch, except two namely Cisco Systems and Dell Computers. Recession is the best time to review the sales program for weaknesses and once these are identified, the training can be modified to bring about an improvement. It is also a test of leadership skills since a good leader is the one who would provide inspiration and motivation to the team even during the tough times.