How to Sell More amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

It is no news that some of the most iconic businesses are shutting down. Lord & Taylor, the oldest departmental store in the US, just recently filed for bankruptcy. So has Stein Mart, a retailer founded in 1908 and which employs over 9,000 people. 

Reduced consumer spending, government restrictions, and measures such as social distancing are hurting almost every business today. But there is hope. 

The following are some things you can do to increase sales.

Know Your Product

To be effective at selling, you need to understand how your product will address the customer’s needs. Even seemingly similar products may call for different marketing strategies. For example, offering free trials could work well when selling a straightforward software solution but might not make sense when selling a complex one. Here’s why.

Enterprise-level software intimidates users. Without training, not many people will bother to learn how to use it. It doesn’t matter how many benefits it offers. Offering free demos might be a better strategy.

Further, knowing your product allows you to confidently respond to customer’s objections. Often, when a customer objects to your product, it’s because they don’t understand how it addresses their needs. In-depth knowledge of your product will make it easy to provide such information, therefore increasing your sales.

Build Relationships

A very effective way of increasing sales is focusing less on the product and more on your customer. While product pricing and details are undeniably very important, you should first look to build rapport with the potential customer. Develop a strong relationship with them early on in the process, and you’ll find the latter closing stages significantly easier.

Additionally, instead of employing a one size fits all strategy, commit to learning as much as you can about your prospect. This knowledge helps you know what your prospect’s pain points are, allowing you to better explain why your product is a good fit for them.

Further, ensure most of these interactions occur in person. It has been proven that face to face interactions are more successful than virtual ones.

Honesty is Key

Gone are the days when a wily tongue would sell anything. Customers now have access to a lot of information and can fact check, if need be, at the touch of a button. Do not offer untruthful prices, promise non-existent features, or make exaggerated claims. Doing so might help you close one deal, but the customer won’t come back. You’ll end up having a bad reputation, which will hurt sales.

Get Enough Sleep

At first glance, sleep might not seem like it directly affects the sales process. However, getting a good night’s sleep will leave you well-rested and refreshed. Enough sleep ensures that the frontal lobe of the brain stays highly active, promoting alertness and decision making. The enhanced decision-making skills might help you close deals faster.

Not getting a good night’s sleep could jeopardize your health and could lead to issues such as anxiety, depression, fatigue, restlessness, forgetfulness, irritability, poor decision making, and reduced energy. These will do you no favors as you seek to increase your sales.

Get the Right Team

It doesn’t matter how good you are in closing deals. If you can’t maintain a team of highly effective people, you will always be limited. True. Times are hard, and you might not have the muscle to hire additional staff. But who says that you must hire permanently? Explore options such as hiring sales staff on a commission basis.

But you must hire the right people. Every salesperson knows that becoming a highly performing sales rep takes more than having stellar academic transcripts. Knowing how to identify real talent will save you from a lot of heartaches.

Final Thoughts

While things are changing fast and nobody can guarantee anything at this time, these tips can give you a fighting chance. Be patient, work hard, and set your eyes on the goal, and things might turn out better for you than you ever imagined.