MOTIVATION
You’re not meeting sales targets, or maybe you’re missing details you or- dinarily wouldn’t, or you simply don’t have the energy level and enthusiasm you should. It all adds up to a sales slump. And who holds the keys to unlocking it? You do! You’re cruising along and then, bam! The monthly sales report comes out. You’re off target big time, sales are in the basement, and your income really sucks. No question – you’re in a slump. But what about times when your enthusiasm’s dragging and you’re not picking up the phone and prospecting like you normally would? That, too, is a slump. Either way, you’re the person in the hot seat, and you’re the only one who can jolt yourself out of it. The best way to do so, however, depends on how you got there.
“A sales slump can be caused by an emotional issue, tactical mistakes in selling, or the marketplace – and you have to objectively identify which is causing it,” explains one sales-train- ing consultant.
Gear Up! GINA ROLLINS
Selling is an up-and-down game. One day you’re riding high, closing deals right and left; the next, no one will talk to you. If you let either the up or the down of the cycle destroy your overall mo- mentum, you’re missing the point. After all, who’s in control?
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As a starting point, he recommends evaluating your effectiveness – daily. “You need to look at how many calls you’re making, how many presenta- tions, and the number of referrals and sales made each day,” he advises. Include in the analysis notes made during sales calls, which may help pick up on patterns. For example: Are you not asking the right questions or not responding well to customer objections? “If I don’t have all the information needed, it means I wasn’t asking questions to get the prospects talking,” says Rob Delpardo, a sales rep for a chemical company. Objectivity in the face of bad numbers or a personal funk is easier said than done, so you might have a colleague or your sales manager review your call book to see if you’re contacting the right decision mak- ers. Sales managers also are good for making joint calls to evaluate if either your message or approach is off. Another strategy to figure out where the problem lies: role playing with your sales manager. “If I’m having
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