scape, reassess revenue opportunities, reevaluate the service catalog, and create proactive plays. Finally, com- municate the approach to the wider organization – stating the investments in the sales function with specifics.
RECOVER AND RECALIBRATE Crises can also create opportunities to recalibrate relationships with customers and partners and identify new market opportunities for your offerings. A heightened focus on cash may make both groups amenable to more stream- lined service models, while proactive, cost-effective offers may help leading firms take market share. Now is the time to reconfigure quickly to consider serving new industries or segments, adjusting pricing, finding places where your offering may be better suited, or offering financing where others cannot. By identifying strong market moves, you can uncover new ways to serve industries or customers where your company hasn’t historically played. Use data to understand changes to customer buying patterns to help identify where business focus needs to fundamentally shift. From there, re-examine what business operations and services are most costly, and be prepared to adjust them as needed if price concessions are required. This information will arm you with insights to identify potential substitutions sell- ers can proactively bring to customers – helping to improve retention while demonstrating differentiated value.
THRIVE IN THE NEXT NORMAL This crisis is changing every day, and predicted business impacts are evolv- ing along with it. Once immediate re- sponse plans are in place, sales lead- ers can then begin to re-imagine their sales organizations to evolve with the new normal. Long-held assump- tions and norms will be challenged by widespread disruption, and it’s crucial to take an honest and introspective examination of how the business was managed, and how sales organiza- tions should adapt future approaches to prospect engagement, customer
buying processes, sales team collabo- ration, and much more.
A few questions to consider could include the following: • Which buyers will drive demand for our products in future years?
• What will buyers value, and what must teams do differently to en- gage them?
• Who will be my top performers? • How will new trends like digital coverage, tighter integration, and new ways of selling affect team operations?
Remember to achieve business stability through a multifaceted
SELLING TIP Criticize with Care
No one likes criticism, but it’s here to stay. And you will get your share of criticism – regardless of how honest, industrious, and altruistic you may be. Realize that, whenever you take a stand on a subject, there will always be someone with an opposing viewpoint. Consider these groups: theologians vs. atheists, environmentalists vs. industrialists, pacifists vs. militants. What’s “in” with one group is “out” with another. Whether you are an involved individual or a passive bystander, you will experience rejection. Often a person of strong ideals and dedication is loved and admired by some, but detested by others. A person who does not have strong ideals and dedication may receive criticism for being inde- cisive or lazy.
Learn to distinguish envy from constructive criticism. You will find that
rejections don’t cause any great losses. Many malcontents who cannot live up to their own expectations try to pull others down with them. Your valued opinions can greatly affect your decisions and actions. Many factors affect your opinions – environment, heredity, lifestyle, experiences, education, maturity, age, sex, needs, desires, and frame of mind. Consid- ering all these influences, it’s easy to see how impossible it is for any two people to agree on everything. You can eliminate some criticism by: • Keeping your goals in mind • Never imposing your will on others • Wishing happiness and fulfillment for others • Standing firm on your beliefs People will recognize these qualities and admire you for them. They will sense and respect your courage of conviction. Don’t waste time worrying about criticism – your worry may paralyze you. Make decisions according to what you think is right. When you are happy and busy doing what you think is important, you will spread happiness to others. Be content to receive appreciation and approval, and ignore the nuisance of criticism.
– WILLIAM EDDY
SELLING POWER SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020 | 13 © 2020 SELLING POWER. CALL 1-800-752-7355 FOR REPRINT PERMISSION.
strategic process that addresses a team’s immediate needs while staying focused on success once the crisis has subsided. Organizations that can quickly deploy this approach, contin- ue delivering exceptional experiences through their sales teams, and bolster and support their sellers can be well positioned for success during recov- ery and beyond.
Harry Datwani is a principal and U.S. sales transformation practice leader of Deloitte Digital, which focuses on re-imagining sales and sales operations to drive profit- able growth.
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