Professional Sales Development Ltd founder, Stephen Lewis-Brammer explains how to keep selling in the current tough economic climate.

Doom and gloom! At least that is what they are saying in the newspapers and on the television and, if you are not careful, it may be what you will be thinking too.

Before you go into your own version of a depression, though, here is a positive thought for you to contemplate: cometh the tough times, cometh the hour of the professional salesperson.

Rather than being something which we should all be worrying and panicking about, tough times really present a golden opportunity for you as a professional salesperson to prove your worth – while it may be more difficult to win business it is possible. In fact, tough times are actually professional salespeople’s opportunity to remain consistently successful (even to increase their levels of success) whilst lesser mortals around them fall by the wayside.

We’re more clued-up than ever before when it comes to non-verbal communication and we reckon we know how to read people’s ‘hidden agenda’. But are we really as savvy as we think, asks Tina Lofthouse?

Only 7% of how we communicate is down to the words we use – so claims a body of research that stresses that it really isn’t what we say, it’s the way that we say it.

Some experts have gone further, reckoning that, if we can master body language and how we communicate non-verbally, then the world is our oyster – providing the key to greatness; many a business training course extols the virtues of the likes of mirroring and powerful handshakes.

But is it really that simple and how much of it can actually make a difference to the salesperson trying to develop that all-important rapport, for instance? The reality is that, while being aware of body language is crucial, most people know when it is not natural and is being used to manipulate a situation.

Professor Colin Coulson-Thomas of Cotoco discusses what separates the winners from the also-rans in a competitive bid situation.

Most businesses would like to win more of the contracts they bid for. Bidding is a tough game. Intense competition and falling barriers to entry strengthen the negotiating position of buyers. As more contracts are put out to competitive tender and new entrants are invited to bid, the prospects of winning a particular opportunity can fall. 

As expectations rise, responding to invitations to tender becomes more demanding and expensive. The cost of lost bids has to be recovered out of a squeezed margin on those won. Companies that win too few bids are driven out of business. Enterprises need to succeed in competitive bid situations.

Is your sales force fit for purpose during an economic down-turn, asks Peter O’Donnell of Ergon?

When designing a new office building, the first step is to describe its intended purpose, overall shape and dimensions.

The detail of the building becomes more specific in ensuing phases but, at all times a standard language is employed, especially for detailed dimensions and engineering specifications. These building standards are required for coherency of design, to minimise error, guarantee fit and integration of components, health and safety, efficiency of build, and for ongoing maintenance and support.

Fit for purpose

You might now be asking: ‘What has an office building and the sales force got in common?’ The answer is that, if either is not fit for purpose, despite the money and effort spent, buildings will fail to deliver what is required and, in recessions, only the fittest sales organisations will survive.

Legislation, globalisation, competition – it’s a jungle out there. Suddenly, it seems that sales has lost its way and ‘old-skool’ training is not equipping us for the tough new business environment. It’s time to sign up for a proper sales education, says Nick de Cent as he hacks a path through the maze of sales-related NVQs, VRQs, diplomas and degrees.

Let’s face it, salespeople and formal education don’t necessarily go hand-in-hand! After all, why sit in a stuffy classroom cramming books when you could be out in the wider world of business closing deals and earning a good salary?

Obtaining an accredited qualification can help you climb the career ladder faster, but finding your way around the mass of sales qualifications is complicated. Here is our guide to what is available and how they fit into the National Qualifications Framework. Remember also that accredited qualifications may be subsidised by the government, offering a considerable saving on course fees.

ICDL’s Andrew Dugdale asks why the selling community is so confused about sales effectiveness.

Almost inevitably ‘no’ is the answer to the question ‘Are two head better than one?’ when talking about sales headcount… especially in light of recent evidence from consultants IDC showing that, on average today, between 1.5 -2.2 salespeople are employed to deliver the same results that could be achieved with one fully effective salesperson, is it any wonder that CEOs (chief executive officers) are looking at the sales function with ever-increasing interest.

The so-called Dragons from BBC’s Dragons’ Den like to strike terror into the hearts of the business start-ups pitching for their hard-earned cash. But they’re pussycats at heart... and very free with advice for budding entrepreneurs. Here are some of the Dragons’ best tips: all are equally applicable to the sales arena as they are to the fledgling business.

Many of us will have been on a time management course, but sometimes it pays to have a little refresher…

Professional sales people take it for granted but many owners of small businesses hate selling. Or think they do. Here’s how to tackle the process.

We all have to sell to generate revenue and, as we know, revenue is the lifeblood of the business.

The fact is that many people outside of sales have a skewed vision of what the selling process is all about. It’s not about conning people or persuading them to buy something they don’t want; it’s all about helping people to buy the products, services and solutions they actually need.

To this end, the most successful salespeople would offer the following advice. Be yourself, and always be true to your values. Protect the values of your brand, and the integrity of yourself and your company.

Beyond that, look at each opportunity to sell as the beginning of a fruitful, two-way relationship.

Here is a ten-point checklist to help non-sales professionals understand the process. It’s also a useful basic guide for managers to use with junior members of their teams....

Manipulative closing techniques make for miserable customers.

It’s better to set up the conditions for a natural, painless close. Here are six ways to influence the process by helping customers make the decision to say ‘yes’ (assuming they truly want and need to buy your product or service).

Checklist

Ask yourself the following questions to see if you have fulfilled any of the criteria...