Lifeless economy requires different sales thinking

As business owners stare at an economy that is essentially lifeless on its good days, keeping the sales pipeline flowing may require some different thinking.

To Stacia Skinner, that means “your inner circle is more critical than ever.” Steve Yastrow says you must “change the way you sell. Ditch the (sales) pitch.”

They both may be right Yastrow is president of Yastrow & Co., an atypical Deerfield consulting firm Skinner is president of Creative Training Solutions Ltd., a sales focused firm in Mount Prospect.

Before you can sell your product or service, you need a prospect or two. “Sometimes we’re too focused on the need to make a sale today or there will be no milk on the table,” Skinner says. “Sales, though, is a process.”

Skinner relies on her network, her inner circle of reliable contacts, to help her reach prospects. “I use LinkedIn all the time to find people to connect to,” she says Skinner’s key is to do more than ask for names and contacts.

“The key is reciprocity,” Skinner writes in an e-newsletter. “Make it a habit to pass along as many quality referrals to your inner circle as you possibly can.” Taking the lead by offering to help others in your network “will come back twofold,” Skinner adds in an interview. “People don’t forget” the ones who help them.

Before heading out for a sales appointment, however, think about changing your selling approach. “Buyers are not ready to buy today,” Yastrow says. “You need different persuasion techniques.”

Don’t bother to update the power point, for example Don’t be too ready to extol your company and whatever it is you’re selling Instead, Yastrow says, “create a conversation with your customer Improvise.”

That’s not easy Yet Yastrow’s contention that “we have to change the way we sell, because customers are not ready to hear your sales pitch” makes sense in today’s economy.

“The problem with preparing a pitch in advance is that the odds it’s what the customer wants to hear are a million to one against,” Yastrow says. “Navigate the conversation based on what you hear (from the prospect) Your customer will show you the best way to close the sale.”

Listening always has been part of the process for effective sales people But actually holding back your polished presentation to base your sales call on what the prospect says?

Scary stuff Maybe you need a night out.

“Chicago is the world capital of improvisation,” Yastrow says as he suggests taking in a performance at Second City, Annoyance Theater or iO Chicago — venues where improv reigns.

“Take some of the techniques from the actors onstage working without a script They’re totally tuned in to what’s happening in front of them.”

Ÿ Contact Jim Kendall at JKendall@121MarketingResources.com.