Selling in a fear-based economy

There's a touch of the selling evangelist in Russ Riendeau, but that could be a good thing for the rest of us: Business owners sell; and today we're selling in what Riendeau calls a fear-based economy.

Help is welcome.

Riendeau is founder and senior partner of East Wing Search Group, a Barrington executive search firm that specializes in sales and marketing (and management) positions. He's also a behavioral scientist, which adds an interesting perspective to his take on selling.

The prime component of Riendeau's sales approach is a return to the basics of selling -- the research, skills and attitudes that often seemed unnecessary when times were good but which can be difference makers today:

• Research. "I need to know what Getty Images' customers look for from Getty Images," Riendeau says in describing his search sales process. "And it will help if I can determine what the customers of Getty's customers want.

"That allows me to anticipate issues downstream." More importantly, the research can lead to a '"Wow! Russ knows my customers better than I do' response that allows me to become a trusted adviser, not just a sales person," says Riendeau. (So you know, Riendeau last year hired my firm to help on a non-search project.)

• Sales skills. "Revisit those sales training books," Riendeau says. "Drive through your neighborhood and mine between 7:30 and 9 o'clock. The lights will be off in the study but on in the TV room."

That's backward, Reindeau says. Rather than watch TV, "Study up on your persuasive skills. Negotiations. Communications."

• Exercise. "It's a good counterbalance to stress," Riendeau says. "Walk up the stairs. Do calisthenics.

"Recognize what's going on physically when you're under stress." When stressed, our bodies undergo a "physiological change (that releases) fear-based chemicals" which build anxieties that ultimately "make it hard to do anything."

Exercise, Riendeau says, "will raise your endorphin levels (and) increase the flow of oxygen to your brain."

•Attitude. "Limit your dose of the media," he says. "For every 30 minutes that you watch the news, spend 30 minutes reading the book jackets of successful business and leadership stories."

• Act. "Action is empowerment," Riendeau says. "Sitting breeds anxiety."

• Set realistic goals. "Look for the sooner-rather-than-later effect" when you look for the carrots that will push you to make an effort, Riendeau says. "Having $1 million to retire on is good, but putting three months salary in the bank is a quicker, more achievable goal."

• Literally keep the faith. "Prayer is a powerful tool for relaxing and finding comfort," Riendeau says. "It's part of my world. I have a regular faith-based dialogue with myself.

"There's something to be said for Norman Vincent Peale's 'The Power of Positive Thinking.'"

Questions, comments to Jim Kendall, JKendall@121MarketingResources.com.

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