Seven Tips for selling in Pandemic?

Businesses are facing different levels of disruptions caused by natural, human-made, technology or operational failures and those caused by pandemic events.

Companies who were already equipped with technology are staying ahead of the curve whereas others are figuring out different ways to cope up. We were way back headed towards digital transformation but the pace at which the pandemic has equipped us with is quickening.

Adapt quickly or shut your doors. There are a plethora of articles on COVID; either to come up with new ideas or how to maintain continuity. But are we really getting it right?

So how exactly can we function when the world is vulnerable to this black swan event?! There are many unknown hits in the dark about how this will play out. This pandemic has swept businesses into uncharted waters, the full impact is still not known.

So how can we navigate through these unprecedented times and emerge stronger?

Educating Clients:

Educating the customers with podcasts or webinars with what your company is all about. Educating your prospective clients you can explain all that goes into your work and affirm the pricing. It builds loyalty and trust. Clients want to know if it’s worth their time and money.

“Having the aspiration to be memorable is easy. The hard part is creating a crisp message you want others to articulate when you’re no longer in the room.” — Dr. Carmen Simon, Cognitive Neuroscientist, Memzy

Curating relatable content:

Curating the right content about your key differentiators. How do you stand out from the crowd, how are you providing value to the customers with your services, and testimonials on how your previous clients benefited from your company.

Leverage from digital communication:

The role of digital channels is an equalizer in a way. It does not make or break the customer’s loyalty. Digital Interactions are 3x more effective than traditional cold calling interactions. 80% of the sales have been moved to these video conferencing platforms. Webinars present opportunities to increase brand awareness and generate quality leads.

An average prospect receives 100 mails per day. Receiving a video in your inbox is surprising right?

According to Vidyard, receiving videos in emails are 8x more likely to be opened and 3x more response rates. Vidyard is an online video platform for business that allows you to increase leads, accelerate your pipeline, and delight your customers.

According to Animoto, 96% of consumers find videos more helpful when making a purchase decision online. Video communication is a powerful strategy. During these unprecedented times when small businesses had to move their operations online, videos have been proven as an effective tool in communicating with the clients.

Gaining a competitive edge:

In these times when massive layoffs and furloughs have been forced on many, employees can gain a competitive edge by upskilling and attaining new skill sets. Upskilling will help employees compete and succeed in a depressed economy.

Shorter Sales Cycle:

Pandemic has emphasized so much on the increased sales speed or responsiveness. Speeding up your company’s sales cycle is very important, as time is money. Talking to someone who neither has the financial authority nor the decision-making ability can lead you nowhere but to a longer sales cycle. Presenting a clear value proposition can help you move the sales cycle even more quickly.

Create value/ Lower the defection rate:

Creating value for the client. Customer satisfaction is a contributing factor in the success of a business. The more satisfied the client is, the more loyal he/she is to the organization. Meeting customer expectations will eventually result in customer loyalty and acting as a brand ambassador for the company. It is 5–6 times more expensive to acquire a new customer than to retain the existing one. Being a sales rep like myself, sometimes it takes 7–8 times more satisfying experiences to make up for a negative one.

Reduce Costs:

During the times of economic crisis, every company wants to necessitate a reduction in spending and focus on how to generate more ROI from the fixed ones, as they might face problems acquiring more funds.

Conclusion:

Stress during a crisis is inevitable. While factors like reducing costs and altering sales cycles can help you effectively navigate through this COVID phase to a certain level, working together as a team can move mountains in these times. Being in support of your teammates, seniors and subordinates can help you maintain a personal touch where social distancing is the only solution.

Ultimately, communicating and providing support to each other in the team and boost morale. An empathetic approach has the potential to forge lasting relationships with customers.

“Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” — Helen Keller