COVID-19 pandemic has brought the world to a standstill. While India is estimated to be the tenth economically worst-affected country in the world. The Indian national economy is anticipated to have suffered a loss of approximately 30.3 lakh crores to date. With increasing number of cases in the country, further damage is anticipated. The post COVID world resurrection is further expected to demand financial and innovative investments. Economic times has predicted break down of multiple MSME’s if certain revolutionary approaches were not put to use as soon as possible.
As a sales and business coach, this urgency has been keeping me awake for months! Particularly because it is my mission to empower more than 1 lakh salespeople and entrepreneurs over the next three years
therefore, observe it as my duty to share my knowledge of business empowerment with all MSME owners. With the lockdown uplifted, here is how you can recover from the hard hit of COVID-19 and get back with unparalleled vigour! So lets begin..
1) DISQUALIFY LEADS IN SALESFORCE
We have developed our businesses by “qualifying leads” but the need of the economy feeds on cashflow. Also, more importantly every business currently needs some quick sales. But the customers will be extremely selective now. More selective than they ever were in the history of mankind! The feeling of keeping whatever money one has safe, is a primal need right now. Therefore, it is pointless to seek customers ‘all and sundry’.
To get the ball rolling, uplift our spirits and make some easy sales I therefore suggest, first focus on the most plausible buyers, the customers whom you anticipate a degree of certainty as your current potential buyers. These could be some orders that were almost closed prior to lockdown but the transaction was stalled due to lockdown. These could be your periodic customers. Your all time loyal customers or even your past customers who had a good reviews about your product/service. BUT remember, disqualify leads that you know will require too much effort.
“PICK THE LOW HANGING FRUITS FIRST’– before your competitor does! Put your best efforts to make your sales with them.
2) PROMPT YOUR SALESFORCE FOR LIGHTNING QUICK ACTIONS
Immediately reap your low hanging fruits! You have to work at lightning fast speed, remember the market is limited now. ‘IF YOU SNOOZE YOU WILL LOSE’ now more than ever! Generally SMEs tend to lack in quick actions, sometimes due to lack of systems, sometimes due to workforce.
You must send the quotations, follow up, deliver, generate the invoice and provide after-sales installation or demonstrations services all extremely promptly! If you delay, to miss the opportunity the market today has more sellers and less consumers, you are bound to lose!
3) PROVIDE QUALITY CUSTOMER SERVICE WITHOUT COMPROMISING YOUR PRICE
Now is the time to provide the best quality to all your customers. Make the transaction with you a memorable experience for them. As rightly said by Sam Walton, “THE GOAL AS A COMPANY IS TO HAVE A CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT IS NOT JUST THE BEST BUT LEGENDARY”. Now is the time to build a customer base for life! Therefore, give your customers the best you can.
Then for the best during and after sales services, top it all up with certain goodies. These could be the items that you would otherwise add in your up-sales. Additional features for your product. Together, make it a package for which you can proudly demand a slightly higher price than your competitors. Yes! You read it right, charge higher than your competitors. Raise Your Price. For your exceptional service during and post sales services, a customer who is extremely choosy today will also invest money, because you have so much to offer.
4) BE THE BUSINESS EXPERTS
Friends as Sales coach I empower entrepreneurs and salespeople to grow their business and maximize their profits. I know it very well that people want to buy from experts. Projecting yourself as business expert must be your key strategy. If you are not already doing that you are losing a big opportunity to position yourself as market leader. If you already do not believe in yourselves as the experts of your business, this might seem a daunting task. But it really is not! You have to focus on two main things.
a) Keep on sending product addon / alternatives information
Send educational material relating to your products to your current and potential customers. Send them articles, Videos and any other relevant materials which position you as a knowledgeable person. Sending your customers small reminders of possible addons to your product (provided by you) or some safety reminders or even some alternative product choices. These not only remind the customer of your impeccable after sales services, prevent them from forgetting about you and also develop a humane relationship with them. They will believe that you care! The world needs it!
b) Update to COVID SAFE business strategies
The business world must re-strategize smallest of work processes to all the marketing and sales processes to make them ‘COVID SAFE’. This is to keep in mind social distancing, regular sanitization, wearing masks, gloves and most essentially updating to online marketing and sales etc. If your marketing strategies will your attention towards these details, it will project your expertise and knowledge of the safety aspects to the customer. Making you a sensitive and reliable source for their needs.
5) RE-ENGAGE PAST CUSTOMERS AND BUILD TARGETED MARKETING CAMPAIGNS
As Sales coach I know that most of the small entrepreneurs do not have a system for keeping contact with old customers. This where they lose huge business opportunity. Your past customers already know that your product/services are of high quality. Therefore, doing a targeted marketing for them, offering them some discount, only because they have been your customers in the past is a good strategy right now. You will need to do differential-targeted marketing for attracting new customers in comparison to the ones that already have taken your services in the past. Keeping your old clients happy keeps them faithful to you forever!
If you follow this simple five-point strategy, I am certain that you will observe quick results. Your business will pick up quickly and soon the worries of post-COVID market will not give you any nightmares.
As sales coach it is our mission to create a community of highly empowered and aware business owners to grow your business. You need to ensure that you implement these strategies in your business. We shall be supporting you in your journey.
With those pearls from my goodie bag, I wish you all the best of energy and health!
About Business Guru Rakesh Sharma –
Rakesh Sharma is one of the best business coach in India and Business growth consultant. He runs his own Sales Training in NCR. His company is rated one among the best sales training companies in the country by the clients. He is a sales coach in India. he has coached hundreds of clients. As Sales Trainer in India, he has trained coached and trained thousands of trainees across country. He a one among the best business coach in NCR and Sales Consultant in NCR.
