Finding opportunities is key if you want to run a successful business, especially during a pandemic. That’s why episode 503 of the Sell or Die Podcast is all about two important questions: are YOU finding opportunities or whining about what is happening around you? And how can you find opportunities in the new normal and adapt your selling techniques to your customers’ new needs?
But before we dive right in, let us introduce ourselves in case this is your first visit. Welcome to the Sell or Die Podcast. We’re your hosts, Jeffrey & Jen Gitomer. Between the two of us, we’ve written the books The Little Red Book of Selling, Sales in a New York Minute, plus 15 other best selling books. We’ve also created the 7 figure sales formula program and the Breakthrough Business Babe Community.
Sell or Die is for sales professionals, sales managers, entrepreneurs and business owners who want to sell more at full price, earn loyalty, and have an unlimited stream of referrals. Every single episode will give you real-world, easy to implement solutions so that you can get your calls returned, your proposals read and acted on, while creating relationships that you can take all the way to the bank.
It’s time to sell or die…
So read the four points below to find out more about how you can be finding opportunities for your business even during trying times, instead of whining. And for even more details on each point, listen to ALL of episode 503 of the Sell or Die Podcast on your preferred streaming platform!
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So many diehards are wondering right now, “What the hell is going on?” Their entire world has been disrupted and their entire sales process has been curtailed. Many of their fellow countrymen have been cast aside, laid off, furloughed, fired, you name it. And we’re now sort of coming back a little bit where we’re like reemerging into the new normal.
And we got an email this past week from someone who listens to the podcast and has been following Jeffrey’s work for a long time. And he signed up for The New Normal Course (which is all about helping you adapt to and thrive in the new normal, post-pandemic, so be sure to check it out!). And one of the things he said his note was, “Well, I just got furloughed. And now is a great time to invest in myself.”
And so he wasn’t like, “Woe is me, I just got furloughed.” He was like, “I just got furloughed. And now is a great opportunity.” And so diehards, the lesson here is that no matter what your situation is, there’s always going to be an opportunity there if you look for it. And so are you searching for opportunities or are you whining about the crap that’s going on either to you or around you?
Because now is arguably the biggest economic opportunity in the history of our world. Things are relaunching, being redone, being renamed, being repositioned. So, now, do what you want to do. Do whatever risk you’ve ever wanted to take. Today is a good day to do it.
Right now, people who sell things are also really trying to think what their customers actually need. Because what they’ve needed for so long may have changed.
And so we thought today would be a good opportunity to talk about price, the opportunities you can create, and how you can get your price, even if customers are saying they have no money right now.
The first thing you have to understand is if you send me an email that says “this is our deepest discount ever,” I’m going to delete your email. If I don’t want what you have, I don’t care what your prices are.
Number two, if I want what you have, I’m probably willing to pay your price or pretty damn close. And I think that we’re in a situation where the average salesperson is afraid of objections or making contacts with customers. Because they know what so many people have been through. So don’t force a sales presentation on somebody. The best thing you can do is get to know them and know what they’re going through now.
And also keep in mind that if you’re the one who was laid off or furloughed and you’re now back at your sales job, feeling hesitant to ask your price for your product or service could be a projection of the feelings that you’ve had from being out of work.
Of course, you ARE going to get a lot of valid price objections in this marketplace. Companies will say they don’t have the money, or they have money but are guarding it because they don’t want to take a risk in investing in something. And again, people are so scared.
So YOUR job is to make your customers feel less scared and more at ease. Figure out a way to make them feel comfortable because no good buying decisions are made out of fear.
So how can you make customers comfortable enough to buy?
First, deepen your relationships with customers by finding out what has happened to them and what they really need. You’re going to have to take notes from everybody that you are speaking to so you can understand their situation. Because that will make your sales pitch or presentation a lot more successful. After all, if they say they have no money but you know they’re in the grocery business, you know they’re actually in pretty good shape.
You also need to go into your sales pitch already knowing how you will respond to a price objection. You can’t say, “Well, let me call my daddy and see what we can do.” Instead, you could say something like, “You know, we deal with that a lot. So we have a game plan that will allow you to take ownership today with a payment plan that will make you feel comfortable. Because you need what I have today. And if you delay not taking it, it will actually cost you more money than taking a small risk and buying what I have.”
And we love extended payment plans because it allows your customer to begin to reap the benefit of whatever you’re offering them right now. And the likelihood is whatever it is, they need it now. But if they can’t afford to pay, you have to figure out a way to make that easy on them.
And don’t rely on old-world bullsh*t or manipulative sales tactics. You need to be real and conversational. Instead of finding customers’ pain and digging into it, share with them how they can benefit and how they can succeed. Because now more than ever, people are craving human interaction, so your job is to show up with emotion and realness. And if you don’t know who your customers are prior to walking in the door and giving that sales pitch, you’re gonna lose to someone who does.
You’re going to lose to someone who is conversational. You’re going to lose to someone who is prepared. You’re going to lose to someone who has adapted to what the new normal is. And you can’t afford to lose right now.
One important question we want ALL of our diehards to ask themselves next is: what can I do when I start reconnecting with my customers to give them something a little extra and show my appreciation for them returning to work with me? We went out to our first restaurant in months recently, and the owner surprised everyone by going around to every table and giving them a little extra dish. And no matter what industry you work in, there is some sort of small gesture you can do if you get creative and think on how to show them your appreciation.
And one of the skills emphasized in The New Normal Course is the use of creativity. That’s going to play a very major role in your reemergence in the sales world, and we’re seeing people get creative even just in the Facebook group for the New Normal Course. They’re having Zoom meetings with each other. They’re having Zoom coffees. The collaboration in this community is unbelievable.
And one of the factors that makes this course so successful are two keywords: no slides. Instead, I (Jeffrey) created seven or eight modules with little vignettes inside each one on a specific topic. And all the modules tell you where to go to learn how to handle a specific situation or to use a new software or to send somebody a Linked-In message and have a virtual meeting with them. Real world stuff.
And at the end of this pandemic, REALNESS Is key. Because being real and being yourself is beyond necessary in the new normal. And when you’re not yourself, people can smell it and run away.
If there’s one major takeaway you get from this episode, we hope it’s to be yourself and search for opportunities – because they are out there, as long as you’re willing to look for them and connect with customers on a real, emotional level. And don’t forget to tune in to episode 503 of the Sell or Die Podcast to learn even more about all four points outlined above.
Thank you so much for listening to Sell or Die! We hope that this episode has helped you to transform the way you think, given you new ideas, and provided a new perspective on the sales and business challenges you face every day so that you can win the customer all the way to the bank.
If you enjoyed this episode please take a second to rate & review. Each review helps us help more people just like you make a difference in this world! Don’t forget to take a screenshot, share it in your Instagram stories and tag us @jeffreygitomer and @jengitomer. See you next week!
Known as the King of Sales, Jeffrey Gitomer is the Author of 16 best-selling books including the Little Red Book of Selling, the Sales Bible, and his newest book Get Sh*t Done. In 2008, he was inducted in the Speakers Hall of Fame – the highest award in the speaking industry. His world-class list of clients include companies from Fortune 500 companies around the world. His digital Learning academy and signature course, The Seven-Figure Sales Formula, offers individuals and teams real-world sales strategies they can implement immediately.
Jen Gitomer gained her prowess in NYC as both a salesperson and award-winning sales leader for a Fortune 500 company. She is the best-selling Author of Sales in a New York Minute, CEO and Founder of Breakthrough Business Babe and a master business growth coach.
Jeffrey and Jen thank you, Diehard, for helping Sell Or Die achieve more than 2 million downloads!