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Dear
Reader,
Welcome to February's edition of the Sales Mechanic for 2009.
Now is the time to see how 2009 could be a good year and
not the end of the World as we know it. All it takes is some focus...
As always, we're extremely keen to hear your thoughts and feedback so
don't be a stranger! Simply drop us a line on info@salesengine.co.uk
or give us a call on 0800 328 0817.
Best regards,
The Sales Engine team
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IT'LL BE DIFFERENT THIS YEAR...
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As the vultures circle and the UK banking system
continues to hold its hands out for more of our hard earned taxes,
the mood in Corporate UK is somewhat downbeat. The last 12 months
have put a large dampener on what up until quite recently had been a
very buoyant Business climate. This sharp decline has led to job
culls and budget cuts aplenty - and if you're lucky enough to still
be in gainful employment (and no, buying a lottery ticket doesn't
count) then judging by most predictions you could be on your uppers
pretty soon.
But in times like these, there's a pretty simple decision to be made
- you can either lie down and get trampled or stand up and start
trampling. Without wishing to be overly aggressive, here at Sales
Engine they'll be no lying down - for the simple fact that the
moment you do, you are dead in the water.
 Yes
2009 is going to be pretty damn tough but as Billy Ocean once said -
"When the going gets tough, the tough get going"
and if the image of Danny DeVito singing isn't enough to get you up
and at 'em then maybe you should just lie down now.
We're not suggesting that all you need to succeed this year is lots
of front and a thick skin (although that's a start). What you really
need is positivity...loads of it. We're here to give you three
starting points for the year to get it underway and start building
for a solid, maybe even good, year - and believe us not many people
are expecting that.
No. 1 - Give it a rest and get on with it
We all know it's difficult at the moment; the media have given us
precious little else to focus on. If it isn't our illustrious bankers
(like a Big Issue salesman outside Westminster but without the
dignity) then it's the antiquated monolith of Woolworth's utter
collapse that is being fed into our 24 hour news cycle. Now is the
time to stop talking everything down - we're in danger of creating a
perpetual cycle.
Focus on positivity particularly when you are in front of clients.
In a sea of negativity the positive voice is going to win out.
Most people don't want to be depressed by the state of the nation so
give them a reason to smile and you are half a step closer to working
together.
No. 2 - Matchmaking to save time
Don't panic, it's not time to register on Match.com (a friend told us
about that website, honest...) but it is time to start thinking ahead
and matching your current and potential customers with their
potential solutions. Find out what their needs are in these hard
times; if they need to save money then focus on how that can be done,
if they need to show working efficiencies, then demonstrate the best
route to this.
Start viewing your relationship with your customer as a partnership
(and that includes being the rational voice in a chorus of blind
panic) - it'll pay dividends for both of you.
No. 3 - Deliver when you need to
We're lucky enough to work with TNT Post - a brilliant company who
are taking chunks out of the market at the moment.
Why? Because they understand their customers and
consistently deliver (literally). In a tough market, they're
winning...
You need the same attitude. It's easier said than done this but
opportunities this year are likely to be sparse so you have to make
the most of them.
Every chance you get has to be approached as if it is the only one
you're ever going to get with that company. To get the most out of
these you have to prepare and research thoroughly to ensure you give
yourself the best possible chance.
Whoever you see this year will treat you harshly if you're not on top
of your game. Make sure you peak at the right time.
This year could be different, certainly to 2008 which felt like it
was all downhill. To make it a good year you must start building now
as the one thing it won't be is easy. Take that first positive
step now and prepare for the hard yakka and you could be one of
the illustrious few who ends the year on a high.
In the toughest of times, think of Mr DeVito...
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THE OILY RAG
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 Thank
God January's out of the way...
You know what I hate about January? The sales.
It's not sales per se (who doesn't love a bargain?), but bad
sales. A few weeks ago, I walked into a suit shop promising
me great quality at brilliant prices. Within 1 minute I
realised I wasn't in a sale more a dodgy marketing campaign.
And that's the crux of the matter - a sale had been advertised and a
sale I wanted - but on closer inspection there were a couple of suits
that would only have fitted Jimmy Krankie that had any discount more
than ten percent. Ten percent does not a sale make.
So what's my point? Well it's all about expectation.
Anyone going to a sale is looking for a bargain and when they realise
there aren't any, they'll soon disappear. I realise that retail sales
are there to try and get prospective customers in to spend money but
if you fall at the first hurdle, they're not going to even look at
the full price stock let alone buy any.
So a word to the wise, if you are thinking of having a sale make sure
it really is a sale - otherwise look for another way of marketing
your products.
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