The pandemic has had a drastic impact on sales & revenue projections for most companies. In addition to various operational implications caused by the numerous lockdowns, travel restrictions and safety concerns, the pandemic also created a massive change in consumer behaviour – which were heavily reflected in sales forecasts.
Most sales losses were witnessed in businesses that were affected by mandatory lockdowns – in terms of their operations. Many firms found themselves unable to meet their usual levels of output as they faced disruptions to their supply chains – in terms of acquiring supplies. In addition to problems with obtaining supplies, firms also faced the issue of reduced manpower – due to employees being unable to commute to work or due to company layoffs. Such reasons affected business output, which resulted in a drastic drop in sales.
Additionally, several changes in consumer behaviour were witnessed during the pandemic. Studies showed that brand loyalty was on the decline, as customers were looking to try out new methods of shopping as well as new products and services that they had not tried before. This trend is expected to continue even in the future, with surveys showing that a majority of shoppers are more open to seeking out new brands.
Tips to Help You Drive Sales During the Pandemic
Driving sales during the pandemic is not an easy feat but it is important to learn how to adapt and take on a proactive approach in order to generate more revenue. Below are a few sales tips that could prove to be useful.
Make sales your focal point:
It is no question that your sales arm is perhaps the most crucial component of your organisation that is relied upon in order to keep your business running. As such, make sure you prioritise sales during the pandemic and ensure you allocate sufficient time to analyse data, devise sales strategies and implement measures to generate more revenue for your company.
Adopt new technology:
Learning to adapt is the only way that your business can stay abreast of its competition and move forward. The pandemic has pushed companies to adopt – or at least consider – digital transformation in their operations, causing years of change in the way companies in all industries conduct business.
Discover new customer needs:
As mentioned before, consumer behaviour has changed drastically during the pandemic. Therefore it is of utmost importance to reevaluate your target market and identify their new needs with the help of comprehensive research. This could provide you useful insights which could help you devise a better sales strategy that addresses the present situation effectively.
Utilize video in your interactions:
Studies have shown that face-to-face communication is the strongest sales technique that improves relationships with both customers and potential clients, whilst enhancing brand credibility and enabling more effective communication. As meeting your customers in person might not be possible during the pandemic, it is wise to utilise video for most of your communication – so that you can cut through the noise of today’s selling environment and establish trust amongst your prospective clients.
Network on social media:
Networking is one of the most essential sales skills to develop in order to acquire new clients and to ensure building a strong referral pipeline. In addition to building powerful relationships and opening doors for sales opportunities, networking also helps you generate more leads and obtain useful feedback on your products and services. Networking during the pandemic can be tough, but it is not impossible. Be active on social media platforms – especially professional platforms such as LinkedIn – and take lead in starting conversations with people.
Make use of remote working tools:
When working remotely, it is essential that you have the right tools to do your job. Whether you want to manage your sales team effectively or host a virtual meeting – adapting to the new way of working can require a few remote working tools. To improve productivity, make sure you take advantage of time-tracking apps, project management apps, file collaboration and sharing apps as well as sales trackers, password managers and sales prospecting tools. In terms of communication tools, you may want to utilise Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts or WhatsApp – in addition to your usual email communication.
Sales content is critical:
Never forget the importance of good sales content. Staying on top of your sales content and referring them to potential customers lets you give better visibility into what you are selling whilst providing higher credibility for both your business and product. Managing your sales content well helps you gain better insight into your product, discover more useful content, better manage your digital assets and host better live demos.
Go back after lost opportunities proactively:
Do not feel disheartened if an interaction with a prospective client or a much-anticipated opportunity does not go as planned. Instead, it is important to analyse what went wrong and take your learnings into your next meeting. You may also want to reexamine whether the situation can be salvaged in any form and take proactive measures to reach out with an updated approach.
Have a work buddy:
Last but not least, the pandemic can be a period of high stress and it is not uncommon for employees to feel demotivated in terms of work. If you are working from home alone, make sure to have a chat with a colleague at least once a day and take plenty of breaks to ensure that you do not overexert yourself. Remember that having a positive attitude is an important factor when it comes to driving sales and staying motivated can be the deciding factor as to whether you gain or lose a sale.
