If you are like me this morning and have looked out of your window and seen a picture of white everywhere then you have 2 choices.
Choice 1 is to put the kettle and heating on, sit back in the sofa and turn the TV on and finish watching that box set you started 2 nights ago! There will be many who will use the Beast from the East as a convenient excuse to sit on their arses and not get much done.Choice 2 however is to accept that your business and sales deals may be affected as a result of the heavy snow but to use this time wisely to help you sell more when the snow thaws away.I do understand for many small business owners who have kids that childcare comes first, and it is of course important to spend time building snowmen and riding down your local hill on a sled!You can though ensure that you use this time whilst at home to do some of the tasks that sometimes get forgotten about yet which are key in helping you convert prospects.
1. Update your social media profiles and ensure they match.
Take a few moments to review the different social media profiles you have and see if they match. You build trust and credibility with prospects when they all have the same professional photos and when your personal or business profile is consistent.
2. Schedule a few weeks of social media posts
Whilst you are looking at social media, why don’t you spend an hour or so saving time for yourself and schedule social media posts for the next few weeks? Tools like Buffer or Hootsuite allow you to connect (for free) your Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook and schedule posts for days in advance. Do this now and when the snow thaws, its one less job to do!
3. Create some interesting content and share your knowledge
Engaging and useful content is essential in the modern-day sales process and prospects want to see that you can share knowledge and insights before they choose to buy from you. Use the time you have at home to write down the common problems that your prospects face and then maybe write a blog, create the outline for an e-Book or maybe even create an infographic. These content pieces not only allow you to share your knowledge, but they show your prospects you are there to help them and not just sell to them and the best sales people help and serve rather than just sell.
4. Research articles and interesting documents to help your prospects
Look at your warm prospect list and the previous conversations you have had with them. Identify the challenges they were facing and then research online for articles or studies which could be of interest to them. Send the article or information via an email with a ‘I saw this article and thought it would be of interest after our conversation’. If you have listened properly initially then your prospect will value what you have sent through.
5. Do your CRM admin and update your prospect contact records
You should have a CRM if you are serious about winning new business consistently. A good CRM system is the bedrock of any business that wants to win consistently as it allows you to store conversations with prospects, remind yourself to follow up and ensure all leads are kept safe. Use the time at home to look back through your meeting notes and update your records of prospects, their key challenges, their areas of interest and ensure you have got tasks in place to follow up so that it’s a job you don’t have to do when weather conditions get back to normal.
6. Create responses to the typical objections your prospects provide you
Get a pad of paper and write down the typical objections you get from prospects in your industry. In most cases, there are 7 to 8 key objections which prospects use to say why they can’t work with you. Objections such as ‘Your product is expensive’ or ‘How do you guarantee quality’ are likely to be the most common objections you get so look at writing down some responses that you can use when these come up. The most successful sales people prepare in advance to common objections and respond with questions of their own to see if the objection is the real reason why the prospect doesn’t want to move ahead!
7. Do some research on prospects in your target market.
You can never have enough leads in your pipeline and the best sales people never stop prospecting. When people are not in the office or unable to answer because of the weather, spend some time doing internet researching on other prospects for your service. Search directories, review their websites, look up their social profiles and collect information on prospects who would be ideal for you to do business with. Take down notes and create tasks to contact them once things get back to normal.The bad weather is going to affect everyone for a few days as we are simply not used to conditions like these within the UK! You can though use these conditions and the time at home it gives you to get tasks completed that will set you up for sales success when the weather gets back to normal!Have you got any other tips on what you can do when the snow hits and you have to work from home?
Share it with me below or tweet me @jameswhitesales and lets ensure we don’t let the weather stop us from achieving sales success!
SATURDAY SALES TIPS
Join hundreds of other ambitious sales people and sign up to receive my Saturday Sales Tips straight to your inbox:
Follow me on social media:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Youtube
Linkedin
Share On Social Media:
Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin
Share on whatsapp
Share on email
