Nine proven ways to increase sales when the economic times are tough
by Donald M. Levin

     You can increase your company's chances for greater sales success if you make use of the following nine strategies.
     You can grow despite the difficult business conditions most of us face. We're not in a blanket recession. The economy is tough for specific regions, industries and companies. Even in a broad stock market decline, a few stocks go up. Even if your business sector is in decline, you can find a growth path by applying these strategies.

Rethink what business you're really in. Although it may sound elementary, the most profitable companies keep examining and refining their fundamentals.
     For example, when Canadian Pacific realized it was in the travel or entertainment business rather than railroading, it opened wholly new growth potential.
     While you're considering the basics, re-examine your strengths and weaknesses. If a weakness is procrastinating about cold calling — or avoiding cold calls altogether — face the problem head-on and create a new way to handle it: offer new incentives, tie rewards to small increments of progress, or allow certain staff members to switch and do what they do best.
     Link your product lines with specific target markets. Determine the most cost-effective marketing steps that will put your product lines before the buying influences and decision-makers.
     Write all these essentials into a marketing-selling plan that starts from the determination of the business you're really in.

Refine your unique selling proposition — so that it's really unique, really a proposition, really selling. If you can't explain your USP in 20 words, it's raw, yet to be refined. Your USP should be the one most powerful reason to choose your company or your product. Strive for simplicity, conciseness.

Expand your domain. Don't leap to the unknown, but edge outward to new geography, products-services, personnel, service methodologies. The Northeast now has the weakest economy in America. Can you extend your business to the growth locations?
     You may remember when McDonald's restaurants first added breakfast to their lunch and supper service. Now, who would wonder why an Egg McMuffm was ever in doubt?

Keep after the buyer. Keep reminding your prospects, suspects and customers why you're more cost-effective than your competitors. Update your database. Call old prospects. Be customer oriented, market-driven.
     List the top 10 reasons why prospects don't say yes. Study their concerns so you can combat them.
     New-business managers of firms providing such professional services as law, accounting, consulting, advertising and public relations must deal with prospective client fears, including incompetence, lack of management control, continuing dependency, excessive fees, lack of available time, and disclosure of sensitive or proprietary information.

Move toward number-one. Drive toward industry leadership. Do the things that would be expected of the leader. Assume a greater role than your competitors.
     Remember that Avis Rent-A-Car climbed up from a crowded second tier of rental companies to second place by challenging Hertz for the number-one position.
     Leaders set the business standards. They become keynote speakers at major conferences to propose resolutions to business issues. They testify before Congress. They open up export markets.
     Every November, they forecast the next year in their markets, so editors include their quotes in December outlook articles. Their comments regularly appear in business publications because reporters learn that they answer questions quickly and with substance.

Upgrade your staff. Train, educate, let them grow. Trust them. Involve them in your increasingly important issues.
     Every good marketing director knows entry level support staffers who were tested on telemarketing and who then rose through inside sales to outside sales and eventually sales management

Adapt to change. Do new things for the sake of change — to shake things up a bit. Conversely, learn to handle change effectively, especially since the rate of change keeps increasing.
     Hunt for the weak links in your operation. Something may be broken that you can fix.
     Do market research even if you feel you know the market. Have a nearby college's MBA marketing class study your company or market. Find the big idea that will make a difference to your prospect.
     If you have been relying on advertising to bring in sales leads, try adding a layer of professional publicity and sales promotion.

Gather your allies. Identify companies and individuals with a stake in your success. Nurture them. Give them the tools to support your growth prograin.
     For example, if you're supplying computers and other information industry products or services, be sure to tell your story to Gartner Group and other independent research companies who will be analyzing alternatives for their user clients — your prospects.

Communicate more effectively. Exploit the tools of publicity, presentations, direct mail, seminars, advertising. Use outside help judiciously. Question your own assumptions. Evaluate competitive strength and weakness in this area, then leapfrog to prominence.
     For example, if you've published articles, it may be time for a book. If you have multiple sales sheets, it may be time for a brochure. If you need to open a territory, you may need a regional seminar. Is your company name, motto, address, phone and fax on every single page that a customer or prospect might see?
     Sure, these nine points cover what business is all about. Sure, it's a lot. But if you got one worthwhile idea in these 900 words, your three minutes of reading time was well spent.

WESTCHESTER COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL

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