We asked B2B sales management professionals what strategies they deploy to turn around a slow sales period.
Here’s what they told us.
Reassess Your Tech Tools
Technology is a force multiplier that shouldn’t be overlooked. If your sales software is outdated or you’re not fully leveraging the capabilities of your existing tools, you might be operating with one hand tied behind your back. A slow period is the perfect time to evaluate where you can introduce new solutions, whether it’s strengthening your sales intelligence, streamlining your quote to cash process, or simply upgrading your CRM. Small optimizations can pack a big punch.
– Eric Charles, founder and CEO of Closer College
Pinpoint Your Training
Setting up mentor programs within your team can serve as an excellent way of advancing the knowledge and skills of junior salespeople. Additionally, this creates a better culture than one that is strictly focused on reaching targets and surpassing colleagues.
Any training should be a niche in the skills that salespeople need. No seasoned professional needs to be taking the Sales 101 course. Rather, from the gaps identified, they should be homing in on skills such as perfecting how they send follow-up communication, and even working on understanding emotional intelligence and how to better read people.
– Tom Snyder, founder and managing partner of Funnel Clarity, a sales consulting and training company.
Focus On Keeping Current
Customers
In the face of a slow start to a sales year, it’s essential to focus on customer retention. This can be achieved by enhancing customer engagement, providing exceptional customer service, and offering value-added services. For instance, a business could implement a ‘Customer Success’ program that proactively addresses customer needs and fosters a sense of partnership. This not only helps in retaining existing customers but also turns them into advocates, leading to organic growth.
– Laia Quintana, head of marketing and sales at TeamUp, which provides schedule management solutions to fitness businesses.
Author
Get our newsletter and digital focus reports
Stay current on learning and development trends, best practices, research, new products and technologies, case studies and much more.
