4 Ways to Keep Your Head In the Game During the Pandemic

For some of us, trying to work remotely is hard. Especially if you're like me and actually enjoy going out to meet clients in their homes, offices or a coffeehouse. Fortunately, I've had some experience dealing with clients and taking applications while I wearing a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. It's not as bad as it's made out to be.

There can be a mental toll if you aren't used to staying inside all day and trying to make the sale. Staring at a computer screen, trying to find prospects, and making those calls is rough. And on top of it all, ultimately the people you are calling are also dealing with their own issues related to the virus, too. For example, how many of your prospects or clients are on the verge of losing their job or business? We're all in the same boat here. Unfortunately there's not many opportunities at the moment to motivate yourself or your sales team.

With this in mind, I wanted to throw a few suggestions out for you to consider.

Be empathetic. As stated earlier, the person on the other end of the phone or virtual meeting screen is also suffering, as well as anxious and scared. Realize that everyone has a different situation. Don't assume anything about your prospect or client, especially if things have changed for them since the virus has turned things upside down. With that in mind, the best thing you can do is...
Ask a lot of questions. Make sure you drill down and do some good fact finding before presenting your product or service.
Use LinkedIn to cast a wide net. Just because you're stuck in your home doesn't mean you can't keep prospecting and networking. If you haven't used LinkedIn for a while, you may want to dust off that old picture and update your profile. I discussed LinkedIn in a previous post and you may want to check it out.
Know that your numbers will be different than what you're used to. There's a good chance that your closing percentage will be lower. My theory is that it's easier for people to say "no" online than in person, but I may be wrong. Either way, you may want your pipeline of prospects to be larger. Again, use LinkedIn to keep looking for people and don't forget to ask for referrals.

It's not a complete list but a good start. If you have any other suggestions to share, put them in the comment section. Keep your head up and please stay healthy.

Chris Castanes is a professional speaker who helps sales people succeed through workshops and humorous presentations. For booking information, click here. He's also the president of Surf Financial Brokers selling life and disability insurance in several states

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