Have you ever used the Google News app? It's a blend of headlines that are broken into categories, but with the addition of the Google search engine. I use it from time to time to research current topics or business items. The great part is that if I'm searching for a topic the app will give multiple sources if available.
In a search of "sales covid" I found a lot of articles on business trends in the time of a pandemic. What struck me was the number of articles on so many subtopics. There was an article on how RV dealers are seeing an increase in sales as the summer approaches as well as news stories on various real estate markets. Some industries were doing well while others weren't.
As the Coronavirus makes it's way through our country, the economic side effects have taken their toll. Businesses, large and small, are looking for ways to adapt and salvage profits. While many are floundering and waiting for the country to "reopen", others have found a new way to succeed. With the latter, the new methods that work may continue to be implemented.
As an insurance agent, I work occasionally with a benefits enrollment firm, and our clients are large accounts like school districts and municipal governments. As the virus began to spread in mid-March, many of these accounts decided that instead of having enrollers be there physically to meet with the employees, they preferred a virtual enrollment. We scrambled to train enough people on sales scripts, website features and other technical issues that arose here and there.
As a result, this company has hinted that they may continue to use virtual enrollers to some degree in the future, even as the virus starts to abate. They have also noticed which enrollers are better than others when it come to selling over the phone.
Realtors are having to figure out how to show homes in this environment. As one real estate agent told me, "It's not that bad when the house is unoccupied, but no one wants strangers walking through their home in a pandemic, and no one really wants to go into someone's house either." Realtors are having to make adjustments to their sales techniques and are also starting to offer virtual showings.
Online sales has increased quite a bit since people have had to "cocoon" at home. For some businesses, like my own insurance agency, we have seriously tweaked our online marketing efforts. As a result our organic leads have begun to trickle in at a modest rate. If you can't get to them, get them to come to you is the thought process.
We still hang on to some of the old ways of doing things, like asking for referrals, but now we ask clients we find on LinkedIn or come through our landing page. Adjustments were needed but remembering what worked previously isn't as difficult as it may seem. A little trial and error can help you succeed during these times.
I would love to hear what works for you. Leave a note in the comments section and let us know what industry you're in and any changes you've made that work.
Stay healthy and keep selling.
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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