Sales Man up blog
The New Normal
Throughout COVID, I just consistently grinded at my craft. I didn't let COVID get in the way of my goal and the goal is to be the best me that I can be for the team.
Mohamed Sanu ( wide receiver for San Francisco 49ers)
Who hasn’t been impacted by the presence of COVID-19 over the last year ? Whether you are a regimented CDC guideline follower, or a non-mask anti vaccination contender; the commonality that we all share is that “ normal “ is no longer normal. What worked in sales and marketing just a short year ago, may not work now. This truth was fact-checked for me recently when I finished up a call in Orlando, and drove around the corner with the intent of purchasing a Pike Place coffee; only to find the intended store closed with the sign painted over. I tried again as I headed to a familiar restaurant which features an awesome cup of French roast, except that place was not only closed, but knocked down and replaced by a fast food chain. A lot has changed over the past year.!
The principles of supply and demand affect us all, whether we like it or not. Thank God for companies like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and InstaCart that have helped us grocery shop and feed our families over the last year. The Sams Club order/ pickup App has become a mainstay in our home. Business of Apps states that InstaCart added 350,000 “ shoppers” in 2021. I believe it.
Our homes have become the epicenter for life, family, business and education within the last year. My new sales uniform transitioned into company -branded golf shirts and cargo shorts. I had to dress up for a meeting the other morning, and it felt odd and exciting at the same time. I prayed and held my breath while slipping on my dress pants, hoping that my “COVID pounds” hadn’t caught up with me. Man, sometimes I miss the old Sansabelt dress slacks with adjustable clips on the waist !
Speaking of working from home - that is another shift in our vocational culture that has impacted many of us. Review42.com summarizes that ,” 4.7 million people were already working remotely from home before the COVID-19 pandemic. 88% of the organizations, worldwide, made it mandatory or encouraged their employees to work from home after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic.” Bottom line - working from home is here to stay in some form or fashion. I would estimate that over 50% of my architectural / design and end user clients within central Florida are still working from home- at least part of the work week. One hospitality client informed me last week that he and his team would be working from home for the balance of 2021 ! Many offices are still not allowing vendor meetings or in-person presentations; which presents a unique set of challenges to those of us in Sales. How do we get in front of our clients or cultivate new ones ? How do we avoid the outcome of “ out of sight, out of mind”? Are we missing out on business opportunities due to the disconnect of social distancing?
Of course we have Teams and Zoom calls, but many people are getting burned out on video conferencing. I recently conducted a CEU luncheon for a client, and everyone kept their cameras and microphones muted. I felt isolated, not being able to gauge body language for effective responsiveness; but I was thankful for any shred of human contact with my clients . Some reps have seen a good response through collaborative trunk shows- setting up product reviews working out of their cars, in outdoor parks, parking lots, or even outside individual houses.
No matter what our sales challenges , we always need to remain cognizant of our client’s plight- possibly homeschooling children or caretaking toddlers or babies from home, while designing and seeking to maintain a work/ life balance, and being deluged by excessive product binders and samples; on top of meeting project deadlines. Reps face these challenges too as I am aware of a salesperson and mother of four, whose husband has committed to work from home while homeschooling their children over the last year. Wow !
This season calls for patience and creativity on everyone’s part. A little kindness can go a long way - like a pack of M&Ms sent along with a sample; or a handwritten thank you note with a Starbucks gift card; Or even an Iced Coffee/ tea run for your customers as a treat on a hot day . Remember this - Service is still King, no matter what the new normal may look like. Regardless of supply chain difficulties or extended lead times, responsiveness and honest communication are still the key to success. Keep grinding at your craft and stay the course!
If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.
Wayne Dyer
