It’s perfectly normal for entrepreneurs to experience a slump in sales…
Anyone who’s been in business long enough knows these things happen, for various reasons. Most of the time it’s a temporary state – part of the ebb and flow of business.
So, don’t get too rattled, unless you’ve been in this place for quite a time and don’t see a way out.
In that case, you’re in a sales funk, and you can stay there unless you do something intentionally that will pull you out.
To do that, you’ll need to dig within yourself and your business to see how you can spark the flame that was lit when you initially started your business.
How To Know You’re in a Sales Funk
If you’re not sure if you’ve ever been in a sales funk, you probably haven’t been.
Trust me, you’d know.
But, if you’re wondering, here are some of the questions to ask yourself:
- Are the partnerships you’ve been working on not coming together?
- Are potential prospects not opening your email?
- Are people not picking up the phone when you call?
- Are potential clients not showing up for scheduled meetings?
- Have your sales dropped for three consecutive months or more?
If you’ve answered yes to any or all of these questions, you may be going through a sales funk.
How To Get Out of a Sales Funk
Slumps in sales come and go, but they shouldn’t last forever. Sometimes the overall economy plays a part in it and the public is just not in a buying mood.
In that case, most businesses you know and utilize yourself would be in the same predicament.
But if they’re not, then the problem lies within your business and it’s up to you to turn it around.
There is a plethora of things you can do to get out of a sales funk. Here are a few suggestions:
Don’t be shy … Ask for them to buy!
This is one of the hardest things for many business owners to do … asking people to buy their product or service! Sometimes you just need to get to the point of what you need people to do.
Your supporters are out there. They may need reminding of what you do, or you may need to make sure you have that huge “Click here to buy” icon on all of your content from social media to your blogs. Don’t be shy about it. You need sales!
Revisit your sales approach
Some people are looking for a reason to say no to your product before you even make the ask. It’s up to you to know how to overcome those objections that you already know may come.
Nobody knows your product or service better than you. So, make sure they know all the reasons why they need to say “yes” before they have an opportunity to say “no”.
Be bold when you ask them to buy, be confident, and be ready for the no.
Expand your circle of influence
It’s time to expand your outreach and meet new people and foster new alliances. Cross-pollination is a great way to do this.
Staying in your little bubble, especially when sales are jacked is not the way to move forward.
Revisit old products
Dust some of those old products off and put them back on the shelf.
Consider some creative ways to do this like, bundling with newer products, updating them, or starting a monthly subscription box.
Solicit feedback from your customers
When all fails, your customers know best. Reach out to your audience by way of a survey to get some honest feedback so you can know how to appeal to them and so they can see the value in what you offer.
That’s not all… I have more!
Learn other ways to get out of a sales slump with The 21 Ideas Guide for How to Get Out of a Sales Funk.
