How to Approach Your Sales Strategy During the Pandemic
In this webinar, business growth strategist Jessica Marx gives a sales pep talk for design and remodeling pros
Erin Carlyle
May 5, 2020
Former Houzz Editorial Staff. Writing about the cost of renovation and what it takes to remodel. Former Forbes real estate reporter. Fascinated by cool homes, watching the bottom line.
Former Houzz Editorial Staff. Writing about the cost of renovation and what it takes... More
How to approach your sales strategy now was the topic of an engaging recent webinar with business and sales growth strategist Jessica Marx of Jessica Marx Coaching Corp. in San Diego and Reisa Elden of Houzz. The advice Marx shared applies to any design or remodeling professional who must sell their expertise and services. Read the highlights below from the webinar, which took place during the Houzz Virtual Design Market (April 24-29), or click the link to watch the full conversation.
Marx discussed a variety of topics related to sales, including:
- How to have a fresh perspective on where you can take your business
- Taking a look at opportunities versus distractions
- How to prospect with confidence to close new leads
Focus on What You Can Control
When the future is up in the air, it can be helpful to focus on what you can control, and Marx laid out several of these areas, including: how you show up at work and on sales calls; how you support your team; the quality of the client experience you provide; your relevance as an industry expert; and maintaining the mission, values and vision you’ve set for your company.
Businesses have survived recessions in the past and yours can as well — which is why you need to keep building a pipeline. “You need to sell certainty to your prospects right now,” Marx says. “It’s not [about] what you think is valuable, it’s what your potential clients find valuable … what will help them make a decision to ultimately invest in you in the future.”
When the future is up in the air, it can be helpful to focus on what you can control, and Marx laid out several of these areas, including: how you show up at work and on sales calls; how you support your team; the quality of the client experience you provide; your relevance as an industry expert; and maintaining the mission, values and vision you’ve set for your company.
Businesses have survived recessions in the past and yours can as well — which is why you need to keep building a pipeline. “You need to sell certainty to your prospects right now,” Marx says. “It’s not [about] what you think is valuable, it’s what your potential clients find valuable … what will help them make a decision to ultimately invest in you in the future.”
Seek Opportunity Instead of Distraction
There’s a lot in the world to distract you from your business right now, from the daily news to what’s happening around you in your own home. But this is also a time of opportunity for those who seek it.
“You’re going to have a lot more people that are hesitant to do business,” Marx says. “So if you normally get on the phone with three discovery calls a month, I’d like to see you double that in order to keep your closing ratio the same. You’re going to have to work a little bit harder and a little bit smarter, but I guarantee you those deals will still be coming in.”
As for professionals who feel uncomfortable doing that or feel it’s insensitive to sell right now, Marx says they need to shift their mindset to one of recognizing that their skills meet client needs. “It is our responsibility right now as business owners to keep selling,” she says. “We need to meet our potential clients where they are at currently.”
And people are still buying. “I can tell you over the last six weeks, I have worked with a wide range of my clients in multiple industries, from plastic surgeon’s office, solar installation, architects, you name it, who are all still closing deals while others in their market are not. And it’s simply because they’re still showing up, they’re still doing business, and they’re still selling,” Marx says.
There’s a lot in the world to distract you from your business right now, from the daily news to what’s happening around you in your own home. But this is also a time of opportunity for those who seek it.
“You’re going to have a lot more people that are hesitant to do business,” Marx says. “So if you normally get on the phone with three discovery calls a month, I’d like to see you double that in order to keep your closing ratio the same. You’re going to have to work a little bit harder and a little bit smarter, but I guarantee you those deals will still be coming in.”
As for professionals who feel uncomfortable doing that or feel it’s insensitive to sell right now, Marx says they need to shift their mindset to one of recognizing that their skills meet client needs. “It is our responsibility right now as business owners to keep selling,” she says. “We need to meet our potential clients where they are at currently.”
And people are still buying. “I can tell you over the last six weeks, I have worked with a wide range of my clients in multiple industries, from plastic surgeon’s office, solar installation, architects, you name it, who are all still closing deals while others in their market are not. And it’s simply because they’re still showing up, they’re still doing business, and they’re still selling,” Marx says.
Change Your Mindset to Sell With Confidence
It’s important to present yourself to potential clients with confidence, and in order to do that it really helps to believe several things about your business. Marx suggests you adopt these mindsets about your clients and your work:
It’s important to present yourself to potential clients with confidence, and in order to do that it really helps to believe several things about your business. Marx suggests you adopt these mindsets about your clients and your work:
- You can’t help them if you don’t sell to them. “There are people out there who are still doing financially really well, and they’re looking to invest in this area,” Marx said. These clients need your help.
- You provide an essential service to your clients. Your business may or may not have been deemed “essential” during the pandemic. But whether your service is interior design, landscape architecture or laying tile, going into your prospecting calls, “you have to believe that you are 100% essential to those prospective clients out there,” Marx said. Your work matters to the people you serve.
- You are confident you can deliver the outcome you are looking to achieve. You have projects under your belt and before-and-after pictures that fill you with pride. Remembering your skill set and accomplishments will help you present yourself with confidence because you know that you can deliver.
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Sales? Never bothered - offer a good product, put it out there, they come to you. Growth - I make a living and I am comfortable - I don't need the headache of constantly trying to grow - it gets in the way of doing what I love and it is stable so I can plan. The need to grow tends to compromise the product from my observation - growth becomes obsessive and overshadows all else. Facebook, google, Amazon, Exxon etc etc. Market growth - the source of all the annoying advertising/commercials, robo calls etc. Innovation is not profitable when compared to competent mediocrity - an institutionalized design service provider - that is how you grow. Nah. If that is what you want to do go for it but it is not the only option.
Good article
We have Zoom meetings, but people still want to come in to look in person.