Successful Selling in a Down Economy

Few business organizations are unaffected by the current economic recession; most companies are facing soft, if not declining, sales. Unfortunately, the immediate reaction of many business executives is to put more pressure on the sales organization to generate more sales.

But selling cannot be your sole business development activity. In fact, a rapid fall off in sales may be a sign of poor balance between the act of selling and the development and maintenance of a consistent marketing program.

An effective, integrated sales and marketing program includes:

1. Understanding your value proposition in the marketplace
2. Establishing a differentiated market position based on expertise or product characteristics
3. Generating qualified leads for the sales organization to pursue
4. Closing sales with qualified prospects
5. Delivering your product or service promptly and efficiently
6. Quickly resolving all complaints or other customer service issues

Closing sales, while critical, is only one element of an effective sales and marketing program.