It’s easy to slack off when your business has been successful. For some sales professionals, new business becomes a process of order taking: What color would you like? How many would you prefer this week? Would you like us to include a set of steak knives with that order?
Yet this stage of your business might be the beginning of the end. In a world of constant evolution and increased competition, it’s imperative to stay awake to the marketplace. To quote Heraclitus “The only thing that remains the same is change”. The easy flow of leads you have now, could dry up quickly. It’s best to have a “heads up” before that happens.
To stay awake to the marketplace, here are four things sellers should consider to stay ahead:
- Consistently assess the competition. Never underestimate their abilities, acknowledge their weaknesses, yet focus on their strengths.
- Plug into social media and be on the look-out for emerging new players. Subscribe to industry blogs, competitive websites, thought leaders on Twitter.
- Listen deeply to your existing clients to listen for needs, desires and gossip. They have a network that you can leverage vicariously.
- Look for opportunities and gaps not being filled. Again your existing clients are a fountain of ideas. Many may be hair-brained, but a survey of many clients can extract a few superb ideas.
With the right mindset, you stay awake to reality. Thinking of the competition as evil or wrong, goes nowhere. Business is a constant game of competition , and any team can win on any day. But by being awake to the winds of the marketplace and impending threats, can be addressed before it’s too late.
Next month I’m offering a live workshop on sales. Click here to read the description and see if you or someone in your network might find value. The workshop is called Selling Secrets for Non-Sellers: Learn a selling style that fits your personality and works.