Fortune Magazine's "Three Minute Manager" column recently featured some sage advice for keeping sales teams productive in a difficult selling environment. I couldn't find a link to the column directly, but wanted to share some of the great suggestions here.
From Robert YoungJohns, president of North America sales & marketing for Microsoft:
Don't underestimate the amount of pressure your customers are under. Show how your product can offset the cost pressures they face.
From Steve Waterhouse, author of
The Team Selling Solution:
Make sure you're selling to the right person. In a tight market, the buying power shifts up. The buyer who could spend $10,000 a year ago now has no power. Salespeople need to build relationships with higher-level contacts.
From Tom Tierney, SVP of U.S. commercial card sales at American Express:
You have to motivate the troops. Financial motivation is often what drives them, but just as important, especially now, is recognition.
