When people think of a bad economy the first things they think about are about their job security, their salary and their budgets. This is not a problem, simple fight or flight in action. The problem begins when we start making these thoughts our constant thoughts; we begin looking for ways to ease the pain of these thoughts, making them “not real” in our minds.
These thoughts start to take you away from your actual priorities of enhancing the company. You start thinking of maintaining rather than growing, holding rather than letting go. The best part is you’re not alone - Yes, I said the BEST part. Your competition is embroiled in the same tug of war with their emotions over the economy as well. Their guard is down, just like yours.
I know what you’re thinking, so tell me something I don’t know. Everyone is constantly hearing about the economy and sales being down, cutbacks, budget cuts, etc. The thing is; these conditions only affect you if you let them. If you constantly bemoan how sales are down and your budget has been cut and there is nothing you can do – well that’s exactly what is happening – you are doing nothing.
Times like these do not come along very frequently, which IS a good thing. But at the same time, times like these don’t come around very frequently! Everyone is in a frozen state, afraid to move, afraid to lose anything and the thing is this is the best time to gain.
Your competition is in the same state as you are; it’s like an old western gunfight. You are looking each other straight in the eye waiting for one or the other to make a move, only neither of you are moving, the DVR is on pause. Neither of you are willing to make the first move and you really don’t know why.
I recently read that in a bad market you can take 15 to 20 percent of the business away from your top competitor. You can also obtain 20 to 30 percent of all new business coming in and convert sales 30 – 40 percent more from people coming to you. These are big numbers.
How is this possible? By simply ACTING rather than reacting to the current situation. Marketing in its simplest form is basically telling your prospects and customers how you can help them. What better time to offer help than now. The only thing you need to do is change – change how you approach your prospects and clients. Change how you push or pull your product or service through the market.
Bruce Barton said it best: “When you are through changing, you are through.” Start looking past the obvious of what your product does, examine more how it helps. People want and accept help more freely when your offer is sincere. Be sincere and truly care about your prospects and clients business and they will repay you using your product and service.
So there you have it, a simple HELPFUL way to add more clients and sales to your bottom-line.
Be helpful.