# How to improve sales during a global pandemic
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2020-11-09
Category: BUSINESS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/business
Meta Title: Key Changes Salespeople Must Make During the Coronavirus Crisis
Meta Description: Learn from leadership and management expert Chris Farmer on how salespeople can secure deals by adapting to changes in communication styles and focusing on
URL: https://financedigest.com/how-to-improve-sales-during-a-global-pandemichtml

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_By **Chris Farmer,** leadership and management training expert and founder of [Corporate Coach Group](https://corporatecoachgroup.com/), outlines the key changes salespeople must make in order to ensure they can continue to secure deals during the coronavirus crisis._

When times are hard, people become more careful with their money. They are not so quick to buy “on a whim”. As a result, salespeople must become more skilful and give sufficient reasons to believe and reasons to buy. Sales is a specialised form of face to face communication which uses four main channels: body language, voice tones, words and behaviour.

For decades before the [COVID pandemic](https://www.financedigest.com/exclusive-eu-to-move-away-from-emergency-phase-of-covid-pandemic-document.html "Exclusive-EU to move away from emergency phase of COVID pandemic – document"), all salespeople were taught Mehrabian’s Rule of 7-38-55 which means that body language and voice tone were more important than words. According to the theory, only 7 per cent of [sales effectiveness was attributable to what salespeople say](https://www.financedigest.com/marstons-says-q4-sales-above-pre-pandemic-levels.html "Marston’s says Q4 sales above pre-pandemic levels"), and a staggering 93 per cent was based upon the effective use of body language and voice tones.

[Sales trainers used to say:](https://www.financedigest.com/aldi-uk-says-december-sales-up-26.html "Aldi UK says December sales up 26%")

- “People [don’t](https://www.financedigest.com/people-dont-like-to-be-told-no-when-it-comes-to-finance.html "People don’t like to be told no when it comes to finance") buy logically, they buy emotionally”

- “People buy the salesperson first”

- “People only buy from people they like”


Consequently, for decades sales [people were taught the most important factors](https://www.financedigest.com/high-streets-remain-an-important-factor-for-people-choosing-where-to-live-property-investors-on-alert.html "High streets remain an important factor for people choosing where to live – property investors on alert") for sales success were:

1. **Body language:** How salespeople look. Smile. Handshake. Dress code. Charisma.

2. **Voice tones:** The way they talk. Friendly. Warm. Attractive.

3. **Words:** What sales people actually said was supposed to be only 7 per cent of the job. So salespeople developed their pre-canned sales pitch. They read their scripts off the [computer screen](https://www.financedigest.com/apple-may-add-touch-screens-to-mac-computers-bloomberg-news.html "Apple may add touch screens to Mac computers – Bloomberg News").


The 7-38-55 per cent [sales rule may have been true in the past](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-new-car-sales-rise-in-november-fail-to-zoom-past-2019-levels-smmt.html "UK new car sales rise in November, fail to zoom past 2019 levels- SMMT"). But it is clear that Covid-19 and social distancing has enormously [changed the relative importance](https://www.financedigest.com/popcorn-containers-market-important-changes-in-industry-dynamics-during-2017-2027.html "Popcorn Containers Market  Important Changes in Industry Dynamics during 2017-2027") of these sales factors. Style, charisma, handshakes, smiles, and voice tones are no longer the major issues they used to be. Now the most important factors in sales success is attributable to the proper use of language, and excellent [customer service](https://www.financedigest.com/how-customer-services-has-changed-during-covid.html "How Customer Services Has Changed During Covid").

Let us look at both in turn.

**The proper use of language**

It is by the mastery of words, that our sales efforts will either stand or fall. No longer can salespeople rely on their personal charisma, charm or likeability to ‘win people over’.

Nowadays people do not “buy salespeople”. Instead they buy only if there are good logical reasons to buy. Therefore, the salesperson must be able to provide a logical case; a series of good reasons why a ‘yes decision’ on the part of the buyer, is the right thing to do. In order to do that, the salesperson breaks the sales process into six major subset skills.

These are the six major [sales skills for the next generation](https://www.financedigest.com/demand-for-healthy-food-products-is-pushing-sales-growth-of-next-generation-stevia-market.html "Demand For Healthy Food Products Is Pushing Sales Growth Of Next Generation Stevia Market") of salespeople:

1. A complete, careful and logical analysis of the [customer’s needs](https://www.financedigest.com/3-reasons-your-business-needs-customer-reviews.html "3 reasons your business needs customer reviews")

2. A product-solution that is targeted, tailored and perfectly suited to match the customer’s needs

3. A full, clear, rational, convincing and persuasive description and [full explanation of exactly how the product or service](https://www.financedigest.com/major-myths-and-questions-holding-banking-and-financial-services-back-from-full-digital-id-adoption.html "Major myths and questions holding banking and financial services back from full digital ID adoption") will meet the customer’s needs

4. The mastery of language sufficient to allow the salesperson to answer any and all misunderstandings or questions that occur to the buyer as they hear or read the salespersons description

5. The ability to gain a commitment from the buyer to buy

6. The ability to quickly and smoothly explain and help [navigate the payment](https://www.financedigest.com/unfolding-the-great-payments-disruption-how-consumers-can-navigate-this-new-financial-world-and-how-financial-institutions-can-rise-to-the-challenge.html "Unfolding the Great Payments Disruption – how consumers can navigate this new financial world and how financial institutions can rise to the challenge") details relating to the sale


All of this is based upon the accurate use of language. The next generation of salespeople, [post covid](https://www.financedigest.com/risk-management-redefined-navigating-post-covid-disruption.html "Risk Management redefined: navigating post-COVID disruption"), should think of themselves not as “charismatic performers”, but more like sales scientists or sales detectives. This change in sales emphasis requires a change in training. Salespeople need to become more investigative, more logical, rational and systematic in their approach.

1. They [need to ask sufficient probing questions to gain a full](https://www.financedigest.com/embedded-finance-is-the-new-norm-in-banking-but-what-is-needed-to-unleash-its-full-potential.html "Embedded finance is the new ‘norm’ in banking, but what is needed to unleash its full potential? ") understanding, identification, and definition of the customers personal “wants, needs and don’t-wants”.

2. Salespeople [need to explain the logic of the sale](https://www.financedigest.com/british-pensions-step-up-multi-billion-pound-asset-fire-sale-as-need-for-cash-soars.html "British pensions step up multi-billion-pound asset fire sale as need for cash soars"). They need to [provide a list of reasons why the proposed service is right for the customer](https://www.financedigest.com/verasity-joins-the-brightcove-marketplace-to-provide-customers-with-proprietary-ad-tech-technology.html "Verasity Joins the Brightcove Marketplace to Provide Customers With Proprietary Ad-Tech Technology").

3. Salespeople must eliminate any misunderstandings or confusions in the mind of the buyer, because they know that uncertainty kills sales. (In the new [world of COVID](https://www.financedigest.com/how-business-leaders-can-adapt-or-replace-covid-related-perks-to-the-post-pandemic-world-while-keeping-employees-on-side.html "How business leaders can adapt or replace Covid related perks to the post-pandemic world while keeping employees on-side") people won’t buy unless they are certain it makes sense).

4. Salespeople must [explain the pricing](https://www.financedigest.com/explainer-caps-and-corridors-how-can-europe-contain-gas-prices.html "Explainer-Caps and corridors: how can Europe contain gas prices?") and logistics of the transaction.

5. Salespeople must help the customer to [navigate](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-navigate-a-seamless-journey-from-cio-to-chief-customer-officer.html "How to navigate a seamless journey from CIO to Chief Customer Officer") the purchasing procedures and make it easy for the customer to pay.


For many years, salespeople were able to use their force of character and [personal charisma to aid them in making sales](https://www.financedigest.com/demand-from-personal-care-and-cosmetic-products-will-boost-vegan-wax-market-sales.html "Demand From Personal Care And Cosmetic Products Will Boost Vegan Wax Market Sales"). Now social distancing has dissipated that power and we are left with good words and good service. Good customer service means: Speed. Quality. Accuracy.

**Speed** – We live in a society where most people want things now. We want instant noodles and five-minute abs. So, we need to be fast. Those organisations who respond fastest to the changing environment and to their [customers](https://www.financedigest.com/how-brands-can-adapt-marketing-tactics-to-better-suit-customers-changing-shopping-habits.html "How brands can adapt marketing tactics to better suit customers’ changing shopping habits") changing desires will have the most sales success. That means, whenever we get a sales enquiry, we jump on it. We don’t wait. We act fast.

**Quality** – In the past people [accepted that a cheaper price meant they must](https://www.financedigest.com/boes-pill-says-uk-must-accept-income-hit-from-high-inflation.html "BoE’s Pill says UK must accept income hit from high inflation") sacrifice some quality. Now, most people want both. They want it cheaper and better. We must find [ways to increase our efficiencies](https://www.financedigest.com/finance-operations-efficiency-7-ways-to-slick-up-your-department.html "Finance operations efficiency – 7 ways to slick up your department") so that we can provide goods of the highest quality at reasonable prices.

**Accuracy** – Accuracy comes from fully understanding the customers’ needs. To understand [people’s needs](https://www.financedigest.com/britain-says-6000-more-people-needed-for-trial-of-merck-covid-pill.html "Britain says 6,000 more people needed for trial of Merck COVID pill") we must focus intently on the words they use. So, we return again to the importance of words. Salesmen have often been accused of selling what they want to sell, as opposed to selling what the prospect wants to buy. The [successful organisations of the future](https://www.financedigest.com/digital-democratisation-through-low-code-the-future-of-finance-success.html "Digital democratisation through low-code – the future of finance success") will take the words used by their customers as the target to be hit. The [next generation of salespeople must become](https://www.financedigest.com/rishi-sunak-declared-next-leader-of-uk-conservative-party-to-become-next-pm.html "Rishi Sunak declared next leader of UK Conservative Party, to become next PM") interested in extracting the exact meaning of their customers’ words, so that there is no possibility of misunderstanding, confusion or error.


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