What Bad Times Can Do For You
Let’s face it, even though meeting planners have had some pretty good years in the last 25, the pressure of the problems broke the economy’s back in 2008 and it all came tumbling down. However, during those great years many sales forces — even the one member of the single-person businesses–sat back and enjoyed the easy sell. They didn’t learn anything new about optimizing their sales ability or making the most of their time.
Well, now they have to. If you can look at one thing this bad economy has done for you, look at how you have had to learn better ways to sell your services. If you have not ramped up your tactics and knowledge, here are some things to think about.
Presentation skills. If you have not done so already, you may need to change the way you present meeting and event ideas to clients. Before you may have put together packages based on the bells and whistles and “wow” factor, but you can’t do that anymore. If your presentations are falling flat or you are not selling as much as you used to, don’t look to your prices–look to your packages. Find a way to show more value and give your clients more than one idea to choose from.
Internet presence. If you have a website, good for you, but only part of your battle is won. You need to have a well-optimized web page designed to attract new clients and keep them on your page. You want to make them send you their information with an urgent plea to call them quickly with your services. Hire a good SEO company and what you spend will come back to you several times over.
Sales training. If you have never done this before, do it now. Not next week. Get a new sales program that will train you on what is working and what is not in these hard times. If you can get a face-to-face program, so much the better.
No matter what you choose to do first, the most important step is to begin. The attitudes people have taken with them from the crash are not going to change any time soon, and if you don’t adapt you are doomed.
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Moab Utah is known as an adventure and leisure destination, still in this climate, the Moab Travel Council is stepping into the Meetings, Events and Incentive Travel Industries.
Mid-size jet arrival in our local airport is a terrible sell in this economic climate, however, Charter Jet services are willing to align with our remote destination to even re-invent their sales approach. I find the teaming element will avail and breathes some imaginative embellishments into the sales presentation.