When crisis hits, whether it’s a biological crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic, a meteorological catastrophe, economic downturn, etc., everyday norms change. But even in the face of a life-altering crisis, businesses must still find ways to function. To keep employees working. To serve customers. To contribute to the economic well-being of the nation.

It might not seem obvious at first, but when a crisis hits and an economic downturn results, sales leadership consultants can be more important than ever to fill the inevitable void in sales leadership and help small to mid-sized businesses stay on top of their game.

Here are just a few reasons why sales leadership consultants are uniquely positioned to help businesses weather a crisis:

Bringing High-stakes Corporate Experience

During a crisis, all businesses – from the largest to the smallest – need a leader that has been through a crisis before – they need someone that has been “in the trenches” and has made it out successfully. In the corporate world, those trenches can have enormous, high-stakes consequences. In other words, even minor missteps can have multi-million-dollar ramifications. At the small to mid-size business level, the total dollar impact might be far less, but can be just as critical to the business’s owner, its employees and customers. In fact, with less margin for error and fewer economic reserves, smaller businesses are usually at greater risk for failure if the economy suffers – for any reason.

So, smaller businesses benefit if their advisors have the kind of high-stakes experience more common at the large corporate level. Sales consultants, coming from such a background, have been through many varied crisis situations with high-dollar consequences. They bring the perspective, expertise and experience to help small to mid-sized businesses navigate toward calmer waters.

Does the type of crisis matter when it comes to high-stakes experience? Regardless of the nature of the crisis, businesses must sell to survive, thrive and serve. So, whether the crisis is global like a pandemic, local like a hurricane or tornado outbreak, or market-based like a recession or the rise of a tough new competitor, sales leadership consultants can be a difference-maker.

Providing Cost-effective Engagements

During a crisis, small to mid-sized businesses must be more vigilant than ever regarding expenditures. By using a fractional sales leadership consultant to help them excel and compete in a volatile economic marketplace, they can gain superior experience and expertise at a fraction of the cost of a full-time sales leader with more limited credentials.

Ability to Adapt Sales Strategies, Processes, and Communication Opportunities

In a crisis, the traditional methods of selling might become either unavailable, ineffective, or obsolete. For example, during a biological crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic, face-to-face selling might be unwise or impossible. When this happens, a sales leadership consultant can help a smaller business leverage other sales strategies and methods, perhaps using technology to shift sales and communication processes while reaching out to prospects and customers with essential and reassuring messaging.

Ability to Develop a Crisis Sales Plan

A sales leadership consultant can also be called upon to help small to mid-sized businesses draft, implement and manage a Crisis Sales Plan.

A Crisis Sales Plan is best crafted as an adaptation of the business’s standard sales plan (sometimes called a Sales Action Plan). This standard plan typically helps businesses:

  • Know their customers
  • Develop target market and industry positioning with differentiation from competitors
  • Set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely) goals
  • Establish key sales metrics
  • Track and measure sales team performance with a well-designed and utilized CRM
  • Develop clear territories
  • Maintain customer relationships

A sales leadership consultant can adapt a business’s sales plan into a Crisis Sales Plan by helping the business leverage these six essential steps:

  1. Identifying the type and scope of the crisis
  2. Determining the likely duration of the crisis
  3. Implementing changes to your sales plan as necessary
  4. Communicating and motivating throughout the crisis
  5. Refining your sales plan as necessary during the crisis period
  6. After the crisis ends, reviewing the Crisis Sales Plan for necessary enhancements

Bottom Line:

When a crisis hits, traditional sales strategies and methods must adapt. This is especially critical – yet also especially difficult – for small to mid-sized businesses that are more vulnerable to business disruption. Can these businesses continue selling in a crisis? Yes, but probably not without new ways of operating in the new crisis environment. A sales leadership consultant can bring external, big-picture perspective and experience to help a smaller business recognize threats and opportunities, survive and thrive during and after the crisis period.

For help driving sales, contact me below or send a DM:

Tony Watson, CSL | PRESIDENT | 716-508-0046 | awatson@salesxceleration.com

Serving All of Western New York

Phil B.
Senior Account Manager





“Taught by one of the best sales leaders I have been around, I utilized what I learned and applied the techniques directly to my organization.

I would recommend this program program to anyone who is looking to make an impact in sales within their organization.”

Aaron W.
HVAC Sales Manager





“As someone who has attended multiple trainings in my career, I can say that this program is essential for any business that does not have a sales strategy in place and wants to grow.

It is great reinforcement for sales managers and by working with other local leaders you are reminded that you are not alone and others are fighting the same fight you are.

I highly recommend this program.”

Timothy
Sales Manager





“I personally experienced Tony’s systematic sales planning and revenue enhancement training as part of a year long Sales Leadership Exchange program. This expansive program taught me how to effectively train and develop sales staff to peak performance levels. I am confident that this method of training has significantly benefited my Team’s performance.

From effectively analyzing team needs to conducting engaging coaching sessions, Tony prepared me to excel in my role…”

Liz B.
Sales Manager





“Tony is a skilled Vice President of Sales. He has vast knowledge, based on 25+ years of experience, on all topics related to effective sales management. Tony is direct and insightful, generous with his time and talent. Tony is very professional and currently serves as a facilitator of the Buffalo Niagara Partnership’s

Sales Leader Exchange Program. Tony’s invaluable knowledge regarding process, procedures, strategy planning, measurement, leadership and accountability…”

Marcelo A.
VP of Sales Tarbell Management





“We engaged Tony’s consulting services at the end of 2019. When we started the 2020 year, we had to put our projects on pause due to the Covid pandemic. Tony was easy to work with and very flexible. He was professional and always delivered on his commitments on time. Tony helped us to structure our sales team, create a sales process from scratch, develop and implement a CRM system, introduce a performance based compensation plan for our sales force, and conducted sales training for our field sales representatives and regional sales managers…”

Connie W.





“Tony will give ANY sales team the kick they need to jump start or reinvigorate their sales efforts. He has been such a gift to numerous companies – building effective sales team and creating focused, strategic sales plans that have resulted in $100’s of millions in annual revenues. Tony is a pleasure to work with, inspires leaders and teams where ever he works, and he somehow is able to see through a myriad of complications and personalities to establish order and a focused game plan. I could not recommend him more highly.”

Kyle S.
President/CEO at STI-CO Industries, Inc.





“We worked with Tony to establish a sales process and reporting matrix. Tony has extensive experience in sales and helping companies build a more efficient, results oriented business development team. He has a creative approach that was easy to implement. Understanding that buy-in from the team is critical, he spent time with each individual to customize a sales system that was unique to STI-CO. He helped us with job descriptions, commission structure and execution strategy…”

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