By Phil Whitebloom, Founder of BeenThere Consulting Services
Selling in Uncertain Times
Few things disrupt business and sales performance more than external forces that are completely out of your control.
Right now, we’re in the middle of a politically driven trade war. Threats have become actions. New tariffs, many of them steep, are being imposed on goods entering the U.S., and on products we export abroad. The result is added costs, tighter margins, and growing concern across entire industries.
If that weren’t enough, uncertainty itself has become part of the problem. Tariff announcements are made, then paused, then renegotiated. Rates fluctuate. Implementation gets delayed. It’s no longer just about the tariffs, it’s about not knowing what tomorrow’s policies will look like.
The Real Question
In times like this, the natural question becomes:
How do we sell to our customers in such uncertainty?
Avoid the Political
Trap There’s no easy path and no perfect answer. But I can tell you this with certainty—stay out of the politics when talking with your customers avout the current situation.
You may feel strongly about what’s happening. Your customer may feel just as strongly, but in the opposite direction. One careless comment, even if it seems harmless to you, can put a crack in a relationship you’ve worked hard to build. And in sales, relationships are everything.
We’ve all seen what happens when entertainers or business owners take a political stand. They rarely gain new followers, but they always lose many existing followers. That’s not how you grow a business.
Stick to the facts. Talk about the scenario at hand. Keep the conversation focused on how to move forward, not on who to blame.
The Profit Chain is at Risk
Here is a fact—your customers buy from you because they need your products. And their customers buy from them because they need your customers’ products. Both of you are in business to make a profit. That profit is directly tied to the cost of goods sold.
What happens when the costs to the ultimate end-user get so high that they decide to just do without? That must be avoided.
And what about when your customer stalls—not because they don’t want what you offer, but because they don’t know what’s coming next? Will the tariffs be implemented? Delayed? Increased? How long will they last? That uncertainty can freeze even the best opportunity.
This Is Not “Sales 101”
You, as the salesperson, must navigate the situation in a way that keeps sales flowing. This is advanced-level selling. This is tactical. This is definitely not “Sales 101.”
As your sales performance coach, I will assist you in learning how to make your customers your partners in reaching solutions to this problem. There are way too many variables to be so bold and arrogant to offer a simple, “here is what you do” scenario.
Proven Performance in Crisis
In my 45+ years of sales and sales leadership, I have successfully found ways to achieve during times of crisis.
In one case, my sales team achieved our more than $40 million annual sales quota when our customer base was shut down for one-third of the final quarter of our fiscal year. That created a situation where there were no purchase orders being placed for more than one- half of that quarter. And still, we hit the number.
There are other examples.
Let’s Talk About Your Situation
If your business is in this situation today, or facing similar circumstances related to other scenarios and crises, give me a call. Let’s talk about it.
Tactical Action Starts Here
If sales are stalling, you don’t need motivation, you need tactics that work right now. Call me. Let’s get tactical and get your sales moving.
Send me an email with your situation, and I’ll get back to you to schedule a meeting so I can learn more and we can get started.
Phil@BeenThereCS.com
Unlock the Secrets to Closing More Sales with “Handling Objections: Clues for Closing the Sale”
Are you tired of hearing “no” or struggling to close the deal? In Phil Whitebloom’s book, you’ll learn how to turn objections into golden opportunities to secure the sale. Whether you’re new to sales or have years of experience, this book is packed with actionable insights that will elevate your approach to closing deals.
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David Illig reminds us that everyone is a salesman in life, “Whether it’s a product, an opinion, or a point of view, Phil Whitebloom will guide you to a successful conclusion.”
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The BeenThere/SoldThat Podcast
Join Brianna Hendley of Achievant Business Coaching and Phil Whitebloom as they discuss practical strategies to enhance your sales and business skills. Get ready to achieve your goals and dreams! Listen here.
More from BeenThere SoldThat
Want to know what programs you can participate in to grow your sales and business? Go to BeenThereSoldThat.com and see what programs are available.