Try to decipher what the following words mean: “In the ascertainment of an excogitation of linguistic proclivity, one might ascribe to the mentation that a phratry exists in which some encyclopedists designedly cultivate a nonplussed ambiance hypothecated to befuddle the vox populi.”1 It is so complicated. Remove the flair and the fancy words the phrase is translated: “Judging from the words some people use, you’d think they purposely write to confuse the average person.” And yet the same person who loves to impress people with fancy words gets startled or faces a crisis; the same person has no time to be fanciful but simplifies his expression. Sometimes it is an expletive. The crisis has a way of pressuring us to drop the fancy and focus on the basics.
When times are easy, we tend to be fanciful to the point of neglecting the basics. But when a crisis comes, you and I begin to hear and see many people and organizations rallying cry, saying, “Let’s go back to the basics.” “We need to strengthen the basics.”There is a sense of urgency to improve in a crisis to return to the basics. It means life or death for the entire enterprise as well as for one’s career. Suddenly, everyone from the CEO to the frontline sales professionals and account managers must learn, adapt and change. To seek improvement and to get ready to do some hard work. Everybody’s got to get better because survival depends on it, and those who don’t, go extinct. Wishing that things were better and different is a waste of time and energy. Worrying about where to get the next sale, scared and concerned about where the next commission will come from, is a misuse of the imagination.
We go back to the core and strengthen the basics. We hold on to the customers we have. Communicate with them and find out what their needs are. It may be depressing to see some of your customers leave business and deal with the never-ending stream of bad news through TV and social media. News about how other countries’ economies are bracing themselves for a hard landing; listening to this famous author and “money guru” predict the Great Depression is coming for the last two years are all fancy practices you cannot afford. Rather than wasting our energy, time, and motivation on all these things, why not take an intense look forward and say: “This is the best time to prospect for new customers as some of the suppliers may not have been able to deliver.” Rather than reminiscing about the good old times when doing business was mere repeat business and time spent on fancy activities, restaurants, and entertainment, why not embrace the basics during these difficult times? We have to work harder. The key to outselling a crisis is action. The strong look forward, not backward. Those who quickly adapt and innovate thrive.
In an economic downturn, the salespeople who rise and survive are the ones who are disciplined, and focus on the fundamentals of sales. Make intelligent choices and maintain a winning mindset. I’m not going to presume to tell you that the fear of losing your customers, your job, or your commission is unfounded. There will undoubtedly be doors that close, but there will be many more that open your success, and capturing these opportunities lies in your willingness to create a new vision for your future.
In a difficult situation, you do not get fanciful and follow “motivational speakers” who dish out empty platitudes and make endless theatrics as if the chants of “You can do it!” would magically get you the business.
Sales is always a numbers game. You need to drop the fanciful and embrace the basics, and here is the key – we have to work harder. Prospecting. Communicating. Networking. Making more calls and asking for referrals. Not fancy stuff but the basics.
Here is a thought: when you have mastered the basics, and a crisis happens, it frees you to become creative. And as business guru Jim Collins said a long time ago, “we need to strengthen our core but stimulate progress.”
(Francis Kong’s podcast “Inspiring Excellence” is now available on Spotify, Apple, Google, or other podcast streaming platforms.)