Yes Times are Really Tough – And Selling Harder Might Not Save You Right Now.
The world feels very unstable. Times are tough.
Prices are climbing. Sales are slowing.
Decisions are dragging. Projects being put on hold.
Everything is tightening, contracting.
And let’s be honest… it’s stressful.
The instinct is to sell harder – push more. We have to make our targets. We need to maintain our margins. Get the deal at all costs.
(Our shareholders want their returns you know!)
The instinct?
Push more. Sell harder. Close the deal.
Because targets don’t disappear just because times are tough.
I get it.
But here’s the question…Is that actually working?
Or are you just working harder… for less return?
Creating more stress…for less reward?
Maybe it’s time to Think Differently.
But don’t think Softer – Think Smarter!
Because in times like these, the game changes.
Your clients are not looking to spend more money right now.
They are looking to:
- Save money
- Reduce risk
- Make better decisions
- Survive this mess
- Live to fight another day
And if you are still trying to “sell” in the traditional way… you might be missing the moment.
You might be wasting your time and theirs, trying to GET orders. When you should be GIVING!
So what can you do?
You Shift. Because Shift Happens.
You Shift:
From pushing… to partnering
From selling… to advising.
From chasing… to creating value.
From getting…to giving.
Look for the opportunities hiding in the chaos.
They are there. They really are!
You just need to slow down enough to see them.
(Think UBER, Airbnb and Netflix – huge business opportunities which were born out of very difficult challenges)
For example you could:
Add value where others are adding pressure.
Offer guidance where others are pushing product.
Support your clients where competitors are chasing numbers.
Depending upon what you sell, this might look like:
- Sharing ideas to help them cut costs
- Offering flexible solutions or payment options
- Giving insight, not just information
- Bringing energy, perspective, and even a bit of humour when things feel heavy
- Helping them prioritise what actually matters right now
- Simplifying decisions when everything feels overwhelming
- Connecting them with useful people, resources, or opportunities
- Following up with relevance, not just reminders
- Offering training and development to clients
Here’s the truth…
Your clients will remember how you showed up in these moments!
When things were tough. When pressure was high.
When everyone else was pushing.
Did you add stress? Or did you add value?
This is where the real shift happens.
From being a go-getter…To becoming a go-giver.
It might feel counterintuitive. It might feel slower.
It might even feel risky.
But when you do the smart work upfront…
When you build trust…When you give real service…
When you stay relevant…
Everything changes.
The pressure eases. The conversations improve.
The opportunities open up.
And slowly but surely…
The sales start to flow again. Often faster than you expected.
So perhaps take a step back. Loosen up your thinking.
And ask yourself:
Am I just pushing harder…Or am I actually selling smarter?
Because in times like these…
The tough don’t just get going.
The smart get growing.
Take this time to improve – your skills, offerings, marketing, systems, processes and strategy.
(PS we offer high impact, cost effective sales training and coaching– just saying 😊)
