Are you stuck in a sales rut? If/​when unfruitful sales periods come about, the worst thing you can do is what most salespeople feel they have to do: wait for the slump to pass. Few prospects are going to come to you, even when you’re on a roll. Why would that change in the middle of a dry period? Instead, you need to take action, writes Colleen Francis in an Engage article. Here are a few resources she reminds salespeople they have.

Phone

You have a direct line to a potential sale within arm’s reach at all times while you’re at work. Use it. A slump isn’t going to jinx your chances of making a sale, but it can definitely make it seem that way by draining your motivation. Don’t let the slump win. Every call you make is an opportunity to begin your next sales streak. 

Email

Emails are another tool you always have at your disposal. Have you tried calling a prospect, but couldn’t make it past the gatekeeper (AKA receptionist)? Email them. Haven’t heard back from that prospect you emailed last week about setting up a meeting time? Email them. According to Francis, “… for every 30 days your prospects go without hearing from you, they lose 10% of their potential value to you.” Maybe you’re in a slump because you hit the 30-​day mark and all you need to do is reach out again.

Existing Clients

There are bound to be a few clients who, despite your best intentions, have fallen to the wayside in terms of keeping in touch with them. Look through your contacts, make a list, and reach out to those clients. Maybe they’re in need of a new product or service you recently began selling. Even if they’re not, your outreach will keep you top-​of-​mind for when your clients do need something you can offer. And the communication will make them feel more comfortable to reach out to you in the future.