Selling during the coronavirus will be unlike anything you’ve experienced. Sure, you’ve had bad seasons and tough times, but nothing likely compares to current sales conditions. Dmitry Chervony recently wrote an article for SalesHacker that breaks down the coronavirus situation in relationship to sales and leadership, as well as what best practices to implement. 

Selling during the coronavirus: What to do now

One thing that Chervony stresses is the need to emphasize digital. Even if you’ve shied away from it in the past, now is the time to familiarize yourself with digital tools and use them. “Now you have a wide set of powerful tools to let you manage your tasks, your projects, and your teams without leaving home,” he points out. “ Staying at home provides you with an opportunity to polish your ability to use them and discover new opportunities.” 

Try to conduct your meetings via video so your interactions still have that personal component. Chervony suggests reaching out first to ask if they have a preference, and be sure to have a variety of apps at your disposal (Zoom, Skype, Slack, etc.). Chervony believes that this is particularly important for selling during the coronavirus, Chervony notes: “Expand the range of messengers you use. We always offer our customers to chat via Telegram, Viber, Slack, Zoom, Skype, and WhatsApp. If they prefer to use other messengers, we are always ready to implement them to ensure our accessibility 24/​7.” Keep it as easy and convenient for your clients and prospects as possible. 

Do you have any future live events planned? Shift them to online. Or, are there any potential events that you could host via the internet? Get them scheduled. Now is the time to be visible online. “Turn offline events into webinars,” Chervony writes. “Create presentations with manuals and updates for your long-​time customers. Make the most out of your business social media and LinkedIn influence.” Your competitors will likely be doing the same thing, so you need to make sure that for your own success, selling during the coronavirus involves a major digital presence. 

This is only one tip from his article, and you will find many more that touch on topics from leadership to maintaining relationships and client retention. He also gives some great advice on keeping calm through all of this. Selling during the coronavirus is new to everyone. Do what you can now to get through this tough time and keep your focus on clients and prospects. “These relationships will help you make it through the toughest times, and allow you to rise once it’s time to rebuild and recover,” he explains. “With enough discipline, flexibility and a smart use of digital opportunity, you’re guaranteed to keep your sales intact and ready for a boost.”