Features
How to sell during COVID-19 By Emmanuel Kwabena Abrompah
If there will ever be a time to dig deep into our core as Salesmen to sell, then it is now. And If there will ever be a time to handle great objections to sell, it is now. Lastly, if there will ever be a period of time to experience rejections and delays in closing, it is now.
2020 is certainly a turning point in modern human history. The impact of the pandemic is having a ravaging effect on businesses across the world.
Here are some suggestions that you can apply as you sell during the pandemic.
You are on the frontlines.
Sales professionals have always been onthe frontlines. Do not be afraid toapproach prospects and clients to offer solutions. There are many people, and organizations out there thatneed solutions to their problems. Step out there and offer that solution. Front liners are brave despite the obvious odds.
Use the soft approach
With the avalanche of information at the disposal of the client, the days of pushy sales are long gone. This is not the time to do pressure selling – it has never worked and will never work. You must be a sympathetic and empathetic sales professional. Some of the accounts and pay points are dealing with dwindling revenues and escalating overheads. Don’t add to their headaches. When you get in touch ask about the welfare of their businesses and their families. When the situation improves, you will be rewarded.
Do not be a lamenting Sales professional.
Ask the average sales person why he missed his imperatives. He will blame everything except himself. The economy, exchange rate, the competition is offering something better, the weather, inflation, poor customer service, no selling literature, our prices are in the roof, commissions are low, no training, management bureaucracies, etcetera etcetera.
And now we have the novel and mother of all excuses – C19.Do not try to write another version of the book of Lamentation of the Bible. Instead explore ways you can become better. Sales is scientific, with no short cuts. The only way to stop lamenting is to follow the rudiments of sales.
Be positive minded
I dare say that our minds are under siege. We have been arrested by the barrage of negative information propagated by mainstream and social media. It is as if there is a trophy to be won for the media house that will be first to break C19 story. Social media is the worst culprit, where a lot of fake news is being circulated creating fear and panic. The effect of all this on the sales professional can be damaging. We have to be mentally strong to handle objections and deal with sales related issues. We cannot allow our minds to be damping sites.
Denis Waitley in his book – Safari to the Soul talks about the placebo effect. Volunteers are treated with experimental drugs whose effect is tested by measuring the difference in response to the powerless placebo and to the drug. Some group of volunteers who had just had their wisdom teeth extracted were given morphine to alleviate their pain, the others swallowed a placebo they believed to be a powerful pain killer. Many of the placebo recipients said they experienced dramatic relief from their pain, believing they had been given morphine too. However, when a drug that blocks the effects of the natural endorphin was given to them, the pain returned almost immediately. That test, and many others, have confirmed something very important: When a patient believes he has been given a pain reliever, the brain releases chemicals to substantiate their belief. In short, the placebo effect is an act of faith.
Feed your mind with positive things. Read the books that will make you strong. Listen to country or jazz music to calm you down. Everything starts from the mind, and so be positive.
Maybe we are in for the long haul, this is the time that all frontline sales professionals must rise up to deliver.
Go make it happen.
THE WRITER IS A SALES CONSULTANT
+233 (27) 339 7717
Kwabena.abrompah@gmail.com
I experienced something on Monday, June 15, that really frustrated me. I had to go to the ministries but I could not get up early that day so I decided to pick a taxi and get to the Tuba Junction.
When I got there I realised that Traffic had built up from the Toll Booth towards Accra. After a while I got a Taxi and it was when we got to a certain spot on the road, that I realised why there was a traffic jam.
There is a short stretch of the road where each time it rains heavily, loose material run down the hill onto the road, blocking one side of the road. Vehicles from Kasoa to Accra are then forced to move into one of the lanes of those going towards Kasoa from Accra.
The two lane road from Accra to Kasoa becomes a single carriage way. That was the reason for the traffic jam from the toll booth onwards.
This has been a perineal problem and yet, no permanent solution has been found till date. The area falls under Ga South and even though, a new MCE has taken over, the technocrats are still there and so the problem is not new to them.
There is therefore no excuse for the inability of the Ga South Metropolitan Assembly to resolving the problem on that stretch of the road. Apart from the Ga South Metropolitan Assembly, another institution that must be held accountable is the Ghana Highways Authority.
The Highways Authority cannot say they are unaware of this issue. The fact that the problem falls within the area of responsibility of the Ga South Assembly, does not relieve the Ghana Highways Authority, of their responsibility of ensuring that our highways are maintained in a motorable state at all times.
A collaboration between the Ghana Highways Authority and The Ga South Municipal Assembly is required for a permanent resolution of the problem.
There was another traffic jam at a place called Atala about 250 metres to the traffic light at Old Barrier as a result of an issue similar to the one close to the toll booth, that I talked about earlier.
When we got to Weija junction, we encountered another traffic jam. The cause of this jam was a bad condition of road about 80 metres from the traffic light at Ga South Hospital heading towards Accra.
Due to the bad nature at that section of the road, vehicles are compelled to slow down resulting in a traffic jam stretching all the way to Weija Junction.
I started wondering if that short stretch of road cannot be sorted on one Sunday when traffic is usually light. When we got to the traffic light at Odorkor, there was another issue.
When the traffic light shows green, there is a slow down because there is a big pothole or should I say manhole in the outer lane, right at the traffic light. Vehicles in the outer lane are compelled to swerve into the second lane thereby causing a traffic to slow down and resulting in a traffic jam.
It is very important to take into account the effect of traffic jam on the national economy. If we are able to assess the value of the loss to the economy of the nation, I believe the issue of traffic jam will be prioritised.
Imagine persons working at various Government Organisations like Registrar General’s Department, Ghana Ports and Habours Authority, Ghana Revenue Authority, CEPS etc. and lives at Kasoa and whose job is to collect revenue for the state and is held up in traffic.
Just imagine the effect their lateness to work will have on the economy if you consider the delays in say clearing of goods at the port and as a result traders cannot sell their goods for government to generate the required taxes.
Let us deal with the traffic jams on our streets to promote economic growth. God bless.
By Laud Kissi-Mensah
Mortality is an inherent aspect of life, a universal experience that has sparked philosophical, theological, and scientific inquiry throughout human history.
This article aims to provide a comprehensive and nuanced exploration of mortality, acknowledging the complexity of the topic and the diverse perspectives surrounding it.
The biological imperative
From a biological standpoint, death is a natural part of the life cycle. It serves as a mechanism for the evolution of species, allowing for the passing on of genetic material and the adaptation to environmental changes.
Evolutionary perspective: Death allows for the recycling of resources, promoting the survival and adaptation of species.
Life span and senescence: Cellular aging and the limitations of biological systems contribute to mortality.
Philosophical and existential perspectives
Existentialism: Emphasises individual freedom and responsibility in the face of mortality.
Meaning and purpose: The finite nature of life can prompt individuals to seek meaning and purpose.
The human condition: Mortality is a fundamental aspect of the human experience, shaping our perceptions and values.
Cultural and spiritual views
Afterlife and spirituality: Many cultures and religions believe in an afterlife or spiritual continuation.
Rituals and mourning: Cultural practices surrounding death reflect the significance of mortality in human experience.
Legacy and remembrance: The impact of one’s life can transcend mortality.
Ethical considerations
End-of-life care: Ethical debates surround issues like euthanasia, assisted dying, and palliative care.
Quality of life: Balancing the value of life with the quality of life is a complex ethical issue.
Resource allocation: Societal decisions about healthcare and resource distribution involve considerations of mortality.
Psychological impact
Grief and loss: The experience of mortality can evoke profound emotional responses.
Fear and anxiety: The awareness of mortality can lead to existential anxiety.
Appreciation and gratitude: Recognising mortality can foster appreciation for life.
Conclusion
Mortality is a multifaceted aspect of human existence, influencing how we live, relate, and find meaning. Understanding and acknowledging mortality can prompt deeper reflections on life and our place in the world.
By Robert Ekow Grimmond-Thompson
