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If business is slow in your area, it is time to take advantage! If you don't buy into all of the negative news, your business can end up being more competitive.

One of the steps in our "Stairway to Successful Selling" series is competitiveness. When things get tough, the competitive person works harder and smarter. Think of it like a game of golf or racquetball, when you are behind the competitive person works harder to catch up and get ahead. The same should be true of the competitive person in business. In addition, your customers, prospects and your competitor's customers need your help when things are slow. You are the expert (I hope) in your business. Use your expertise to help your accounts save money and time and you will generate more business for yourself.

In this business environment, take some "off selling hours" time to do some creative thinking. Think about which of your accounts, active and not so active, could benefit from your expertise. A review of your account list is a great place to start. Maybe you have been on cruise control on some of your "A" accounts. Maybe you have not been working very hard or smart on some of your other accounts. Do an account analysis with your sales manager. What can you do to help save your accounts money and time (time is money). Which products or systems can help you do just that?

Another step in our "Stairway to Successful Selling' is imagination/creativity….get your creative juices flowing. Meet with your factory reps…review the literature and features, advantages and benefits of their products that will help you. Develop a promotion, a product of the month. Make up a flier to be used as an email and a handout. Start thinking. Group your calls each day. Add in new calls to the area you plan on working. Increase your production, decrease your costs. Set your plan down in writing and go make the calls.

Develop an opening statement that lets your accounts know that you have the knowledge and the ideas that will help save them time and money. Don't get caught up in price increase issues. You probably have had some, and they can make you additional money. Remember: that price is only part of the cost. Sell the savings that your product will produce. Develop a Return on Investment (ROI) sheet that spells out those savings.

Just forget all that negative news. Turn up your competitiveness, develop a plan and go out and save your customers money and time and watch your business grow.

Maurice Dixon operates Dixon and Associates. They provide training services to janitorial suppliers to help increase sales and profits. Contact them at www.focusonsales.biz.