Selling technology in a recession

Over the last few weeks there have been a lot of column inches written by analysts about whether we are in a recession. At The Bridge we have received several emails from business advisors and coaches suggesting strategies for mitigating the possible effects of an economic down turn. What does The Bridge, a specialist technology marketing company, believe that technical product suppliers and service providers should do?

It's hard to identify whether we are in recession or not. Personally, our technical marketing and high tech marketing company, based in Swindon, Wiltshire is doing well and up on 2007. But wherever you look and whatever you read, one expert or another will be debating whether there will be a serious recession.

What should companies in the technical sector be doing to stave off the impact of this possible threat? After all we have seen before how hard this sectors gets hit. In simple terms, look carefully at what you say and who you say it to. If there is a serious recession on the way, a focus on selling will be vital. This isn't necessarily a time for panic but you might want to check your sales activities.

Maybe you should take a look at some solid sales principles:

• What you are selling now?Not what it was 6 months ago but what you are selling today?
• Who are you selling to and in what volumes?
• Who is not buying? Are there some clients who you could keep in better touch with?
• Do you enjoy selling those particular products or providing those services? If times are going to get though you really want to be working in areas that get you out of bed in the morning.
• Do you have a good story to tell in the areas that are working? If not, get some help to rectify that.
• And most importantly of all, is what you are selling the most of easy and profitable for you to deliver?

If you focus on these simple issues and read around a little you will be in a better position to stay sharp, positive and be more proactive.

Over the past four years we have helped a number of companies in Swindon and along the Thames Valley, to improve their sales. A focus on sales has been something that our technical clients have demanded of us. We have helped to position their business simply and consistently. We have showed them how to promote themselves effectively. Now we are going a step further in response to customer demand.

We have developed a sales method that we at The Bridge, call Nett Sales Resource. Through this service we can help technology businesses to look week by week at what their customers and contacts are interested in. We can help them to test different products, messages and audiences so they can make decisions based on real sales response data. Our sales method measures response levels as pieces of information are sent out to customers or prospects. The sales method generates leads in its own right, but more importantly it helps you to filter away all of those contacts who are unresponsive. Therefore ensuring you don't waste your effort or precious resources on an audience that isn't listening.

If you would like to find out more about how to focus you technical marketing and sales on the right people so you can stay one step ahead in these uncertain times, Contact us or call Carl on 0845 2581300.