We Need to Forge Ahead

I recently came across a great reminder from “Dan” not to stop sales travel. I have written before about why it is important not to cut your advertising budget during downturns in the economy. By the same token, a business should not cut any form of marketing just because they feel they cannot afford it.

Dan is careful to point out in the blog that businesses should always be cost conscious when it comes to traveling sales people. Lower-cost hotels, discount airfares, economy car rentals and other cost-saving decisions are always a good idea. Just because you are fat with cash doesn’t mean you should stay at a five star resort, and just because you are cash poor doesn’t mean you should cut the whole program.

Dan’s logic is sound, but just like him I hear of businesses large and small doing the same thing. People who are doing sales for your company will understand that money is tight. They may even go the extra mile to attempt to save the company money. No business owner should tie one arm behind the backs of the very people keeping them in business.

While Dan writes mostly about travel around the country and the world, it brings up another point for those businesses that stay fairly local. What is your business trying to cut that has been a part of your overall sales strategy but now you feel you cannot afford?

Memberships in trade organizations
Booths at trade shows
Dinners/lunches with clients
Client visits

Be careful not to do things just because you have always done them. The point here, though, is that is you have learned some effective marketing and sales techniques for your business, don’t cut them! Cut wherever else you absolutely have to, but not in the marketing of your products and services. Let the big businesses make dumb blanket decisions like “no more sales travel” or “no more free trade organization memberships.” As small businesses, we don’t have to make blanket decisions. We can look at where our money is going and what the return on that money is. Decisions about sales and marketing can and should be made on an individual basis.

Below is a great example of what a “face to face” sales visit can allow you to achieve.