The newspaper says we’re out of the recession! I read this just about a week ago, yet many of the sales people I work with across the country are struggling to close business. Budgets are tight, companies are not spending; in fact many have reported this quarter to be the toughest since the economy began to tank. Don’t let this become your focal point!

Buying is always a question of value. Companies are spending money, the question is, what are they buying? And who are they buying from? I met with a close associate yesterday who shared with me from one of his recent C-level meetings. Security is a major issue for those who understand what’s going on out there. In his meeting, the CEO of a major corporation was very focused on security! He had not delegated this to his IT staff and he is looking for advise. This is common among companies around the world right now. For those who don’t understand, it’s a matter of education. But it has to be compelling! The HARD SELL is not going to work, in fact it’s guaranteed to chase your prospects away. The product sale is the same.

If you’re having trouble closing business, remember that impact and likelihood are the measures of justification. What is the impact of something bad happening to me, and what is the likelihood? Most will agree, impact is high on critical systems when there is down time, corruption, or theft. At the same time, few understand the likelihood – this is where you come in. Become an expert at measuring and communicating likelihood, and you’ll find the business climate is not so bad.