I part 1, I described deep challenges I am hearing, as people try to close out 2020:

• Back to back Zoom calls

• Reality of the colder weather

• Limited daylight hours

• The relentlessness of another ‘lockdown’

• Curtailed Christmas celebrations, with limited pub openings

• Is 2021 going to be any better than 2020?

• Isolation and loneliness from not being able to see friends and family…

In the world of SaaS sales, we have vital moments every day, where we need to be in a peak emotional and mental state to seek opportunity. How do we achieve this?

During a recent Enterprise Sales Club interview, Jayd McFerson, Head of Value Consulting at Collibra was asked, “What are the trends that you are seeing in SaaS sales today?” His response was that he is optimistic that significant opportunities continue to exist. He believes good companies still invest in difficult times, there is still plenty of money if you look at the income statement of many companies. The challenge is to unlock and get access to those funds.

Ajay Banga, esteemed CEO of Mastercard, recently stated, “If we want to keep growing and thriving…we have to do better…We can put things back the way they were before or we can work together to rebuild a better, stronger, more resilient and more inclusive digital economy…”

I believe this growth starts with ourselves and how we adapt and evolve. I urge you to set your daily filters high; allow the ‘signal’ in, and eliminate the excess and unnecessary ‘noise’. That starts with a “possibility mindset” rather than a “poor old me” mindset…

How to identify opportunities for 2021:

• Slow down to go faster. Over-striving creates tension and is counterproductive to high performance.

• Get some fresh air on a regular basis – this will allow your goals to open up, not be made up.

• Identity priority problems within your prospects and existing clients.

• Who are your ‘super-user’ clients?

• Position your offering appropriately – do not be passive.

• Be persistently patience - connect with and ask for opportunities and referrals from economic buyers.

• Ask with conviction, as if speaking for your best friend, whose interests you want to best represent.

And one more thing; have three outcomes for your asks; acceptable, unacceptable, and stellar – try and aim between acceptable and stellar.

I so admire Shane Byrne’s (CEO of Showoff) approach. He started out by selling 80 sheep to fund his software business. Today he leads an organisation that is thriving, with a renowned reputation for premium software development, which is deeply committed to adapt and grasp opportunity in 2021.

As he says, “I am built for hardship,” and he meets every challenge head-on.

Even though there is a temptation to focus on life one day returning to how it was, none of us really know what the post-COVID-19 world will look like. What has become clear however, is that we live in an increasingly distracting world. Committing to do the hard work and prepare and connect with others to find opportunities is the key.

Enterprise Sales Club is now LIVE at https://www.enterprisesalesclub.com.

Our purpose is to enable SaaS Sales Professionals to achieve their potential through the power of life-enhancing connections, shared experiences, and collaborative learnings.

If you want to take your career to the next level, as well as improve your skills in Enterprise Sales, please contact me at [email protected]