Important Selling Phrases During #COVID19
As teams start to put fans in stadiums and we start to see some hope for playing in front of fans in 2021, the pressure on #sportsbiz sales reps is only going to heighten. The heavy lifting of maximizing sales whenever your team plays is the work you do right now. Whether it's getting people into your pipeline or actually selling them...the work truly starts right now.
I've talked and worked with a bunch of sales reps over the last month, and here are a few phrases that are engaging fans right now:
"...teams are playing in front of fans...": This phrase is all about giving the vision to fans. Teams in MLS and USL have played in front of fans. The KBO is playing in front of fans on TV almost every morning. NFL & MLB teams have talked about it. It may not seem like playing in front of fans is happening any time soon in your market...but you can give the vision to your fans and let them make a decision.
"...you will NEVER lose the value of your tickets if we don't play...": Teams will almost always do the right thing and roll tickets over. Reminding fans that an investment now will be made good eventually has been very powerful for the reps who are using it. Make sure you have your leadership blessing on this one, as this hasn't been 100% true across the board, sadly...but it has certainly been 99% true.
"...fans will STREAM back when the green light goes on. Here's your chance to maximize your seat options.": I know of an NFL team that normally knocks about 2,000 people off their wait list each year knock off 9,000(!!!) this year. There are seating options and opportunities for fans that have NEVER existed before. Reminding people of these opportunities, as a sales rep, and that waiting until the green light will make them one of thousands coming back, has been extremely powerful for those that have used it. Tell fans to capitalize on others' hesitation...it's true and it works.
The fundamentals of sales hasn't changed. Paint the picture, give assurance, create urgency. Those are all done in the above...just with a #COVID19 lens on them. Use them!