TMT - Sales Skills

10TH May 2012Nadia Padayachy

Introduction to Selling

• How to Sell?

• The Psychology of Selling

• Sales Challenges

• What not to do

• Tips and Tricks

How to Sell?

• Building a rapport/relationship

• Finding the pains/needs of potential clients and providing a solution to this

• Showing the added value your product/service brings

• Maintaining the relationship with the (potential) client

Sales ChallengesWhat is the challenge?

o Motivation/Getting startedo Timeo Gatekeeperso The right questions to asko Dealing with rejectiono Following upo Closing the deal

Think about:• Why is it a challenge?• What caused it?• How to overcome your challenges?

The Psychology of Selling

• NLP – Neuro-Linguistic Programming• Know your audience - Profiling• Mirroring• Modelling

This all helps with:• Persuasion• Negotiation• Engaging with your audience

Motivation

Have a think about:

• What’s holding you back?

• What drives you?

• How can you turn it around?

Time Management

The Sales Process:

• Plan, Plan, Plan!• Research – what you are selling and who you are

selling to? Industry knowledge• The script• Rehearse, Rehearse Rehearse!• Keeping record of what has been said• When to follow up and how often?

Getting Past the Gatekeeper

• Big issue when trying to get through to the right person

• They will try to divert from your call by saying: “They’re in a meeting”, “send an email”, “they are

out of the office”...

How to get past them?• Persistence• Your approach is also important – mirror how they

talk to you – unless they are rude in which case you should be polite as possible

• Ask them the questions!

Task...

Split into groups of two:• Take a few minutes to think of a personal experience that

had a significant impact on your life• Think about how you will tell your story to your group.. in

maximum time of TWO MINUTES• Share your story with your group

• Listeners: Think about one good thing about the speaker’s delivery and one thing they can improve on

• Then choose between you, who delivered the best story

This will make sense soon...

The Art of Storytelling

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jq6d92aXvMU

• How to make your pitch appealing to your listener?

• Emotion• Take your listener on a journey• Add a personal touch• Practice!• Belief in the product/service/brand

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOA8mUflH-Q&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PLE6F288AD6BCBB38F

Asking the Right Questions and When?

• Be prepared: Alongside your script, you should have a list a possible questions to ask which also depends on the answers given to you

• Listening for cues to be able to ask your questions – usually any response can lead to a question – even negative ones i.e. “What is it that seems to be causing you concern?” or “What’s making you hesitate?”

• Open ended questions – get them talking so that you can listen!

• This will help to uncover their true commitment or help close the deal

Dealing with Rejection

• Happens all the time! • Don’t take it personally• But find a way to turn it around• Try to notice if they are indirectly rejecting you?Examples of rejection: • No need for product/service at the moment – call back• They deal with it better in-house• Have no budget• Currently using an agency/supplier• Have the perception that “it’s safer to do nothing” or

“why fix something that isn't broken?”• Cannot see the value in the product/service

Following Up

• Too many companies lose business by not following up on leads/prospects

• Important to follow up max. 24 hours after sending information/first contact

• Be persistent –out of sight out of mind• But don’t be pushy and annoying – learn to accept

rejection, but only after you have tried to turn the rejection around

• Example: “our client said the same thing [insert rejection] until they got a chance to see how our product/service benefited their company and improved/increased [insert pain]”

Always Be Closing!

• Mantra of most salespeople: Always be closing – as simple as ABC?

• How you close the deal is important – NO HARD SELL/TOO SOFT

• Don’t try to close if they are not showing any interest

• Be confident about asking for what you need to close the deal i.e. Money

• Summarising and confirming next action• Getting them to commit

Biggest Selling Mistakes

• Not having clear goals• Having the wrong state of mind• Not putting yourself in your customers shoes• Too much talking, not enough listening• Asking the wrong questions• Not showing flexibility• Not identifying the client’s pains and gains• Not tailoring your presentations and

communications, specifically to your prospects• Not developing your skills

Tips and Tricks• Facial Expressions and body language• Know your audience• Love your product/Learn to love it!• Work on your approach• Avoid ‘umming’ and ‘ahhhing’• Would you believe what you’re saying?• Confidence Sells!• Don’t be afraid to fish where the big fish are• Keep motivated!• Be prepared to be asked questions• NEVER LIE!• Be organised!• SMILE!

What the Apprentice Can Teach Us?

• Don’t close before they show interest• Don’t show desperation or aggression – Engage without

forcing• Be proud of the product you are selling• Don’t let low self-esteem get you down• They might want to be seduced/educated – but don’t

lecture about your experience/knowledge or don’t ignore them

• Don’t list their competition/irrelevant experience/give too many facts

• Know the decision making process-timings, budgets, goals etc

• Respect comfort zones and boundaries!

Key Influencers

• Dexter Moscow• http://www.audiencedynamics.co.uk/blog/index.php

?/authors/1-Dexter-Moscow• Leigh Ashton• http://www.sales-consultancy.com/• Mark Hunter• http://www.TheSalesHunter.com