Merriam-Webster Operations and activities involved in promoting and selling goods or services. Visible Traits of sales people Good Listeners Confident Friendly Persistent Optimistic Know their Product Know the Process Understanding Customer Objections Questioning Skills Negotiating Skills Qualities of outstanding sales people 1. They are ambitious 2. They are courageous 3. They are committed 4. They see themselves more as consultants than salespeople 5. They are prepared 6. They engage in continuous learning 7. They are responsible
And above all they always close the deal.
Conversation control Before you ask questions to get the buyer to open up or talk about how you can help, you have to build rapport. The question is why ? The answer is that people buy from people they like. You know you need to ask questions to uncover the prospect's pain points. The question is why ? Your job is not only to uncover the prospect's needs and pains, but it's to also uncover their aspirations and goals. Get your prospect to open up, and this is the important part and share their hopes, dreams, and desires and then show how you can help them achieve their goals. Conversation control Make the impact clear. The question is why ? If you don't make the business case, you won't make the sale. If the prospect doesn't see the value of your solution and you've got to be very clear with what that value is, they will not buy it. Paint a picture of the new reality. The question is why ? you must paint a picture of what their new world will look like. How will it be better? In your sales conversations, help them visualize the other side and build excitement around it. In so many words describe it. Conversation control
Balance advocacy and inquiry.
The question is why ?
Sales conversations require give and take. You have to get
the prospect talking so you can fully understand their situation. You also need to take what the prospect says and communicate recommendations based on your expertise to help them see how you can help. In each and every sales conversation you have to balance how much you talk and how much you listen. Conversation control Build on the foundation of trust. The question is why ? Trust is the foundation of sales success. A buyer will not open up and share their needs if they don't trust you. You will not win the sale if they don't trust you. Plan to succeed. The question is why ? Set the table for success by going into each sales conversation with a plan. Do your homework and know what you want to get out of the conversation. If you go into each conversation well prepared and planning to succeed, you will be much more likely to make the sale. You need to ask questions
STOP RELYING ON BROAD, NON-SPECIFIC
QUESTIONS Most sales reps rely on the same three types of sales questions: General fact-gathering questions Goal assessment questions Safe, flattering questions to build rapport While these are ok, there are more specific forms of questions which can be utilized to better effect. You need to ask questions 1. FACT-GATHERING QUESTIONS Ask one or two fact-gathering sales questions to gather background, insight and context that’ll help you learn about how your prospect’s unique business. Any more will make you look unprepared.
E.g what is your competitive edge ?
2. GOAL-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS Use goal-assessment questions during the discovery process to reveal what the prospect wants to achieve. This might be a personal goal, like a promotion, a functional goal, like meeting a sales goal that quarter, or even a company-wide goal, like increasing customer retention or lead quality.
E.g what do you hope to accomplish during the next year ?
You need to ask questions 3. PRIORITY QUESTIONS Priority questions uncover the buyer’s most important goals and challenges. A well-crafted priority question is a great follow-up to a series of goal-assessment questions. Don’t assume that you know the prospects’ priorities based on past customer experiences and treat each prospect as unique.
E.g What would you like to achieve this quarter?
4. THOUGHT-PROVOKING QUESTIONS Effective thought-provoking questions reveal new information and ideas to the prospect, potentially re-framing their worldview
E.g expressed as did you know or have you heard ?
You need to ask questions
5. HYPOTHETICAL QUESTIONS Hypothetical questions get the prospect to visualize the future without your solution. Example questions (framed in the negative): “What happens if you don’t achieve [PRIMARY GOAL]?” or “Would you be concerned if your situation hasn’t changed over the next few months?” Then use positive Hypotheticals to show how your product or service will improve their business.
E.g What happens if you don’t achieve a particular goal ?
You need to ask questions 6. CLARIFYING QUESTIONS Unlike other types of sales questions, clarifying questions are often closed-ended queries. These questions help confirm past answers and make sure you’re reaching the right conclusions. It’s best to ask these types of questions right after the prospect has revealed key information or pivotal fact.
7. OBJECTION-SURFACING QUESTIONS GET STRAIGHT TO THE POINT Objection-surfacing sales questions include “What reservations do you have about [specific detail of the product]?” and “Are you ready to move forward?” These questions will reveal any pain points inside the sales and clues of how to position yourself when in the buying process.
E.g Are you ready to move forward?
Selling skills 1 – Product Knowledge Explain in detail how it works What business value it offers This attribute defines the top 1%
2 – Building rapport Trying to build a connection with a hostile stranger on the phone ? Personality based instant rapport Seek common ground in advance Empathy based approach Selling skills 4 – Active Listening People can usually tell if you’re really listening to them The good part is most people appreciate a good listener Great listening skills can help sales representatives empathize with prospects to learn more about their business and needs. With that knowledge, they can then sell more effectively and offer a better solution.
5 – Communication Its what you say and more importantly, how you say it Tone of voice is very important Good sales reps mirror their clients, words and body language Adept at reading people Let your emotion and personality shine through, so that the other person is interested in talking to you Selling skills 6 – Time Management Prioritize Concentrate on the most promising ones, and not waste too much time on a deal that isn’t going anywhere There will be only so much time you will have to complete a call 7 – Objection Prevention – 2 approaches Handling objections Even the best reps can’t prevent every objection, so it’s important to help your team prepare for objection handling The art of proactive “Objection Prevention” Think ahead by studying what typical objections come up in most cases and prepare rebuttals before hand. Telesales Etiquette Be courteous Be professional Be respectful Be honest Be trustworthy Be confident Be competent Be interested Be neutral Be flexible Sales call
Did I: Answer the three important pre-call questions: A. What is the goal of the call? B. What do I need to find out during the call? C. What's the next step after the call Sales call 2. Greeting and Introduction Did I: Find out about the prospect's personal interests, hobbies, family and so on? Bridge to the business topic smoothly? Listen more than I spoke? (Ideally, you should spend 80 percent of your time listening and only 20 percent talking.) Ask the customer about their business goals? Ask the customer what challenges the company is facing? Sales call 3. Qualifying Did I: Find out who the decision-makers are by asking "Who else besides yourself might be involved in the decision- making process?" Ask Find out how and why they made the decision for their current product or service (assuming they are replacing a product or service)? Find out what their time frame is? Find out their specific needs? Ask if they could change something about their product or service, what would it be? Sales call 4. Surveying Did I: Ask open-ended questions (who, what, where, when, why, how, how much, tell me about it, describe for me)? Ask what's important to them? Ask what risks they perceive? Ask how we can help solve their problems? Ask "what if?" questions? Ask what their short-term and long-term goals are? Ask how I can become their most valued vendor? Ask what is our next step? Establish a specific follow-up schedule? Parrot the prospect to encourage him to expand, elaborate and go into detail about each answer? Sales call 5. Handling Objections Did I: Listen to the entire objection? Pause for three seconds before responding? Remain calm and not defensive? Meet the objection with a question in order to find out more? Restate the objection to make sure we agreed (communication)? Answer the objection? Complete the six-step process? 1. Listen 2. Define 3. Rephrase 4. Isolate 5. Present solution 6. Close (or next step) Sales call 6. Presentation Did I: Prioritize the prospect's needs? Talk about benefits to the customer? Use layman's terms? Link the benefit to the prospect's needs? Verify each need before moving on? Present myself, company and product in a positive light? Re-establish rapport? Give a general overview of the product or service? Summarize the prospect's needs and how our product or service meets those needs? Sales call
7. Closing Did I: Get the customer to identify all possible problems that might be solved by my product or service? Get the customer to identify the value of solving the identified problems? Get agreement that the proposed solution provides the values identified? Ask for the order ("Why don't we go ahead with this?")? Sales call
7. Closing Did I: Get the customer to identify all possible problems that might be solved by my product or service? Get the customer to identify the value of solving the identified problems? Get agreement that the proposed solution provides the values identified? Ask for the order ("Why don't we go ahead with this?")? Last minute tips TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS Note down any observations you may have. It will help you eventually. Avoid the itch to get through the day. Work on your accent as much as you can Don’t think of it as just a job, it will teach you a very useful skill which will serve you well in the future Remind yourself not to get negative or jaded Try not to sound robotic or nasal Last minute tips Don’t sound patronizing, it’s a turn off Work on your introductions No begging or pleading Avoid the use of slang, proper English with short and concise statements. Proper courtesy is must Try to avoid using sir / maam too much. Bad data is not the answer Respect the customer Come to work rested and fresh with the correct state of mind Last minute tips Negative sentiment against such calls from one of those people from one of those places You must persist Avoid flattery and humor as much as you can Don’t do your duty as if you are going through the motions or the bare minimum. Remember, its always that little extra effort Discouraged ? Don’t be, its takes a while to get to the top of the pyramid. Its not a level playing field Don’t give up on a customer, persist. Pleasantries are ok, but it is better to approach customers in a matter of fact sort of way Last minute tips Don’t talk over the customer, in other words, do not be the dreaded over talker The customer should not ask who you are or where are you calling from a second time. The first time should be correct Launching into a script without rapport building with the customer is not preferred Customer skeptical, monosyllabic answers, that’s normal, you have to get past that Mind your grammar Thank You!
