General News•
on September 29th, 2011•
Having visited Business Focus for the last three years and seen a busy, vibrant B2B exhibition, Sales Coaching are exhibiting at this year’s event at the new venue; Exec at the East of England Showground.
For anyone wondering whether to visit:
- It’s easy to get too just off the A1.
- Loads of free parking
- Free to attend, not free to exhibit (pity)
- Exec is a newish purpose built exhibition hall, ideal for this growing event.
- The organisers say 650 attended last year’s show.
Call in and see us at Stand 25, we’d love to meet you.
Event website: www.businessfocus.uk.net
General News•
on September 19th, 2011•
Half Day Workshop to BOOST your SALES
Peterborough, 9am Thurs 10th November 2011.
Aims and Objectives:
By the end of this course attendees will be able to:
- Improve enquiry to order conversion
- Professionally structure a sales call with clear objectives
- Understand the steps of the sale and their relevance
- Unearth the clients real needs
- Close the sale or understand what they need to do
Who should attend:
- All customer facing staff.
- Content suitable for internal and field sales, whether receiving or making sales calls.
Preparation:
Attendees provide their single most “difficult” sales challenge, by email before the course. As many challenges as time allows will be discussed, training and advice offered.
Attendees find this session very informative, sharing problems and gaining real life practical solutions.
Course Content:
- Handling and converting enquiries
- Call objective setting
- Steps of the Sale, from research and preparation to customer satisfaction
- Questioning and listening skills; unearth those real needs and recognise buying signs
- Draw the sale to a positive conclusion or agree what you need to do.
- Share and address your Sales Challenge, get advice and tips on ways to overcome your most difficult sales challenge.
Summary:
Content packed and highly relevant, half day Sales Training Workshop. Learn of brush up your selling skills and improve your order conversion rate.
Price:
£95.00 plus vat per person (£114). Refreshments and Certificate of Training provided.
Group discount available, for groups of three or more.
Payment:
PayPal online at: www.salescoaching.org.uk. Bank Transfer or Cheque. Payment with booking.
To book:
Fill in the form below or call: 01832 271 723 or email: bookings@salescoaching.org.uk
| Delegate Name(s) |
Position |
Email address |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Authorised by and on behalf of:
_____________________________ __________________________ _________________
Print Name Signature Date
_____________________________ __________________________ _________________
Company Name Email Telephone Number
____________________________________________________________________________________
Address
Places are limited so call to avoid disappointment.
Terms and Conditions:
Sales Coaching reserves the right to cancel or reschedule any course at any time, although notice to delegates will be provided in advance, where possible. In the event a course is cancelled, all delegates will receive a full refund and where courses are rescheduled, delegates will be given the opportunity to transfer onto the rescheduled course or receive a full refund.
Cancellations of less than 5 working days will result in a 100% cancellation fee; cancellations between 6 & 13 working days will result in 50% cancellation fee. Any courses cancelled more than 14 working days in advance will not incur a cancellation fee.
Sales Coaching is a trading style of Executive Coaching Limited. Company Number 7024395. Vat Number 978 7723 47.
General News•
on June 3rd, 2011•
Closing a Sale
An essential element of the sales process that causes most questions and the greatest concern for Directors, Managers and Salespeople alike.
Closing a sale is essential so why does it go wrong for so many?
Let’s break it down into two simple groups:
Group 1 Needs the sale today, no on-going relationship needed.
Group 2, Needs the sale, on-going relationship essential.
Group 1, needs the sale and must close today, therefore relies on hardnosed closing techniques to push the client into a deal. This form of selling often results in morning after cancellations.
Relying on closing techniques rather than unearthing and developing needs and selling the benefits works if you don’t rely on the goodwill of your customers and their further business requirements. Getting the order is depends upon your determination and closing techniques on the day – Win or lose!
Examples of Group 1 are:
- Old fashioned Double Glazing salespeople
- Time share salespeople before the cooling off rules devastated this market.
Group 2, sees the relationship with the customer as more important than an order today. They spend time understanding and developing their clients’ needs and how they can satisfy them. They focus on real benefits from the customers’ perspective.
It takes time and a desire to build rapport; it takes skills to effectively question and really listen to your customers to fully understand their needs. Put the effort in and you’ll be rewarded with fewer objections and closing that’s either customer lead or just the next logical stage in helping the client.
With good Sales Coaching everyone can improve their ability to close deals. The focus should not be on closing techniques but on steps leading up to the “gentle close”.
Most salespeople fall into Group 2 and with the right help they can:
- Shorten sales cycles
- Increase order intake.
- Build stronger more meaningful relationships
All of the required skills can be learned; to chat through your specific requirements in more detail call or email Bill Clarke at Sales Coaching.
Office: 01832 271 723 Mobile: 07777 698 661.
www.salescoaching.org.uk
Doing the RIGHT THINGS – WELL
General News•
on May 11th, 2011•
Are your Sales People doing the RIGHT THINGS? Free 10 point check.
You know what you want to achieve, are you doing the RIGHT THINGS to achieve it?
Check to see if your sales people are doing the RIGHT THINGS – it’s free, quick and easy.
Follow this link:
Then check your scores.
From short sessions to business changing programmes, call or email Bill Clarke, Head Coach to find out how Sales Coaching can help you and/or your business.
Office: 01832 271 723 Mobile: 07777 698 661
Doing the RIGHT THINGS – WELL.
General News•
on April 12th, 2011•
Effective Objection Handling
“One OBJECTION and you’re OUT!”
Handling sales objections should be a day to day occurrence, a “hardly have to think about” for the seasoned professional - or is it?
During accompanied visits, I see failure to effectively handle objections as one of the main reasons for not winning the business or unnecessarily extending the sales cycle – adding time and significant cost.
In all cases, the salesperson didn’t understand the easy ways to handle sales objections and didn’t fully understand the implications in the clients mind, and the additional time it takes to secure the business, for the minority who did.
Interestingly, “effective objection handling” was not identified by the employers as an issue, so they weren’t aware of the damage and hidden cost.
Why do clients raise objections?
There are many reasons, too many for a short article, here are three of the most common:
- A sign of interest and wanting to fully understand
- Lack of understanding
- Testing the salesperson
Can you imagine how the “client” feels if the objection is handled badly? – Often disappointed in the salesperson, company, product or service. Is that the feeling you want potential or existing clients to have?
Three common, poor “salesperson” responses:
- The rabbit in the headlights look – startled and floored
- Wing it or bullshit
- Confrontational, argue or say the question is irrelevant, without understanding the client’s needs or perception.
Handled poorly, objections are very expensive.
When was the last time you heard a salesperson say, I work hard then blow it when faced with an objection – they typically don’t.
I’ve worked with salespeople of all ages; effectively handling objections is learned by some and not by others. Don’t make the common mistake and assume experience means being able to effectively handle objections – yes the likelihood has improved but the hidden cost of getting it wrong is enormous in proportion to any size of company.
As with most learned skills, there is often a simple and effective solution. Here is the Sales Coaching five step proven process:
1. Acknowledge
2. Ask
3. Confirm your understanding
4. Qualify
5. Respond or look into
How do you do that?
Acknowledge, the question is important to the client, compliment them, in doing so you buy yourself some thinking time.
Ask, salespeople can ask questions! You need to understand the client’s needs and concerns whilst doing so empathise with them, build rapport. It’s a great time to learn how the client feels and what’s really important to them.
Confirm your understanding, Is my understanding correct? – do you…. This is your chance to confirm your understanding and that you are both on the same page. Sometimes when “confirming your understanding” the client will let’s say redefine the objection as they have thought further – help them with this process, it’s a great relationship builder proving you’re there to help them.
Qualify, in sales terms is checking your position, where you stand, at this stage asking:
- How important is it, to the client?
- Is this a show stopper?
- Is this the only objection?
Not all sales objections are important or show stoppers, understand how important the objection is. Some clients like to test you, or ask out of interest but it’s not really important. You need to understand where they are coming from and how relevant and important the sales objection is to them before you send in the cavalry!
Respond or look into, ideally give an effective response, if you need to say you’ll look into, refer to your technical department or whatever is appropriate. It’s important at this stage to agree the actions and timescale and keep to it, keeping the client up to date with progress.
A good question to ask at this stage is: If I can…….. will you?
Some call it trial closing, some qualifying where you stand – it does both, so very useful.
Once you’ve provided your best response you need to know “has it been effective”. Does it satisfy the client and overcome their concern? – ASK, if it doesn’t ask why.
How do I make this work for me?
If you’re having difficulty effectively handling objections or your sales cycle is too long, you may need some help. Using the Sales Coaching 5 stage process is proven but takes some practice to master. We recommend off line, sales call rehearsals with someone who can give you good constructive and beneficial feedback. Once you’ve mastered the process you need to practice it in real life sales calls, again it’s beneficial to have someone who can watch and give you the constructive feedback element, so you know what works and what needs further development.
For the salesperson, “effectively handling objections” is immensely rewarding.
You’re: helping the client
building your relationship
enhancing your credibility
moving the sale forward
For the employer, helping your salespeople develop their skills, overcoming the frustration of failure at a critical stage, unearthing and addressing a hidden cost that can be financially rewarding in staff motivation, confidence levels and winning more business, from the same sales calls.
Help is at hand, call Sales Coaching on: 01832 271 723 or mobile: 07777 698 661 for an initial chat or email bill@salecoaching.org.uk
Doing the RIGHT THINGS – WELL
General News•
on March 30th, 2011•
Why are “Sales People” fixated on price?
- Is it bad training?
- No training?
- Lack of perceived benefits?
Whatever the reason, some business winners resort to price early in the sales process. Whether it’s a lack of knowledge, impatience, or a belief that you have to be the cheapest, the “sales person” often creates an environment where the only thing to be measured and compared is the cost.
The net effect is always; low price = low margins.
How do your sales people differentiate your offer?
Do you have a USP (unique selling proposition)?
or
DSP (differentiating selling proposition)?
Unless your business winners believe in your USP or DSP and know how to get your key messages across, your margins will always be under pressure. Not the best place to be!
Sales Coaching assist clients to realise their potential. Call: 01832 271 723, Mob: 07777 698 661 or email bill@salescoaching.org.uk to discuss your specific challenges and how Sales Coaching can help you.
Doing the RIGHT THINGS – WELL
General News•
on October 18th, 2010•
Sales Coaching has trained and developed staff from over 100 companies in the last year.
We really love working with companies who want to grow their sales, improve their profitability and develop the skills and behaviour of their business winners.
Our clients range from small business owners who need to know what to do and how to do it, through to improving the performance of large national field sales teams.
For more information, give us a call: 01832 271 723
