Key Objectives for the Training provision

Effective listening to a client's needs and requirements during various stages of the sales process.
Engage in meaningful communication with clients, learn to identify challenges and opportunities that relate to the prospects.
Overcome the identified challenge.
Build long term rapport and establish trust with the prospect throughout the sales process,
Ensure continued customer satisfaction that can turn into repeat business.
Be able to build rapport with customers or clients.
Know the right questions to ask to fully understand the customer or client’s needs without putting on any pressure.
Be able to check you have the right information from the customer or client.
Be able to match products and services to the customer or client using the information you have gathered.
Be able to influence effectively.
Know how to stand out from your competitors.

Stage 1 – Research the Company’s ‘Value Propositions’ and USP Analysis

Conducting 30 min confidential interviews with a cross-section of the eligible Attendees & the Stakeholders, in order to gain an objective understanding of the various scenarios and clients that the Participants work with.
Conduct a review to gain a full understanding of …

the Company’s ‘Value Propositions’
Unique Selling Points
The Customers’ journey(s)
The Competition’s offers for analysis and comparisons.

From these findings, a carefully calibrated bespoke Programme will be designed and delivered.

Stage 2 - Design the Bespoke 2 x day Course

Due to the high level of interaction and practical exercises to underpin the learning applications on the 2^nd day, it is suggested that a Support Trainer (& Real Play actor) is brought in to deliver to the Cohort

Stage 3 - Delivery of the Course Programme

This Programme can be delivered in 2 x consecutive days, or split between 2 – 3 weeks, to make it more ‘work-friendly’ – if required.
It is very practical and commercially focussed in approach, with lots of interactive exercises designed to draw out the learning applications via the debriefings.
The ‘Real Play’ scenarios on day 2 will be based on specific case studies drawn from the Research findings so that they are authentic to optimise the learning.
Individual Action Plans will be captured at the end of each day to be debriefed by the Participants’ respective Line Managers.

Template Programme

Day One – Foundation – Strategic Approach

Section One – The Principles of Consultative Selling

Defining ‘Consultative Selling’
The Company’s ‘Unique Selling Points’ & Value Proposition
The Consultative Selling model – the five stages
Avoiding appearing ‘pushy’, ‘pressurising’ or ‘talking through the sale’

Section Two –Strategy & Preparation

‘Buy-Class’ Matrix
Researching the market opportunities, Competitors’ activities, the customer decision making patterns & their journey
Strategic plan Template – matching services/products to identified needs & opportunities.
Preparing a range of objectives
Constants and variables – USP’s
Researching key Client/Decision Makers’ priorities, profile & background (LinkedIn etc.)
Preparing for potential & likely Objections

Section Three – Email etiquette & ‘influencing’ email correspondence.

Email etiquette
A.B.S.U.R.D model
Clarity and tone – discovery of clients’ needs & motivational factors.
Techniques to influence and ‘nudge’.
Ensuring the data and content have a ‘gentle’ motivational & appealing message.
Top Tips

Day Two – Practical Application

Section Four – Rapport Building & Effective Communication skills

‘Behaviour Labelling’ techniques – setting a positive tone.
Asking Open Questions – gaining a full understanding of the clients’ priorities & expectations.
EQ - Inviting opinions; perspectives; experiences – winning confidence.
Active Listening – focus and commitment to understand.
‘Reading the room’ – adapting to responses and reactions.
Maintaining focus on relevant topics that the Client cares about; carefully consider the opportunities to influence. But NO PRESSURE!
Building a ‘bond of trust’ with commitments and authentic, shared values.

Section Five – Explaining the Benefits – aligned to the Customers’ Priorities

Understanding ‘Why do People Buy?’ Research data analysis.
Open questions that lead to understanding the key issues and Clients’ priorities. Avoiding the danger of ‘pressurising’ the Client.
Responding to objections effectively, with confidence and sensitivity.
Explaining the benefits that are aligned to the Clients’ stated requirements.
Making the Data ‘sing’ – memorable takeaways for the Client.
Augmented benefits – Brand confidence; Case studies; Warranty; Service; Range; Flexibility etc. in alignment with their stated preferences/requirements
Differentials compared to Competitors

Section Six – Winning Commitment

Inviting commitment – with confidence
Consultative Selling Closing techniques (e.g. Alternative Close/Assumptive Close et al)
Avoiding ‘talking through the sale’ – knowing when to ‘Shut UP!’
Confirming agreement – ensuring Clients’ motivation for repeat business

Section Seven – Practical Application

‘Real Play’

From the Research findings, carefully devised scenarios can be generated to provide the most valuable learning opportunities to underpin all the skills & techniques covered in the Programme.

Potential Real Play scenarios:

A well-established customer has indicated that they are soon to be opening up additional new offices – this presents an opportunity to arrange for the Company to support them with their upcoming needs.
After some very positive feedback and with the upcoming contract renewal imminent – how can the Company give the Customer more high-quality support in other areas of their business?
A Competitor has been to see the client and they have prompted some concerns about ‘value for money’ & ‘quality of service’.

How Real Play works…

The group is split the group into 2 sub-groups, one with our Professional Actor (option available); the other with the Trainer or a willing Participant.

Each group has a brief and has to instruct their Trainer/Actor/Participant on how to approach the scenario supplied.
The Actor and Trainer (or willing Participant) perform the role play(s) as instructed by their respective teams; however, during the action they can be paused for further recommendations or direction.
The outcome is the responsibility of the team(s) – not the performers.

Debrief the full Programme

Individual Action Plans - to be followed through.

‘Best Practices’ for application into the business

Options for Exercises within the Programme

Sample Exercise – Red & White

There is a specific time managed agenda and itinerary, which puts the group under pressure.

The key challenge is for the sub-groups to maximise the commercial value from the task, however there is always a great danger that the individuals attempt to gain financial progress at the expense of the other group!

Debriefing points:

Persuasive communication and influence across barriers
Gaining buy-in when others are sceptical
Strategic planning accounting for others’ behaviours

Sample Exercise – Communication Challenge

Each Participant has different pieces of information, but are not allowed to share it visually. They are only allowed to communicate to work out the solution hidden among the large amount of data.

Debrief:

Structured approach
Maintaining focus through distractions/interference
Active Listening
Controlled communication

Sample Exercise – Persuasive emails

Sample emails are shared to be critiqued and improved upon to be debriefed:

Tone & impact
Making the Data ‘sing’
Influential & motivational language
Customer centric message.

Sample Exercise –Juggling

Each Participant has to pass the ‘Customers’ (Juggling balls) carefully through the system with all the other Participants to reach a profitable conclusion

Debrief:

EQ to read the room and effectively communicate, when the pressure is on
Customer focus and adapting to challenges
Devising a plan that wins buy-in
Overcoming competing ideas to get to ‘best practice’
Consistent commitment, communication and motivational drivers that influenced performance.

Sample Exercise –Critical Path

The group are provided with 30 x discs and some ‘post-it’ notes. (no pens or pencils are allowed) Their brief is to create a grid shape with the 30 x discs, which will act as ‘stepping stones’ for the ‘Critical Path’

But they have to follow the correct order through the grid from the start to finish, which they will have to work out through ‘trial & error’

All of the team must pass through the ‘Critical Path’ worked out on the grid, observing the constraints, within the time limit.

No talking is permitted once they start using the materials

Debrief: -

Clear communication focussing on the ‘client’s journey’
Planning for challenges
Identifying risks and mitigating them
Role allocations & support
Quality control and disciplines

Sample Exercise –Back to Back

Each Participant is positioned back-to-back with a partner.

They have to work out precisely what the ‘statement’ given to the other person is without looking around. Each person has a different brief.

Debrief: -

Asking Open Questions
Active Listening
Accuracy in identifying the objective.