how much is it costing you to record

You may think that you're saving money by recording and editing your own voiceover narration for your eLearning programs.� However, have you thought about how much time you're spending on these narrations and worked out the true cost. You've spent time creating and delivering quality content and user friendly elearning programs - why compromise on the quality of the audio narration and ultimately the learning experience of your users.� Many companies assume using a professional voiceover artist is hugely expensive.� But its not as expensive as you may think.�For a Elearning course which has 1 hour of voiceover narration, you can expect to pay anywhere between $500 - $1500.� For thatoney, you'll� be getting:1.� A professional narrator who can bring your script to life.� They have the experience and techniques to get the correct tone, inflections and pace.2. They will have access to professional equipment and a suitable recording environment.� Their home studio will be acoustically treated so they don't have to compete with the noise of an everyday working office.� You will receive audio files free from background noise and with consistent sound levels.� They will generally work with a higher standard of microphone and recording hardware.3. They can edit the narration into the individual screens/slides ready for you to quickly slot them into the elearning module.4. An increase in your own productivity. What else could you be doing with your time?� Your time isn't free, how much is it really costing you to record that 'free' voiceover.� You'll probably spend at least twice the amount of time recording and editing your voiceover.� And you are still compromising on the quality of the recordings.� Remember to factor in prep times and re-recording and re-editing time.

Original :: how much is it costing you to record

are you sabotaging your own elearning

As a creator of online eLearning programmes you are well aware of the time and effort that is required to create a usable learning interface and quality content.� But are you sabotaging all your good work by ignoring or sidelining the voiceover script and narration?In an attempt to 'keep it real' it seems that some elearning producers prefer to record their own voices for the narration and ad lib the script as the go.Is this a good idea?�For some small, in-house elearning projects it can make financial sense to record your own narration or use the voice of a colleague or member of staff. If you know that the audience will be sympathetic to the final product.� However, its always wortheeping in mind that your responsibility ultimately lies with your audience.� If you are creating a teaching project that is to help students learn, than it is critical to make the learning experience as pleasant and as effective as possible.� Is your current audio narration proving to be just a distraction?Respect your viewers and listeners - do they have time to sit through all your ums and ahhs.� I've no doubt your students are busy people, are you making the narration as tight and concentrated as it could be.� Are you providing them all the information they need in the most concise and engaging manner or do they have to sit through an unscripted, rambling monologue?What about the audio quality you are subjecting your students too.� Everyone is more tech savvy than ever and will quickly point out an inferior quality product.� Are you able to use professional recording equipment in a controlled recording environment to produce quality audio recordings?Consider the vocal style of your narration - are you able to bring personality, inflection and emotion to your read in clear, confident speech?� A confusion seem to arise between wanting to have a 'natural' delivery and a belief that by using a professional voiceover artist you will only get highly polished, forced, un-natural read.� A professional artist will be able to provide you a natural, conversational voiceover if you ask them to - that is what they are trained to do!� Have a listen to your natural, keep it real style of voiceover - will it just sound amateurish to your students?�At the end of the day, you are creating courses to teach, and it's in everyone's interest to use all the tools available to create an engaging and efficient learning system.� If you can help your students improve their learning experience they will appreciate it and come back for more!

Original :: are you sabotaging your own elearning

the subtleties of selling services and

My company has the opportunity to work with a number of outstanding sales professionals who are excellent at selling products. They understand the sales process and excel at getting customers to buy specific products and solutions. Many companies hire these superstars thinking they will help their services business skyrocket at the same pace the product sales would. However, they quickly learn that there are subtle, very important differences, when it comes to selling a company's services versus their products. Many of these differences are so subtle that even the most knowledgeable and high powered sellers can't see what they're doing wrong. Unfortunately, it can take a very long time foa company to recover from these uninformed approaches.One of the key differences with services selling is the type of relationship you must establish with the customer. As is often the case with product selling, it's not enough to make the sale and then move onto the next opportunity. A relationship of sustained trust and respect must be established, something that is only accomplished by maintaining contact with the customer, making suggestions and recommendations that demonstrate the value of the relationship. By serving as a consultant, and proving the value of the relationship on a consistent basis, a customer will invest in your service offerings.Unfortunately, some customers use their own subtle signs to tell a seller when they are not being successful in the services arena. Experience tells customers that if they sign a purchase order agreement for services, the high-powered, pushy product seller, who is looking for a quick sale, will likely leave them alone. This seller is not focused on making recommendations and finding services that will benefit the customer's unique business needs. Once the PO is signed, the customer knows they don't have to spend against the PO. So they sign; then make excuses for not using the services they did not need in the first place. The downfall here is that when the customer eventually does need services you provide, they will likely find a way to service themselves internally, or look to another provider. They will not engage the high-powered, pushy product seller, not only leaving money on the table, but reducing the company's share of the customer's business, and destroying customer satisfaction.Whether a customer is disinterested in services or doesn't need them at the moment, it's up to you to serve as a consultant and provide ongoing advice based on their experience serving the business needs of the organization. This level of activity will earn respect from the customer, and drive the customer to want to work with you when the right opportunity presents itself.In order to become successful at selling services, there are several key subtle considerations. Follows are few to remember.Discuss problem areas before needs


Work early in the customer's buying process to identify those problem areas


Test recommendations before making a proposal


Services have a "shelf life" that expires as time passes and supply is limited
As a way to achieve success selling services, it's a good idea to start with existing customers rather than new prospects. Existing customers already have a level of trust and respect for you, and are more than likely willing to listen to your services message while you learn to perfect your sales approach. Prospects have no established relationship with you, and often find an inexperienced, high-powered seller too pushy. They won't be nearly as flexible or forgiving if you make mistakes when selling services for the first time.Selling services is much different than selling products. While the goal of making a sale is the same, a much more consultative, coaching approach is required. Without it, a customer won't be inclined to implement or maximize the value of your services.

Original :: the subtleties of selling services and

telesales training tip must have tips

When you prospect over the telephone do you always get stuck with the people who can never make the decision?Do you know of the three types of people that you should aim for when prospecting? Well, the person you should ultimately get through to should be a MAN!No, not MAN as in gentleman! I mean the acronym MAN.MAN stands for:Money
Authority
NeedThe people you should get through to should either hold the money in the company and are able to spend it, have the authority to make decisions or they should have the need for whatever you are selling.If they have all three then it's SHOWTIME!Always make sure your calls focus on one of these types. Now, I know you should always go for those peope who can make the decisions.But if you go after the "NEED" person the call should be positioned around influencing them to make the right noises with the people who can make the decisions to go with your product etc. An "insider" on your side can work wonders when you eventually get around to talking with the decision maker.Cold Calling Technique - What's yours like?If you are like the vast majority of cold callers out there then you suck! I really mean that - the standards of cold calling that I have to endure as a Decision Maker are terrible. So what can you do to stand out from the crowd of cold calling mediocrity?Here are 5 cold calling techniques to use or avoid as the case may be:1. Do not sound polished - as soon as a well oiled person comes on the telephone I immediately know it's a salesperson. Why? Because they are too perfect. No stammers, no "err" "umms" - be human please and you will get a crack at the title.2. Do not ask "How are you today?" - that's puke material and smells of "I'm building rapport before I ask you for your money!"3. Qualify before you call - "Can I speak with who deals with your marketing please?" - "No, bog off - if you can't be bothered to find out his name, I can't be bothered to put you through" This is just awful salesmanship. Do your homework.4. I don't want war and peace! - If your objective is to set an appointment then sell the appointment! Do not go on and on about your company, your products etc. Just get the appointment and focus on that.5. "I'm not interested" - How do you reply to this response? Have you got a standard response? Want to know my line? Here it is:PROSPECT:
"I'm not interested"SEAN:
"I didn't think you'd be interested, that's why I called" THEN DON'T SAY ANYTHINGPROSPECT:
"What?"SEAN:
"Well, XYZ Company said that they weren't interested too until they trialled our ABC system which improved their sales by 36% in 1 week - the reason for my call is that I just wanted to pop around and talk you through what it is and how it can improve your sales performance. Would next Tuesday at 3pm be good for you?"Go for the jugular! I get a hit rate higher than anyone I know! Use these cold calling techniques and watch your response rates soar!

Original :: telesales training tip must have tips

is your price too high or not high

A two-step formula for handling pricing objectionsIn our last issue, we shared a few tips on how to prevent your prospects from raising the all-too-familiar "you're too expensive" objection. This week, we continue our discussion by focusing on a proven two-step formula that can help you handle any pricing (or any other) objection, for those times when your ounce of prevention may not be 100% foolproof...Step 1: Count to three!Whenever you're faced with a difficult question or objection, the first thing you need to do is take a deep breath, make eye contact with your prospect and silently count to three.It is amazing how many clients will answer their own objections, or at least give you sme much-needed information, when you simply say nothing. Don't be afraid of silence. Practice it until the three-second pause becomes one of the most effective tools in your arsenal.A couple of years ago, I was buying a new pair of glasses and having lenses put in an old pair. The optician was clearly afraid to talk about price, and even went so far as to write the estimate down on a piece of paper and pass it to me instead of saying the price out loud.To my surprise, the number actually struck me as very reasonable. I had left my purse at home, so I turned to my husband to get his wallet. The optician took my silence as an objection and immediately dropped the price 15%.This seemingly minor transaction was a great demonstration of the power of silence, and the lengths most people will go to in order to fill it. In sales, you can use silence to effectively handle almost any objection, particularly those related to price.Whenever a client tells you your price is too high, just breathe and be quiet. You will find that around 40% of all prospects will fill that silence with information you can use to move the sale forward.Step 2: Ask questions.Step #2 is to ask questions. You can ask up to three questions before you have to answer an objection - provided you ask the right questions in the right way.The key is to acknowledge what the customer is saying and then offer them a compliment before asking your question. For example, try saying something like "I appreciate you asking that," "that's a really great question," " understand how you feel" or "good point, I never thought about that!"Including a nice warm statement in front of your question will encourage your customer to answer it, because they will feel like you are giving them something first. The compliment is a gift. It makes them feel that they are special, that you are paying attention to them and that you truly care about them, and they will be more likely to respond in kind.Which questions to ask?Once you've paid the client a compliment, ask them a question that is both direct and phrased to elicit more information. The following are some responses you can use to answer a few of the more common objections.OBJECTION: "Your price is too high!"RESPONSES:? Thanks for sharing that. How much too high are we?
? I appreciate your telling me that. Have you found a less expensive product?
? You are right; we are more expensive than some of our competitors
. How much were you hoping to pay?
? You're right, we are not the cheapest
. Is price the only consideration?
? Thanks for being honest
. Is the price higher than you expected, or is it because we combined the services and training in one proposal?
? I'm not surprised to hear you say that
. Are we only too high overall or is our per-unit cost too high as well?
? Thanks for sharing that. Is our price a showstopper?
? I appreciate your honesty
. Does our current price mean we will never be able to do business together?
? Too high? Really?
? What do you suggest we do?
? Thanks for letting me know
. I'm curious, how much were you expecting to invest?OBJECTION: We don't have any budget.RESPONSES:? Budget?
? Oh! I appreciate that makes it difficult to buy
. When does your budget come up for renewal or review?
? Thanks for letting me know
. Is your budget renewed annually or quarterly?
? Does not having a budget mean we will never get a chance to do business together this year?OBJECTION: I need a discount!RESPONSES:? Discount?
? It's good of you to be looking for the best deal
. How much of a discount do you need? Why that much?
? Making sure you're getting the best deal for your company is a good idea
. If we can't budge on the price, does that mean it's over between us?Echo! Echo!Another option for asking questions is to use the ECHO technique.The echo technique is simply the art of taking the last word (or last important word) in a client's sentence and turning it into a question.One Engage client uses the echo technique every time one of their customers objects to their price. They sell multi-million dollar custom software development services to companies in the resources industry, so as you can imagine, they tend to face a lot of pricing objections.Whenever a client says, "I need a discount," their sales reps look them squarely in the eye and say "discount?" Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, the customer either tells the rep exactly what they need to do from a price and terms point of view to move the deal forward, or offers alternatives to the pricing model that will make both parties happy.What could be simpler than that!The start of a brilliant careerOn a personal note, it was silence combined with a question that won me my first-ever professional negotiation.I was 22, fresh out of college and in my first sales job. I had never negotiated anything on my own, and I was working with one of my company's clients on a large employee benefits program. Everything was approved when the client turned to me and said: "Hey, Colleen, everything looks good. I just need a 10% discount."I had no idea what to do, so I was quiet for a few seconds and then said something terribly eloquent and persuasive, like "huh?" The client responded by saying he "just had to ask," and we did the deal without the discount.What's the moral of the story? Don't be afraid of objections. If you follow this simple two-step formula - be silent and ask questions - you'll find that you can handle almost any objection easily and profitably.Copyright MMVII, Engage Selling: All Rights Reserved. All trademarks used or referred to on this site are the property of their respective owners. No materials on this site may be reproduced, altered or further distributed without Engage's prior written permission.

Original :: is your price too high or not high

launching a new nontraditional offering

KLA is often introduced to companies that want to launch a new offering outside their traditional suite of products and services. These companies have developed a valuable service, but aren't sure how to generate awareness and drive leads with their customers and prospects. This challenge is especially difficult when approaching customers and prospects with something new that they would never expect the company to provide.Use these techniques to engage your whole company to create awareness for a new, non-traditional offering.MarketingWhile it might sound obvious, executing a traditional marketing campaign for a new offering is sometimes overlooked. Even the most basic marketing functionscan be immeasurably valuable to the success of a new offering. For example:Announce the new service via direct mail or email communication
Issue a news release and send it to key industry publications and reporters, and publications in your local markets
Provide the news release to reps to use in their selling activities
Highlight the new offering in your company's regular publications to customers, such as newsletters or monthly communications
Advertise in the most likely target markets
Update your website to include the new offering
Educate the sales force positioning the new offering, new value proposition, and the first 1-3 questions to ask to id opportunities
Create concise sales materials reps can use to describe the new offerings and position them with your current solutions. These can be as simple as PowerPoint presentations that are printed or emailed for use in sales meetings. Use the materials to train the sales force, too.
Telemarket to set appointments for reps to discuss the new offering and qualify if there is an opportunity to pursue the account. Begin with your top target markets.
SalesWith an awareness marketing campaign in place, your sales force will have the support it needs to generate leads and drive sales. The key to success here is for reps to have a few messages and questions they can use during the sales process to create awareness for your new offering and uncover leads.Some steps to take in the sales process include:Mention the company's movement into the new area in customer discussions and sales meetings. Work this into Building Rapport discussions at the front end of a sales call.
When uncovering needs with a customer, ask questions that will help id leads for the new offering. If it's uncomfortable to integrate new questions into the current line of needs questioning, wait until it has been completed to change the questioning focus.
If possible, include the new offering in proposals in a way that complements the solution that's being proposed. If it doesn't complement the solution, use another method to bring it to the customer's attention.
Take time to update customers and prospects on what's new within your company, including the new offering. This shows the growth and evolution of your company while also getting the message out.
Internal Support TeamsEngage your internal support teams and solution providers, educating them on your new offering.Give them a solid, yet simple, message they can use in customer conversations to discuss the new offering
Encourage both to tell customers and prospects about the new offering, and to ask a few questions that will id a possible need
Have reps stay in frequent contact with partners and internal teams while building awareness
Get everyone engaged as you launch your new offering. The only way you'll build awareness and drive leads is by having as many people as possible get the message out. This is especially true if the offering is one customers are not expecting you to provide.

Original :: launching a new nontraditional offering

sales training top 35 sales tips mostly

In 1998 I wrote my first book, Sales Skills for An Unfair Advantage: 104 Sales Tips for People in a Hurry. Sales professionals still seem to be in a hurry! With speed in mind and a focus being to help in particular, here are 35 tips to help introverts and shy to sell more easily. Sales professionals can start and use these either in the final days of the year, or anytime. In particular, these are for introverts with a few for shy and even the reluctant extrovert salespeople.1. Take time and use your listening skills to build rapport and trust.2. Make your interest in research your strength and take time to work in silence at planned times in the day.3. Go with a friend to networking eventso they can make introductions for you.4. Rather than try to engage in small talk, ask open-ended questions when you are networking and then listen and learn.5. To overcome shyness and avoid networking opportunities altogether, join a social group with friends to accustom yourself to the environment.6. To manage your introversion when networking, take planned breaks to grab a drink or go to the restroom.7. Boost your confidence and belief in yourself by reflecting on past successes in any endeavors before you engage in sales and marketing actions.8. Take time to write a thoughtful thank you note after first meeting someone.9. Stay focused on people who you meet by maintaining eye contact through 80% of your conversation and you will eliminate external distractions.10. Take advantage of email to get your message just right.11. To get known and become memorable, write articles for the internet as well as trade publications.12. Take advantage of social online networking and set a goal for a comfortable number of networks and number of contacts you want to make.13. Be more curious about how you can help others and become known as a connector.14. Focus on and use your strengths of listening, planning and preparedness for all your sales and marketing.15. Develop a sales and marketing plan that fits you instead of trying to follow some extrovert model.16. Perfect your ability to shine in discussing bigger and deeper issues by scheduling follow-up meetings from networking events.17. Learn to value yourself and what power you bring to a much wanted selling environment.18. Pump up your composure and self-control to communicate self-confidence.19. Get a massage to dissolve that tension carried in your muscles from any extended times of extroverting.20. Stay true to your nature in networking and always leave a little early.21. After any networking take time to get organized by making notes of people you met that you want to follow-up with.22. Perfect for our planning nature: practice both a 30 second and 60 second version of the introductory elevator pitch.23. Create a blog for marketing so you can build credibility while nurturing that introverting desire.24. Bring to mind something that makes you smile often throughout the day to lighten up your thoughtful expression.25. Make asking for referrals one of your top marketing activities since you value personal and deep relationships.26. Work from the inside out and convince yourself first that you have a valuable product or service.27. As your business grows, outsource some of the more extroverted activities and do what you do best.28. Approach sales meetings with an agenda; written or spoken.29. Keep a journal of successes along the way and refer to it often.30. Schedule exercise or meditation into days that are going to be more extroverting than introverting.31. Just take a step at a time and only build the social skills you believe you would most enjoy.32. Find role models to help you get out of your head and instead know that if one person can do it, you can too.33. Find the right sales organization which might be one that balances selling with a product or service that requires analyzing and problem solving.34. Take advantage of follow-up meetings for breakfast or coffee since the structure is usually shorter than lunch.35. Value yourself; you learned that in tip #17, because you bring power in ways much wanted by the buyers of today.All professional salespeople do introverting and extroverting all day long. It's the nature of the selling process as you work toward the benefit of a prospect to go from research, to planning, to sales conversations and follow-up.

Original :: sales training top 35 sales tips mostly

how to improve sales training using

Many sales training firms offer courses on sales with the end result being that you will walk out a more confident achiever in your core sales role. When doing these courses it is often from a seasoned professional who works to improve techniques such as sales pitch, opening up a client, closing the deal etc.When you get on the road, what you take with you is your tool for success- or so it seems? How much can someone learn in a day or a week of training techniques? Many say lots! However once you leave that controlled climate of the training room, where the sales techniques seem to flow like fluid, does it translate to that same liquid motion on the ground? For many the sales courses offr a certain degree of improvement. Things are changing where any traditional training course can be improved by offering ongoing tests to evaluate your ability once you have left the classroom.The way to do this is to turn to technology, primarily online technology. With the use of online testing sites, you can constantly evaluate your sales staff's progress in the field. So how would you do this if you are not a programmer with web master skills? Well you turn to firms that allow you to create your own online tests just with typing skills. Be aware there are some firms that will charge you a fortune and offer generic testing but for maximum results, you need online testing that can :Align to your business perfectly by allowing you to create the test questions related to your job role.
Cost pennies rather then hundreds of dollars to implement.
Offer a clear tracking and reporting feature that enables you easy understanding and accessibility to the sales personnel you are evaluating.
By implementing a regular testing feature to the training of your sales force after they take the original course will ensure that you ROI is optimal. You will be able to monitor precisely which techniques they were taught, they fail to grasp in their day to day activities. By responding quickly to the faults you can help them reinforce only failed sales processes, saving you time and money in the long run!

Original :: how to improve sales training using

measuring results key performance

Sales managers often rush to judgment if sales reps aren't meeting their quotas, and automatically assume that they either don't have the skills or the understanding to perform.Instead of assuming the worst, however, managers need to take on the responsibility of examining the root cause - or "blockers" - of a rep's poor performance.By focusing on a few key performance indicators, a manager can better determine if a rep can realistically meet the quotas and financial goals the company has set for him. This is a far more effective approach than simply raising a reps quotas and hoping the increased pressure will get him to perform.Rather, managers should recognize and identify all of the acivities their reps are asked to perform, based on the company's objectives for the year. Some of these activities might include customer meetings, cold calls, proposal writing, lead generation, negotiation, client management, and all of the other activities a rep must perform to reach important sales objectives.Obviously, the amount of activities a rep must perform limits the time he has to actually sell, and most reps today are only spending 40 to 45 percent of their workweek on sales efforts. This limited selling time, based on numerous activities, could be the primary reason salespeople aren't meeting their quotas.Key Performance IndicatorsAfter taking into account all of the activities a rep is asked to perform, an effective manager should then identify the activities that would be considered the key performance indicators for their organization. These specific activities should be highly correlated to the production of the ultimate result.For example, key performance indicators a manager might want to measure on a weekly, monthly or quarterly basis could include:
The number of new prospects a rep contacts per week
The number of new client meetings the rep schedules
The number of proposals the rep writes
By focusing on a few metrics that are non-financial, it's easier to prioritize a rep's workday or workweek and anticipate a rep's ability to meet sales objectives. A manager should choose what he believes are the top two or three key performance indicators and have reps who aren't performing well focus on these areas, based on the objectives for the year.As an example, one objective of a company might be to increase the number of new businesses in the customer mix. The activities that will help a manager and his sales team meet this objective are prospecting calls, new customer meetings, and proposal writing.A manager can identify these activities as key performance indicators and better measure results, as they relate to the overall objective, knowing that their reps are focused on the proper activities. Because these activities relate to the overall objective, the manager knows his reps are focused on the proper activities.Another objective may be to expand the company's share of business with certain customers. Key performance indicators to be measured for this objective are the number of new contacts a rep is establishing within the exiting customer base, and the number of on-site appointments he's scheduling. Both activities force the rep to interface with existing customers, establish new points of contact, and identify new sales opportunities.Blending ActivitiesMost companies have multiple objectives for the year, so a manager should be prepared to blend the activities reps are performing so they are dividing and using their time wisely. For example, taking the two examples given above, a manager can break out the activities by assigning targeted goals for each activity every week. More specifically, if a rep is making cold calls, she might be asked to conduct 15 appointments every week.Following this scenario, the cold calling key performance indicators to be measured would be the number of dials every day and the number of times the sales rep actually speaks to new contacts per day. Additional key performance indicators would include the number of customer appointments each week, the number of prospect appointments every week, and the number of proposals completed each week.By taking the time to identify key performance indicators, a manager can help his team of reps succeed by focusing on the activities most important to the company's overall objectives. Less time will be wasted on activities that aren't relevant to ultimate results, and manager will be able to better assess the true skills and understanding of his reps.

Original :: measuring results key performance

gathering good requirements

Successful training programs come from knowing exactly what the training must accomplish for the business, the department, and the individual. They don't just happen. Whether you are developing or contracting training, use these steps to improve your requirements-gathering process, spend less time doing it, and drive more effective training:Plan your timeIt sounds simple, but in our busy world, too many people enter a requirements gathering meeting without knowing specifically what they must accomplish. If you frequently gather requirements as part of your role, create a simple template of the information you need to gather from sponsors and spend as little as 10 minutes and no more than0 minutes gathering the key information you need.Select your intervieweesBefore you jump in, determine whom to interview. Typically, there is more than one person with an interest in the training, including the sponsor, stakeholders (such as the participants themselves and their managers), and subject-matter experts. You may not need to interview that many people. Instead, interview enough people to gather a complete set of requirements, and stop once you begin hearing the same information again.Apply effective questioning techniquesBegin by gathering the strategic information while the interviewee is fresh and alert. Converse using broad, open-ended questions that require the person to think, then offer an explanatory response. End the meeting with tactical, easy-to-answer information, such as delivery details. You'll know your questioning technique is working when your head is full of ideas regarding what the learning objectives are and what the design of the program should be.Gather business expectationsBe sure to gather sponsor and any executive stakeholder expectations. Even the best training won't be praised if it does not meet management expectations and business objectives. This can be accomplished by asking open-ended questions such as these, which are likely to elicit in-depth responses:
What business objective would you like this training to meet?
What do you want the training to accomplish and for whom?
Why do you think this training is important?
Get to the hidden issuesThe person you are interviewing won't hold back information on purpose, but she may not realize the existence of important underlying information that could help you build a program that will better address business objectives. To avoid this problem, listen carefully to the answers to your questions, then continue questioning in order to fully understand what is being said. Don't jump to conclusions. Instead, question for complete understanding. The answers will help you prioritize the training content and your project plan. Sample questions include the following:
Why is that business objective or behavior change so important?
What challenges are the team having today?
How are those challenges impacting the business or department?
What needs to change?
You'll know whether hidden issues exist if you summarize what you heard back to the respondent and she responds with more information to add.Identify expected behavior changeYou need to find out exactly what changes in participants' day-to-day, on-the-job behavior are expected as a result of the training. You'll then use this information to determine which activities and reinforcement exercises will be required in order to ensure that behavior change occurs. Sample questions include:
What do you want participants to be able to do differently following the training?
How would you rate participants' competency on these topics today?
What should change as a result of this training?
Determine the ROIDetermine the business return that the sponsor expects from training - including both financial results (e.g., productivity increases) and soft benefits (e.g., employee morale improvement). Other common return on investment (ROI) measures include decreased expenses, improved customer satisfaction, and incremental sales. If you can identify the ROI the sponsor wants to achieve, you can craft more effective learning objectives, and ultimately determine which topics to train. Here are some questions to ask:
What business results do you expect to see as a result of this training?
How will you measure success of this program?
What do you do if the sponsor cannot provide you with the expected ROI? Go back and question to uncover the business need and hidden issues until you can determine a business need or issue that drives a financial business result. All training should be able to show a business result in some way.

Original :: gathering good requirements

your path to effective service selling

Selling services is far different than selling products, and for reps who want to be successful at "service selling", it's imperative to understand where the differences exist.Many consumers today are accustomed to purchasing services such as warranties attached to a new product, or subscription services such as cable television or Internet. Another kind of service is professional services. These business services may provide technical, strategic or consultative help as needed. While consumers may be accustomed to companies selling a service attached to a product, they may not be as familiar or comfortable buying professional services for their company.The biggest distinction between prodcts and services is that while products are tangible, services are intangible. With products, such as a computer or flatscreen TV, a person receives instant gratification following their purchase. For a customer who makes a decision to purchase services, the resulting gratification won't be as immediate and will require more commitment on their part. It's because of this distinction that trust, credibility and solid client relationships are critical success keys to selling both product and professional services.Four Key QuestionsCompanies in the market for professional services typical ask four questions.Will these services save us time? �
Will these services save us money? �
Will these services increase our productivity? �
Do we need to outsource the service, or can we do it ourselves?
In conversations with your customers, uncover which of these questions is the highest priority to them, and focus on the matching business benefits your services can provide. For example, if your customer has identified increasing productivity as a key business initiative, you might highlight how your service offerings will allow them to increase productivity without requiring additional time away from their already hectic schedules. By presenting the case that using a third party service provider is the most efficient way to fill the need while increasing productivity, you demonstrate your ability to help them save money and time.Three Success KeysServices selling is based on three success keys:Trust
Credibility
Solid Relationships
Both the sales cycle and service contract may take more time to close and execute than selling a product. You must be able to instill and maintain trust over the duration of that time. This can be done by delivering compelling value propositions that generate interest and bring immediate value to the customer. Credibility grows through sharing success stories, providing testimonials and referrals, and presenting the compelling business benefits and value of potential services. Customers will come back for services over and over when you establish a solid relationship and put yourself in the position of "trusted advisor".Client Satisfaction = Referrals For successful companies that sell desirable products, demand for their products will continue based on effective marketing and customer desires. It may not be this predictable for companies selling services. Service businesses depend on satisfied clients more than other businesses, both to maintain their credibility and continue to drive new business referrals. Services are more complex to price, to deliver and to evaluate than single products. In addition, measuring the quality of service varies from customer to customer.Conduct regular "how are we doing?" conversations with customers. Use the information you gather to generate new opportunities and new leads. Customers who realize value in services provided are often eager to share their success with you through referrals and case study examples. All you need to do is ask.By understanding the differences between service and product selling and executing a sales strategy incorporating these critical success factors, you'll instill trust, enhance credibility and form solid relationships while demonstrating value for your services to many potential customers. This value will translate into increased sales and new referrals for you.

Original :: your path to effective service selling

leverage subject matter experts

Effective trainers must be able to break through the SME (Subject Matter Expert) wall to access the expert knowledge they hold. SMEs are the golden key to training and tools that deliver the results their clients expect. However, it often isn't easy to tap into all a SME has to offer.There are four "Critical Paths" to success:1. SET EXPECTATIONSAs a first step, SMEs must fully understand the objectives of the training project. By providing SMEs with information about why the company believes the training is important, and how they can help, it will make them more accommodating to the entire process. Clearly define the vision of the project, as well as the required timelines, the key playes, the audience, the SMEs' role and responsibility, and the final deliverables. Doing so will go a long way toward fully engaging the SMEs in the process.2. ESTABLISH A RELATIONSHIPOne of the foremost challenges in working with SMEs is getting their feedback. It's important to establish a relationship of communication and trust, and the onus is on you to do so. Be open about expectations and goals, and fully inform SMEs about why their role is important to the final outcome. Don't expect that a project plan and timelines will be enough. Follow up and keep the process with SMEs on track. By doing so, SMEs will come to trust you and the process.3. COMMUNICATE REGULARLYProvide regular updates (on a weekly or bi-monthly basis depending on the length and priority of the project), follow up on questions or concerns, and volunteer ways you may be of assistance to SMEs. When communicating with SMEs, be clear about your needs, and follow up on more than one occasion.4. GIVE SMES YOUR SUPPORTTo maximize SMEs' expertise, it's your job to support them throughout the process. For example, if a SME provides graphics and charts that aren't entirely impressive, find a way to improve them. If a SME is asked to train, but he isn't a skilled trainer, work with him on presentation skills by sharing speaking tips and techniques of your own. Make the SME a star, and he will support you on this project and others to come.These "Critical Paths" can help to avoid the frustration a SME may be feeling and help your training project deliver the business results you-and your client-are targeting.

Original :: leverage subject matter experts

reinforcing training getting managers

Just because a training session was completed doesn't mean that information and skills learned will "stick" with trainees. In order for that to happen, it's imperative that managers understand how to reinforce what was learned and how to use that learning to meet the goals of the company.Failure to do so will lead to failed results. Why? Because the lessons, ideas and skills learned in training are of little value if managers and executives fail to reinforce the training on an ongoing basis. When this happens, most trainees either forget or ignore what they learned within a few hours or days, and the potential for meaningful results is lost.Help others help themselvesWhose job is it to enure that reinforcement takes place? This responsibility should not fall entirely on the management team. Rather, management should be able to look to the training department (or trainer) for guidance and support regarding how to establish learning objectives that will tie in with business goals during the training sessions themselves and, equally important, receive guidance from training professionals on how to continue to help those who report to them succeed after the training is complete.To ensure that this happens, trainers should be sure to provide managers with several reinforcement tools for use after the training has ended, including (but certainly not limited to!), the following:Meeting guides Managers should plan to incorporate concepts and techniques from training into conversations as they meet with their reports on a regular basis. A guide created by the trainer or training department should provide mangers with an outline of the concepts and tips to be reinforced from the training, as well as potential activities they might use. A meeting guide also should suggest different formats for the meeting and meeting lengths and coaching objectives. The content should be based on elements such as the learning objectives from the training, business priorities, and areas where trainees still struggle.Effective coaching techniquesWhile training professionals are practiced at effective coaching techniques, they should also be willing and able to share some of their secrets and knowledge with managers so that trainees can continue to thrive and develop post-training. This might include identifying challenges for a specific trainee so that a manager knows what to coach toward and training managers on how to "coach" rather than "tell."Best PracticesTrainers should provide managers with advice on which best practices to reinforce from the training and how to identify which best practices to reinforce based on individual challenges. For example, if prospecting is an issue for a particular sales rep, the trainer should leave behind the exact tools that the manager can use to help that sales rep succeed in prospecting.Executive involvementInformation and ideas regarding how executives can become involved in the reinforcement process also is an important key to successful post-training reinforcement. For example, a trainer might suggest that executives send out a monthly e-mail detailing a success story and attach the new techniques that were implemented. This shows the team how important the business objectives are to the company while reminding trainees that their work and results they have achieved have not been forgotten.HomeworkManagers should plan to meet with individual trainees and then assign follow-up work or assignments based on what trainees learned in training and the areas on which they now need to focus. Trainers can provide managers with ideas for assignments, such as (in the case of sales training, for example) asking the trainees to write their prospecting value proposition, creating a lead-generation campaign, or tracking their sales performance results. Managers must then follow-up on these assigned tasks. Otherwise, they will be neglected and forgotten.MeasurementsBy working with a trainer on reinforcement techniques, managers can establish time lines to measure how much their reports have advanced over the course of a few weeks or a few months. Measurements help managers to see progress and determine new areas to develop. Documented measurement time lines, meanwhile, help managers to more easily execute reinforcement practices and improve business results.Follow-up trainingManagers can take some of the more important things that were taught during training and do additional "reminder" sessions on their own, or invite trainers back in to provide hour-long follow-up sessions. Doing so will help trainees to remember some of the key points and keep them on top of their game.

Original :: reinforcing training getting managers

channel training trouble where to look

If your company sells products and services through channel partners (as opposed to selling directly to customers), you likely face a major challenge: finding ways to enhance your channels' selling skills without appearing as if your company is trying to dictate how its channel partners run their businesses.
The good news? If you depend on your channel partners for sales results, there's a simple way around this problem: enlisting the help of three external entities for help in influencing your channel, including...
The professional associations to which your channel partners belong. " The conferences that your channel partners attend (many of which are sponsored by the associations towhich they belong).
"Drivers" in your industry.
Why make this move? Because associations, conferences and industry "drivers" are independent of manufacturers and distributors (namely, you!), they can make objective recommendations to your channel partners based on their own knowledge of the channel and industry sales best practices. Additionally, by allowing these entities to serve as a sort of intermediary between you and your channels, your channel partners are less likely to feel as though you're being overly pushy about the ways in which you'd like them to conduct business.Here's a look at all three entities, as well as some tips for leveraging them to your advantage:AssociationsProfessional associations have the ability to assess the skills of channel members and make suggestions regarding how they can improve and what their training should include. This assessment typically leads to the implementation of any necessary training (which the association itself conducts in order to keep it impartial) and assistance in transforming a channel partner's sales approach to improve sales.ConferencesIndustry conferences provide associations with a forum to present training sessions. As a key step in the development of curricula for these conferences, event organizers typically reach out to manufacturers and distributors and ask them to suggest training sessions and content that they believe will continue to advance industry growth. Once the associations decide what the key training sessions should be, they plan the conference around them and invite the most relevant and informed speakers and trainers to conduct the training.Channel partners from throughout the industry attend these conferences, typically because they are either sponsored by a professional association to which the channel partners belong or because the conference was recommended to them by such an association-or by the manufacturer/distributor for which the channel partner sells products and services.DriversA key contributor to successful associations and conferences are industry "drivers." Drivers are firms (or people) who specialize in all aspects of sales. These subject-matter experts are able to present best practices to channel partners and help them heighten their level of expertise and strengthen their sales skills. Drivers often partner with associations to assist with writing assessments and to present training sessions at conferences, all based on their understanding of what knowledge is needed to meet the manufacturers' needs. Drivers also understand what measures are needed to be successful, and how channel partners can meet manufacturer expectations.Tips for SuccessHow do you leverage all three of these industry resources to your advantage?
Get involved with the associations your channel partners join or those that target your channel.
Volunteer to participate on associations' conference committees to recommend topics of importance to your channel.
Recommend speakers-on topics where you see key needs in your channel-to associations that are planning conferences. Arrange follow-up training sessions, mentoring or speaking engagements with the same speakers at your own channel meetings to provide reinforcement.
Recommend conferences addressing pertinent topics to your channel. Offer to fund all or part of your channel partners' participation in these events.
Consider requiring that your channel partners attend specific conferences and specific training sessions while at these conferences in order to become licensed and certified to sell your products and services. You can require attendance at these sessions as part of a certification path, as part of required training that must be completed each year, and/or as a requirement for receiving market-development funding.
Work with a thought-leading association to identify other companies that have similar channel education needs to form a council to address those needs.
Connect thought-leading associations and one or two firms (drivers) that specialize in all aspects of selling for your channel. Work together to form a three-way council to address your channel partners' needs.
Also consider creating an advisory council including several of your top channel partners.

Original :: channel training trouble where to look

start blowing your own horn

Training organizations aren't always valued as highly as they should be. Self promote. Blow your own horn. These are good phrases to keep in mind if you want sponsors and the business to recognize the value of your services and support your training team's initiatives. There are tactful ways to be a "self promoter":Advertise. Share news about your programs, and who they're helping within the company, in the company newsletter. Share business objectives, programs implemented, and results achieved.
Measure business results from your sales training, then promote them throughout the company. A recent "Finding Referrals" class we ran for a sponsor focused on growing the business through refrrals resulted in a 315% increase in referral follow-up calls within 8 weeks. The sponsoring executive was ecstatic and promoted it widely.
Ask to speak briefly at sales team meetings to share the positive results you're achieving with the team's peers while clarifying the work your organization performs.
Promote upcoming training throughout the company so key targets know it's available. As an example, my firm created a "Sales Hunting School" for a single division of Hewlett Packard. Other divisions with similar skill needs heard about it and choose to tailor it for their sales reps. The original class is being leveraged across the company, and the sponsoring division received credit for filling a company-wide need.
Follow through with your sponsor after delivery. Share evaluations, participant comments, and recommended next steps that help drive desired business results. Offer assistance where you can.
Get the word out and soon the business will be clamoring at your door. Don't be shy; start patting yourself on the back!

Original :: start blowing your own horn

six keys to successs door

That's a pretty accurate description of how most sales reps enter the marketplace. They understand their title and their assignment, but nobody ever tells them how to fulfill their responsibilities. What is needed are tangible sales tips and techniques that can help them unlock the door to success.In my experience, I've come across and consulted with hundreds of sales reps who are motivated to sell, but they just don't know how to begin. They realize they're not as efficient as they could be, yet don't know what to do differently. It's a difficult proposition to be sure, but regardless of experience, territory, the company a rep works for, the solution she sells, or her quota, there are glden keys to being a successful sales rep.1. Have a VisionToo many sales reps try to have someone else define the vision for their territory for them. And while it's important to understand your management's and your company's vision, it's critical for you to have a vision of your own that you can get excited about. To help you bring your vision into focus, ask questions such as: What do I plan to achieve? What do I plan to turn this territory into?As you develop your vision, avoid listening to naysayers, but do address potential failure. There's no reason to acknowledge doubters, but it's important for you to know that failure is part of the process, as some people will say "no" and some lead generation campaigns will fail. However, if you can create your own vision, bring it into focus and embrace it, you'll have what it takes to communicate your message and believe in your own ability to become a success.2. Develop a PlanThe second key to success is a winning plan to help you achieve your vision. It's important to take time out of your schedule to do strategic planning. Ask yourself: What are all the steps I need to take to achieve my vision? Think of every little step, write them down and organize them in the order you'll take to achieve your vision, and then begin executing them.Unfortunately, planning is not something you can do once a year and then forget about. It must become part of your business life. Without a good plan and execution, you have little hope of achieving your goals. But, it you do have a plan and stick to it, odds are you'll accomplish your goals long before you complete every step in your plan.3. Practice Die-Hard ExecutionDie-hard, consistent execution is the third key to success. Many sales reps find the details involved in successful lead generation to be tedious and unnecessary. Once the leads begin to flow, they get busy and let other priorities replace the attention to detail that brought in the leads. What they should do is continue to execute in conformity with the plan they created, while keeping their vision in their mind. Leads will abound if you continue to execute according to the plans you put in place, involving critical resources and meeting your time frames. No matter how busy you get, continue to execute with precision.4. Generate Leads ConstantlyThe next key on your chain should be constant lead generation. Without it, you won't have new opportunities flowing into your pipeline on a consistent basis. You also won't have your name in front of your customers and prospects when the next opportunity presents itself. Many sales reps work a set of opportunities to closure then begin the lead generation process over again. This leads to inconsistent commissions and a sales manager questioning your selling abilities. Your goal should be to consistently generate leads so you have new opportunities constantly entering your pipeline. The more opportunities you have flowing in, the less dependent you will be on closing specific deals.5. Follow-UpThe fifth key to success requires follow-up. If you've worked hard to get a lead, follow-up on it until you're certain it's no longer an opportunity. Following-up means keeping your commitments. Call when you say you will, meet when you say you will and get answers by the date you say you will. It's amazing how many people don't keep their commitments. By keeping your own, you portray yourself as an organized, interested business partner and not just another salesperson.Follow-up also means staying in touch over time to help give yourself the best opportunity at the next assignment. The prospect who says she isn't going to do anything for 12 months will likely do something eventually. Stay in touch so you're there when the opportunity does arise.6. Take a Genuine InterestThe final key to success starts with something that may have inspired you to become a sales rep in the first place: having an interest in your customers, and how you can provide the best solution. Take the time to understand a customer's business needs, and not just in terms of how it affects your products or services. Ask yourself questions such as: What are their business challenges? How can you help them meet those challenges? How can you show your value by sharing the overall knowledge you have, and not just knowledge about your product? This will show your customers how much you really care.For a sales rep who is starting her career, or even a veteran who may be struggling at any one time, these six keys will help unlock success's door for themselves and their company.

Original :: six keys to successs door

how to build trust with clients

Trust is an important component of any business relationship, but is particularly vital to have between client and realtor. As a real estate agent, you're handling a substantial portion of a person's financial portfolio in addition to helping them with the difficult task of moving from one home to another. This experience can be stressful and overwhelming for people, so they need a person they can trust to guide them through the bramble.If you your clients don't feel that they can trust you, your relationship will be flawed and shallow, with neither party being satisfied with the experience. Build trust right from the get-go, and you'll have a partnership that leads to success for both sies.How does one go about building trust with a client who may be skeptical of your abilities? Start by listening.Most of the time we think we're listening to a person, but really we're thinking about shopping lists, upcoming appointments, and other noise that pops into our brains. We rarely truly listen, but this is key to earning another person's trust.To become a better listener, you first need to make sure that when you're with your clients, you're fully present with them. Make them feel like they're your only client, and your first priority. Do this by making eye contact, asking timely questions, and every time your mind wanders to some other deal you have brewing, snap yourself back to the present moment. Your client will be able to tell when you're really with them and when your mind is elsewhere.Along with being present, you need to learn how to read body language. The majority of what we're feeling in any given moment can be revealed by our body language, and often times this message is incongruent with the words that are coming out of our mouths. If your client says yes to something, but you can see that her shoulders are hunched, her hands are clenched, and she's biting her bottom lip, it's clear that she does not really want to say yes. Acknowledge what you sense, and address her hesitation in an empathetic and respectful manner. If she feels heard and understood by you, your relationship will strengthen immensely.Another key factor in earning trust is to actually do what you say you're going to do. We have so many advertisements, salesmen, and politicians making empty promises to us that commitment has lost all its value. When you break your word, you take away your client's faith in your integrity and ability.If you can't do something, or you don't know the answer to their question, say so. It may seem counterintuitive to admit ignorance, but it's much better to be honest with your clients than lead them down the wrong path. They will respect you for your honesty, especially if you promise to find out who can answer their question-and you actually follow through.By being honest, admitting mistakes, and taking responsibility for your actions, your clients will see that you have strong ethics, and will be much more likely to refer you to someone else. They'll have confidence in your skills as a realtor, and will feel like they know you well enough as a person to entrust you with future business. Things like hard work, honesty, and listening skills seem like such simple things, but they can have an enormous effect on the quality of your relationships with clients.

Original :: how to build trust with clients

the road to sales success is paved with

Salespeople are always looking for some magical sales skill that will bring them more leads, help them book more appointments or close more sales. It has been my experience that some of the most effective selling skills are not being taught as part of the sales process.One sales skill I discovered that paid me huge dividends when I used it consistently, was sending thank you notes. Thank you notes are an excellent way to show people you appreciate them. In Dale Carnegie's book How To Win Friends & Influence People he says that the deepest urge in human nature is to feel important. One of the best ways to make a person feel important is by giving honest and sincere appreciation.Many peoplewill complain when they receive poor service, however, they'll remain silent when they've received good service.I decided that I wanted to be different. That I wanted to be the exception rather than the rule.So I sent thank you notes to prospects, clients, people I met, thanking them for taking the time to speak with me, for using my services, for sending me a referral, for helping me with a task. What ever reason I could find to thank someone, I sent notes. I'm not talking about some boiler plate, typed up form letter. I mean a personalized hand written note from me.Now the key to this sales skill is doing it with honest and sincere appreciation. Doing it unselfishly, not asking for anything and not expecting anything in return.And what started happening was I began to receive more of the things I was thankful for.You see, by using this simple sales skill and being grateful to someone for what they have done, you'll attract more of the same into your life. It changes your focus from the negative to the positive and what ever we focus on in our life, we manifest.If you focus on what's not going right in your sales career you will attract more of the same. If you focus on what's going right, again you will attract more of the same.By taking the time to utilize this one sales skill I was rewarded in three years time with 100% referral business. The people I'd sent thank you notes to were happy to refer friends and family to me for making them feel appreciated.You have a choice. You can continue to do the things you're doing and getting the results you're getting. Or you can choose to take a few minutes to put this sales skill in to practice and see what benefits you realize.

Original :: the road to sales success is paved with

6 steps to getting that sale

If you're involved in Sales, then you will need to know when a prospective customer is ready to buy. After following these guidelines, you should be able to identify potential customers more easily, let them explain what they want to buy, and not what you want to sell, and how to recognize buying signals.1. Qualify The LeadIf the potential customer says they want something specific, such as a red carpet, a car to carry sporting equipment, a lead to connect a TV to DVD player, then you know what sort of products to show them. Also, the customer's budget may be a contributing factor. If a customer is looking a for a high end sports car or a diamond ring and their budget isn't suitable, or tey want the product within a certain timescale and the product isn't in stock, you can either let them leave disappointed, or show them something else that may be suitable. It is also worth repeating the customer's requirements and constraints so that you can be sure that you have understood their needs.2. Be Guided By The CustomerLet the customer tell you how much they know about a product, or subject. In a retail environment, sales staff often bamboozle potential customers with technology, which can make the customer think that they are inferior by not knowing about the latest technology, and might make them think that it's far too complicated to use.3. Conversely, you won't always need to explain everything in great detail if the customer knows exactly what they want. Somebody who keeps up to date with technology, or cars, or clothing, or in a business to business environment, may know exactly which product, or types of products, best suits their needs4. Letting each customer explain what they are looking for, and what they want the product to do will help to gauge their level of expertise and knowledge. Just because you know all about TVs or computers, doesn't mean that everybody else does. How frustrating would it be to have a sales person explain in great detail the features of different manufacturing processes when buying clothes, or smirk when you asked for the wrong type of lead for your camera? Why is it any different when trying to buy a car, TV or computer?5. Hold Something BackKeep a couple of selling points such as product features or benefits, or finance deals or delivery options in reserve, so that if your first close fails you have something to go back to, to help the customer make the decision to buy.6. Recognise Buying SignalsA customer talking about whether the car would fit the shopping in, whether the sofa would go with the carpet, which shoes the dress would go with, whether there are an in stock, if it comes in other colours or sizes, or what the weather is like at that holiday destination, are all showing buying signals. These buying signals can then be acted upon, so that the sale can be closed.Now you know how to qualify a lead, find out what they want, and how to recognise when a customer is ready to buy, you should be able to put this into practice and gain more sales.

Original :: 6 steps to getting that sale

5 signs of a successful salesperson

If you want to know how some salespeople are more successful than others, and how some just seem to get lucky, then you might think that successful salespeople are born and not created. This isn't necessarily true.The golfer, Gary Player, was asked about the amount of luck he seemed to have, replied that "the more I practice, the luckier I get"! This can also be used in a sales environment, and will mean that you are always prepared. There's always more to be learnt about the product, industry, and type of customer, no matter what sort of sales environment you work in.1. A successful salesperson will manage their time effectively so that the majority of their time is spent in selling situtions. In a call centre environment this would mean spending almost all the time on the phone. For a commercial salesperson this would mean spending most of the time at appointments in front of potential customers. In a retail environment, this would mean spending time on the shop floor talking to customers.2. Successful salespeople are able to identify the needs of the customer. They have the communication skills to ask the right sort of questions and listen to the answers. Their extensive product knowledge means that they know which product will best meet the customers' needs. They know what sort of applications their products will be used for, and the most common questions asked. This applies whether selling electrical goods in a retail environment, utilities over the phone, or business to business products and services face to face.3. Successful salespeople understand the buying process and selling process and can respond accordingly. They can quickly and efficiently see whether the potential customer is ready to buy, or is just doing some research. They are able to pick up on buying signals, and can handle objections well. They are capable of changing their approach depending on the customer, and do not overly rely on one sales technique, or product feature. Depending on the environment and the product or service offered, the customer may already be a qualified lead just by walking through the door, or by emailing for a brochure.4. Successful salespeople are able to put their customer at ease, and are able to show genuine interest, rather than just looking for the sale. At some time, everyone has experienced a pushy salesperson that didn't listen, didn't ask questions, and just wanted to make the sale. This sort of behaviour can change the customer's opinion of the shop, the brand or even the industry, and can result in fewer sales.5. Successful salespeople know that they need to be highly efficient, effective and organised. They know that they need to have a full diary of appointments, and how many sales they need to reach their target. They will always be busy trying to generate leads, or finding out more about their products, industry or customers.Now you know how and why some salespeople are much more successful than others, why don't you implement these 5 tips and see if you can improve your figures? Become a more successful salesperson today.

Original :: 5 signs of a successful salesperson

sales tip scenario learning

A few days ago I read an article by Paul Bracken, Professor of Management at Yale in Futurist Magazine. In the article he addressed how learning is changing - and leaders need to be much more flexible and adaptive as we head into tumultuous times.He maintains that the prime learning tool to be used by Leaders or Learners of any kind is Scenario Learning.His philosophy is simple and elegant: Case studies don't work because the outcome is already presented. It's much more taxing, motivating and valuable to take scenarios that "could happen" and strategize around them rather than things that have happened (case studies).Be Preemptive In Your ProcessNow to some, that sounds absurd. "Why wouldyou want to waste any time working on things that will likely never happen?"To which I would say, hold on a minute. Who's to say the value is in predicting the future. To me it's in preventing the future-at least that future that's full of stress and anxiety because something happened you weren't ready for. Rather than waiting until something happens, why can't you take precaution so it NEVER happens. Can't you be proactive? Or preemptive? That's exactly what scenario learning will teach you.A Sales ExampleIn our sales training practice, there are a handful of customer encounters that happen all the time that drive you crazy.For example, here's a common one:You're all the way through the sales process and your buyer tells you it's not going to happen because there's no money in their budget.Now that is a scenario you've heard before, but are you ready to deal with it? Better yet, did you do anything in the sales process to prevent it? Probably not. In fact, most sales orgs spend most of their training time talking about how to handle it when it happens-rather than the right thing to do-work on how to prevent it.By examining "why" that scenario happens, you can aptly take preemptive action so it never happens to you.

Original :: sales tip scenario learning

clevel selling during this recession the

I was at an association meeting the other night doing some networking. As I talked with people, it was amazing how inefficient people are in their selling and business development. So I have five stories, each with a lesson that could help you develop business better.As I introduced myself to two ladies, I asked my favorite question. "So ladies, what are your major issues as it relates to business development during this economic down time?""Pricing - my customers are selecting only the low prices," said the one lady. "Me too," chimed in the other. "And one even told me the price I have to get to."Now since I can't keep my selling tips to myself, I offered these two suggestions:1. Relatioships at high level are the key. Either these people will make it so that your higher price is accepted because they can depend on your work or they will tell you what price you have to come in at - ala the second lady.So instead of spending all your time putting together a proposal with limited information from a spec writer, engineer, purchasing agent or administrator, use your time to network to the key decision makers to learn what's important to them and show them how you can give it to them for this project.2. Prices are usually too high because you've included too much of what key decision makers are unwilling to pay for. So the key is to know what the influential and top people really want and what they are willing to take less of or forego.a. Everyone is going to say, "Well, I want it all." So you have to say, "I understand, but what's really important? What's the deal buster or maker? What will really be your deciding factors?" "What are you willing to pay extra for?" You'll have to push a little here, but it's OK. However, this has to be done with the person / people that have the power.b. So the first lady says to me somewhere along in the conversation, "They should select us because we are giving them more." To which I said, "So what. If they wanted more, they would have asked for it. Besides, that 'more' is causing your price to be higher.Now just in case you didn't get the moral of this story, here is the summary. Get to the leaders - the chief decision makers. They can help get the job even if your price is higher, but within range. Otherwise, they can tell you what to do, what to eliminate or minimize to get your price in line.And now I invite you to learn more.Bonus Tip: If getting to these leaders is an issue for you or your people, here is a FREE E-Book "Getting Past Gatekeepers and Handling Blockers". Just click this C-Level Relationship Selling Link. Sam Manfer makes it easy for any sales person to be effective and feel comfortable connecting with and relationship selling C-Level leaders

Original :: clevel selling during this recession the

discover 6 sales presentation tips that

Use these sales presentation tips to get your prospect emotionally involved in your product or service and you'll boost your sales.Sales Presentation Tip #1 - Practice and Customize Your PresentationTake time to practice your presentation many times before using it in a real live sales situation. You should know your presentation backwards and forwards, word for word. Never take notes to a sales presentation and refer to or read from them. That is so unprofessional.Customize your presentation for each individual prospect. One of the worst things you can do is give a presentation that appears to the prospect has been given to every other person you sell to.Sales Presentation Tip #2 - BuildRapport and QualifyMake sure you build rapport, and qualified the prospect thoroughly before you dive in to your presentation. People purchase from people they like and trust, so spend adequate time on rapport building.The same goes for qualifying. Make sure you're clear as to what the prospects problem is before presenting your product or service as the solution. The problems you uncover will determine how you customize your presentation and how your product or service solves their problems.Sales Presentation Tip #3 - Be Friendly, Enthusiastic and Professional LookingRemember, people are more likely to buy from a friend than a salesperson. So spend lots of time becoming their friend. Don't rush through the sales process. Step back and develop a relationship with them. It will pay huge benefits.One way to show your enthusiasm is to truly believe your product or service is the best thing to solve their problem. So having an understanding of how your product has helped others is critical.Being professional looking includes many different areas. Your clothes for one. Make sure your wardrobe is up to date and doesn't include suits you bought in the nineties. Polish your shoes, cut your nails, shave, get an up to date hair style. There are many ways you can look the part of a successful person.People want to buy from winners, so look like a winner.Also make sure your presentation visuals are up to date and professional looking. Don't use articles or testimonials that were written years ago. Get some new ones. Use the latest technology to show prospects you're on the cutting edge. I guarantee you most of your competitors aren't.Sales Presentation Tip #4 - Use Visual AidsYour company may all ready have visual aids for you to use. Some things to include are media articles about you and your company. Testimonials you've received from satisfied clients. Tell stories about how you've helped another customer, especially ones that are similar to the current prospect.Sales Presentation Tip #5 - Get the Prospect InvolvedUsing handouts is a great way to get a prospect following along with your presentation. You could play a game during the presentation or have them take a test. Ask them opened ended questions such as:* Do you see how easy this is to use?* What are the features you like the best?* How do you think this will benefit you/your company?Get creative and come up with ways to get the prospect involved. It sets you apart from the competition.Sales Presentation Tip #6 - Emphasize Customer Service and Long Term RelationshipsThe prospect needs to be sure you won't sell them and then disappear, never to be heard from again. Talk to them about your involvement in the delivery, training and service after the sale. Also let them know you're their for the long term. That you'll be there to help with problems and service. After all, you are the one building the relationship. So assure them you will oversee everything.A winning sales presentation should answer all your prospects questions, get them excited and lead them to the conclusion that your product or service is the only solution to their problems.

Original :: discover 6 sales presentation tips that

freight broker training

Freight broker training does not have to be neither a long drawn out process nor an expensive one. While getting the proper freight broker training should be of utmost importance, the cost should still be reasonable. Yet there are schools and academies out there that are charging people thousands of dollars for a weekend seminar. How about a three day class that you have to pay traveling expenses to get to, not to mention your motel, meals and rental car if you fly out. And let's not forget the master broker certificate that some of them claim you will receive. But look it up for yourself, according to the FMCSA (federal motor carrier safety administration) code 371.2 and 386.2, there iso such thing as a master broker!It is called a PROPERTY BROKER! Now, do you want the old school of learning from thirty years ago or do you want the more up to date training including today's computer technology? Do you want an outline to follow and have to figure out what's in between on your own or do you want REAL training? Here is a thought to ponder while you are in one of these other classes: somebody broke into the back of the trailer and stole one hundred tv sets while the driver was getting a shower. He calls you at 2:30 am to tell you. If you don't know what to do, are you going to be able to call your instructor at that time of the morning to ask him/her for advice? What about when you hear "sorry, that was in the beginning of the class and that class is over but you can pay for a refresher course." What then? And yes it does happen.Underpasses in New York get flooded all the time just for trucks to get stuck and their trailers to get ripped off. Unless of course you are just plain bored and have lots of money to spend, training should come from someone who knows the ropes, whose prices are reasonable and who will be there to answer your calls at 2:30 in the morning. Wake up people! Glitter and sparkle does not mean gold! Freight broker training can be done right without costing you a small fortune.Copyright2008 Jack C. Martin
a1freighttraining.com

Original :: freight broker training

what do prospects want to know

First, let's consider what Prospects DON'T want to know or don't care about:1. Who the President of the company is and all his years in the industry.2. That the facility is located in "Trump Towers" on the 20th floor.3. That 24/7 toll-free help is always available.4. That they've been in business 10,15,20 years.5. That the product uses the most natural, exotic plant ever found that will cure anything from cancer to bunions.6. That Shaquille O'Neal, A-Rod, or Brett Favre uses it and recommends it.Okay, get the idea? All of these things can be covered later when you are training them as a new enrollee.What the Prospect wants to know is pretty simple, really.1. What is it?2. How much can I mke?3. Can I do it and what do I have to do to make that kind of money?Again, everything else falls under the category of training & mentoring. These are the things you want the Prospect to know and be clear about in your first approach. Don't roll an avalanche of facts all over them. You'll just confuse them. A confused mind will always say "No." Have you ever come away from a 3-hour presentation in a state of information overload? Me, too.Let's use an example of providing this information using a nutritional company. You can tailor this for any type of business.Hi, Joe.Listen, I've partnered with a great company recently. You might or might not be interested. When would you have a whole minute, 60 seconds, to hear about it? [Okay, you've put them at ease. You're only going to take one lousy minute of their time. And they'll probably listen to you right then.]Okay, great. Our nutritional company has developed a breakthrough product that makes you feel like a million bucks, look like Tom Cruise (or Nicole Kidman) and you just have to drink one ounce a day. [Answers the question: "What is it?"]You can make anywhere from $500 to $5000 a month or even more. [Answers the question: "How much can I make?"]All you have to do, is just find someone [or 3 people or whatever] like yourself who wants to look good, feel good and make a lot money. Don't change anything you're doing now. Just recommend it like you do your church, favorite music, or books. That's all I do. [This tells them what they have to do to make that kind of money.]That's all there is to it. What do you think? [This is the close.]This kind of super-short presentation will like prompt some questions, which is what you want anyway. This will give you a chance for a belly-to-belly talk and/or giving them promotional materials.Also, most people will think "I can do what he's just done!"How long do you think it would take you to teach your downline to make this kind presentation?Much thanks to "Big Al" Schreiter for the concepts.

Original :: what do prospects want to know

sales training is a waste

All too often, well intentioned sales leaders enroll their sales representatives in expensive sales training programs only to see little or no return on their investment in increased performance.
This is largely attributed to the practice of training professionals finding it convenient to reuse the same content across disparate environments, while ignoring the reality that one size does not fit all in the real world. In many instances, employee's careers are assessed negatively when they fail to improve their sales performance after attending sales training.Canned Not many managers would go to a doctor who treats all patients the same way. While each patient may not be well, the cause andtreatment are different for each patient. The cause of under-performance or poor performance of a sales person or team can be very different from one person or industry to the next. The sales process for telesales will be very different to consultative relationship selling, for example. Sales leaders must take time to ensure the sales training is tailored to their specific employee and industry needs. Great training content delivered to the wrong audience is of little value.Not Practical Airline pilot training requires many hours of theory; however, a typical pilot will spend many hours in flight simulations practicing and learning how to apply the theory. In many sales training classes participants sit for hours listening to an instructor outlining the latest 10 step process in closing the sale, without any time devoted to the trainee practicing the skills. In a learning environment adults retain only 5% by lecture and as much as 75% by doing or practice! Carefully interview the training company to ensure your employees will not experience a lecture fest and enough time is devoted to practice.Limited Post training Support Most studies indicate that it takes anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks to break a habit. When I travel abroad and have to drive on the other side of the road it requires great focus and concentration to break the habit of driving on the right...and my life depends on it! Many principles taught in sales training classes are new to some participants and despite their best intentions, on returning to work, revert to old habits.Adding insult to injury, employees armed with new sales techniques return to work to be supervised by someone without any understanding of the new concepts and cannot provide any coaching support. In some instances, supervisors discourage newly trained employees from using new approaches they do not understand and encourage employees directly or indirectly to return to techniques the supervisor is more familiar with. Resources invested in first ensuring trainees have adequate support mechanisms in place to coach and motivate employees on return to the workplace are well spent.Someone once said"In theory, practice and theory are the same. In practice they are not."

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selling what are the challenges facing a

Often when joining the sales profession, a new sales person can get overwhelm by the task ahead. There is so much to learn: product knowledge, sales documentation, presentation, demonstration, closing the sale, managing the sales territory, etc.Here are some basic steps that a new sales person can follow which will make his/her job simple, manageable and rewarding:? Stay focused on the job ahead. Learn and absorb as much you can. Rome was not built in a day. So you are not expected to know everything.In fact, your lack of experience can be used to your advantage. Just say: "I am new to this job. Can you help me with........?? Sales activity: Your goal is to use whatever sales means at yur disposal: Cold calling; direct mail; email, networking, referrals, etc.Your aim is to build your sales funnel so that you have plenty of leads to work on. Do Remember that selling is a number's game.? Your Attitude determines your altitude. You should not believe all the hype or negative stuff that you hear around you. It will only put you down.Be enthusiastic and excited about the opportunity that you have been given. Stay positive and confident and keep repeating to yourself: I will succeed.? Make Selling a learning experience. Always keep learning. This is the only way that you are going to progress in sales.You will make a lot of mistakes, but Selling is a very forgiving business. You will win some and lose some in the beginning, but as long as you persevere and keep learning, your success is guaranteed.

Original :: selling what are the challenges facing a

why do sales people struggle for sales

Generally sales people, who struggle for sales or lack of it, struggle for a few ��reasons.In this article, I am going to explore the reason why sales people struggle and show steps to remedy it.Let's examine why Sales people chose the beautiful profession of selling:?������ To meet new clients & help solve their needs?������ To make lots of money?������ To accept challenges�& new opportunitiesThere are many reasons why sales people struggle in sales:?������ Lack of proper sales training & closing techniques. Sales training is always an evolving thing. There must be a constant interaction between the sales person and a coach/trainer/sales manager. Otherwise,the sales person does not know why, where and what he is doing wrong.?������ Most Sales people work for money instead of serving others. If money is the purpose of your sales actions, then, your client will see it through your eyes & your body language.?������ Sales people avoid taking responsibility for their own actions. Sales people have a tendency to take shortcuts. So if they are not getting the required sales, they will find excuses and blame everything else except themselves.?������ �Laziness and routine creeps in and they are not prepared to go the extra mile. This is where the value of persistence should be taught.?������ �Lack of goals is an indication of no passion, no purpose.?������ �They have stopped learning & rely on old ineffective habits.One way to solve the above is to work on building your sales based on purpose and passion. Passion will rekindle your old flame of selling. Become passionate and excited about your product or service and let the client see your enthusiasm.Purpose will instill in you a sense of discipline & hard work. If you have a burning desire to succeed in sales, you will achieve it.It is also a good idea to have a measuring yardstick fro sale s people. A salesperson needs to know what level they are at, what target they should aim and what the outcome will be if they achieved their goals.The same idea applies when the sales person is closing the sale. The sales person needs to know where his client is at a given time and once the vision is established, then the outcome is conclusive.Another way is self education. Always keep learning. �Learn closing techniques and apply them.Get yourself a mentor or coach and stay focused on your goals.

Original :: why do sales people struggle for sales

how to overcome sales procrastination

Often a sales person's mind is riddled in procrastination and unless diagnosed early, it can create havoc and lead to a downward spiral. You may have the procrastination virus and not be aware of its dangers!My aim is in this article is to discover why procrastination is a major killer in sales and how to eliminate it. Procrastination is defined as to put off or defer a task for later. When you do that sales call, for example, do you write down immediately the particulars and action steps of that call so that you do not forget the details?If you are leaving it for later, not only you will forget the fine details, but you may miss a key element when you next negotiate for the order. Procrstination also occurs when routine sets in or perhaps when you worry excessively. You have not reached your sales target and you waste your time on things you don't want to have happenFear is another killer playing on the sales person's mind. The fear of not succeeding is a very real threat. Fear breeds negativity and this plays havoc with any sales person.The solution perhaps lies in the following steps:? Focus on opportunities & successful outcomes. Say to yourself that you will succeed no matter what. For example, when asking for the order, assume the sale and start writing the order.? Get down to business. Take decisive actions are better than inaction. Take your activity list and male sure that you complete them daily and you will have no time for procrastination.? Eliminate ineffective habits. Get into the habit of being busy and productive. Set yourself a daily goal and a to- do list and review it at the end of the day and plan for the next dayChange comes from the things that we pay attention to.Start tracking your daily thoughts: Are you aware that your attitude is negative and that you are using excuses all the time. Watch yourself and you will see that you spend your time blaming the boss, your partner, the economy, the dog, etcAll you have to do is take charge of your focus.

Original :: how to overcome sales procrastination