- Acquire a toolkit of powerful influencing skills
- Understand how to capture the client’s attention
- Master techniques for explaining your value proposition
Overview
This three-day, coaching based training provides an opportunity for experienced sales people to (a) refresh themselves on the basic sales skills and (b) look in-depth at some of the techniques that great sales people use to lead a customer through the sales process. It covers meeting preparation strategies, influencing skills, and a seven step process for facilitating a face-to-face meeting.
Learning objectives
By attending this highly interactive three-day course you will:
- Discuss the role of the ‘Solution Sales’ expert
- Increase your ability to plan effectively for client meetings
- Learn methods for creating a good first impression
- Develop methods for creating rapport
- Access a process for motivating customers to take action
Who should attend?
Sales people with more than one year’s experience who wish to develop their solution selling skills to a more advanced level.
Day 1
The role of the Solution Sales expert
Appreciating what it takes, in terms of personal qualities, to be effective in a solution selling role.
Pairs exercise: assessing your attitudes
Explaining Value
How to explain clearly and concisely to a Decision Maker how you can ‘add value’’ to them and their organisation.
- Value Propositions
- Case Studies and Social Proof
- Benefits Presentation
Group exercise: developing case studies
Day 1 (cont)
Understanding client needs - Logical Levels
The Logical Levels process is concerned with asking high quality questions that map out precisely the customer or prospect’s needs and requirements.
- The Logical Levels concept
- Moving up logical levels
- Moving down logical levels
- Softeners
Pairs exercise: conducting logical levels interviews
Day 1 (cont)
Overview of the Rapport Sales Call Method™
An initial overview of the Rapport Sales Call Method™, which is a highly efficient process for developing a solution selling process. The method includes; identifying needs, building the motivation to act and getting a commitment to take action.
Demonstration of The Rapport Sales Call Method™
The trainer role-plays the whole Rapport Method, in front of the participants, so they can get a sense of how the process works.
Day 1 (cont)
Single Role-Play: Trainer led, real time feedback
Two people role-play while all the other participants observe them. The Trainer gives active, real time, feedback as the role-play unfolds. (i.e. they stop the participants, call a ‘time out’ and make suggestions for improvement.)
Double Role-Play round 1: Group led, real time feedback
Two course participants engage in a role-play in front of the half group (i.e. there are two role-plays run in parallel.) The delegates who are observing give active, real time, feedback as the role-play unfolds.
Day 2
Understanding the sales cycle
Analysing what it takes to win business, and understanding the importance of mapping the Decision Making Unit and proper planning and preparation in advance of attending a sales meeting.
Pairs exercise: analysing the decision-making unit
Key sales skills
Covering the vital sales skills that research shows are key to effective ‘solutions selling’.
- Matching Values
- Summarising
- Reframing
- Behaviour Labelling
- Conditional Close
Pairs exercise: practising the sales skills
Day 2 (cont)
Making a positive first impression
Understanding the techniques that are available for making a positive initial impact.
- Mind Scripts
- Credibility Statements
- The use of social media
- Introducing your company
Pairs exercise: practising a ‘self introduction’
Day 2 (cont)
Double Role-Play round 2: Group led, real time feedback
Two course participants engage in a role-play in front of the half group (i.e. there are two role-plays run in parallel.) The delegates who are observing give active, real time, feedback as the role-play unfolds.
Multiple Role-Play round 1: Video based feedback
Multiple Role-Play (people work in teams of three): Two people role-play while a third person observes and videos them. At the end of the role-play the Observer gives their initial analysis, then all three watch the video playback and make comments. Each person takes it in turn to be (a) the Solution Sales professional, (b) the customer and (c) the Observer.
Day 3
Maintaining Contact
Appreciating how to stay in touch with potential customers over a period of time.
Group exercise: defining a customer contact strategy
Dealing with resistance
Understanding the tools and techniques that can be used to explore and overcome any obstacles that may be put up by a customer when discussing a particular topic or issue.
- Pointers
- Truth test question
- Feel/Felt/Found
- Use of metaphor
- Three Step Assertive technique
Pairs exercise: using the Three Step technique
Pairs exercise: using the Feel/Felt/Found technique
Day 3 (cont)
Double Role-Play round 3: Group led, real time feedback
Two course participants engage in a role-play in front of the half group (i.e. there are two role-plays run in parallel.) The delegates who are observing give active, real time, feedback as the role-play unfolds.
Multiple Role-Play round 2: Video based feedback
Multiple Role-Play (people work in teams of three): Two people role-play while a third person observes and videos them. At the end of the role-play the Observer gives their initial analysis, then all three watch the video playback and make comments. Each person takes it in turn to be (a) the Solution Sales professional, (b) the customer and (c) the Observer.
Feedback
Feedback is based upon peer review using a Boulden assessment checklist. Completing the assessment checklist is not only valuable to the people involved in a given case study, it also helps those completing them to gain an in-depth understanding of the building blocks that make up the Solution Selling process.
Remote Training
All of our workshops can be delivered as Remote Training via e-learning modules plus Zoom based virtual workshops. Please see our Virtual Training page for more information.
