Modular Sales Training

In an increasingly competitive market developing a successful sales team requires consistent planned training. Human Capital Development offers tailored modular sales training which focuses on a step by step approach to developing sales skills and confidence.

Understanding Sales & Selling

This half day module starts by looking at why people buy and how best to evaluate customers real needs. Delegates complete an interactive exercise which highlights their own perception and explores the three levels of need. We move on to the difference between need and want to develop a greater understanding of the important difference in selling between interest and desire.The second part focuses on selling and what is needed to succeed as a salesperson, the different types of sales and personality types that fit these roles, for example Major Accounts is very different to telephone sales and/or field sales and prospecting.We study the key characteristics and motivations successful salespeople share and delegates complete a personality profile to give them greater self awareness. The module completes with an hour looking into discussing the sales cycle and the wheel of success in sales.

Winning Appointments

Success in sales hinges on meeting the right person at the right time. Most sales roles require the individual to find and develop their own contacts, either from scratch, from data which is often outdated, or if lucky from warm leads developed from marketing.

The level of success in the early years is directly proportionate to the amount and quality of activity devoted to finding good prospects, meeting with them and converting them into customers.

This module covers some of the aspects needed to build early success in selling; how to win the appointments, what to say on the telephone and what not so say. Most important how to win enough time during that initial call to learn a little more about the ‘prospect’ and their company, plus develop enough interest in them to schedule a first meeting.

Questioning Skills

This module covers sales questioning skills, exploring such techniques as SPIN and TURN. The need for salespeople to ask questions is as old as selling itself, as any successful salesperson will inform you that ‘selling is asking’ and not ‘telling’.

This very clever module will improve on any sales person’s skills and subsequent results that have never been through any structures sales questioning programme before.

From Situation questions to start the sales process be it face to face or on the telephone, through Problem questioning on to Pain and eventually Gain questions. This sequential method is the backbone of professional selling and an essential module to run in any companies sales development programme. Further information is available on request with agendas and details of delivery.

Handling Objections

Regardless of how good a salesperson is, they will meet up with reasons not to buy i.e. ‘objections’. The first thing they need to learn is that most ‘objections’ are opportunities… because they often mask the real interest and concerns of the buyer.

This important module explores how to spot the difference between true and false objections and what responses and questions to ask in order to handle the situation correctly. Are there obstacles they need to help prospects overcome; if so are they confident to deal effectively with these ‘buying signals’. In addition, when they are given false objections can they determine if it is a ‘put off’ or stall. More important, what are the real reasons which are not even on the radar which has to be dealt with before they can progress to an order.

The module also brainstorms with delegates to list the most common objections they face, grouping them into categories to be worked on and practiced in groups. At the end of the module delegates leave greater confidence and view objections in a positive way as opportunities to close the business.

Pre Closing Techniques

This module helps develop a greater understanding of the importance of knowing where you stand and the chances of winning the business before a close is attempted. Sometimes our prospect has listened intently, we are getting on well and they are responding in the positive way but have not committed to anything as yet…what should we do? Ask a closing question too early could spoil the mood, but talk for too long and the opportunity could be lost.

This session teaches that the best practice every time is to chance ones arm rather than walk away without asking! If in doubt ask a pre-close question first, it’s a way of playing safe in any situation without damaging the relationship we have developed or endangering our chances to continue to develop them to a positive conclusion.

This module covers the most effective pre-closing questions with delegates pairing-up, practicing and assimilating these to develop the ones they each feel comfortable using down to develop their sales craft and success.

Strategic Selling

This half-day Major Accounts Sales course covers the essential basics needed to succeed when selling to any organisation where there are multiple decision makers.

We look at the different types of influencer in an organisation, what they are responsible for, their different perceptions towards our product or service, and how to approach and talk to them. We move from the Economic Influencer (Financial Director) to the Technical Influencer (I.T. Manager or Director). From The User Influencer, who will often be somebody we wouldn’t normally visit to the Veto person, who might be the ultimate boss or somebody we normally do not meet.We facilitate in this module a structure and understanding of the different ways of focusing our efforts towards each influencer; the different aspects of our product or service and how the solution we offer affects them. We reinforce the knowledge that at this level when we cover all the bases we will hold up well against our competitors…and win more major accounts.

Selling to the Powerbase – An Introduction

This essential sales training programme represents the latest in Major Accounts selling; a fusion of sales methodologies from over 30 years sales experience, drawing on ideas from Strategic Selling by Miller & Heinemann, Power Base Selling by Jim Holden and The Art of War by Sun Tzu.

We cover all the important aspects of key account management with adequate time for delegates to begin developing their new skills using actual customer accounts. Once they return to their desk they will be reinvigorated to look at new ways of securing current business and better sales penetration and business development from their Key Accounts.

Customer Centric Training

Success in repeat business is often down to the quality of service, this includes the way customers are treated and how we conduct our business. This is equally important whether it is in the front line with our salespeople or in the back office where the accounts are managed or chased for payment. We cover the very best practices and excellence in Customer 1st Services, the what, why, where and how to centre our services around the customer and their needs, the course is aimed at all employees. The programme includes:

• Competencies in Customer Service.
• The 5 levels of Customer Commitment.
• How excellence in customer service will give your company a marketing advantage.
• Case Studies – examples of how customer centric is eventually worth 10% or more on the bottom line.
• Complaint management, why a complaint is a gift.
• How to keep customers satisfied on a daily basis.
• Courtesy in action and what to say on the telephone.
• Winning more business through improved customer loyalty.

 This course is as essential for all those in the front line, as it is for everybody that communicates in anyway with the customer.

Listening Skills

This module focuses on the essential skill of listening to our customers. Inexperienced salespeople keep talking to avoid listening but sales professionals know how and when to listen. These ‘sales stars’ understand the power of questions in developing a constructive and relevant two way communication with customers.

This module starts by explaining the importance of listening and learning and delegates are tested on their current skills level. We explore the psychology behind listening and the three levels of active listening to developing the sales conversation, plus the use of ‘smart questioning’ from what we have learnt from listening to the customers.Case studies are worked on in pairs and we role play with set scenarios to maximise and consolidate learnt skills. 

The Essential Skills in Selling