SELLING SKILLS

9 Essential Selling Skills Every Sales Person Must Know

Prospecting
Without a consistently full pipeline you will struggle to !eet your sales targets an" goals#
$ou will e%perience peaks an" valleys an" e%perience a great "eal of frustration#
&nfortunately very few co!panies actually teach sales people how to prospect effectively#
'n" the vast !a(ority of sales people rely on (ust a few prospecting !etho"s such as col"
calling or networking#
)owever there are !any other ways to "ru! up new *usiness inclu"ing+ asking for
referrals approaching custo!ers who haven,t purchase" fro! you recently speaking at
in"ustry conferences writing articles (oining associations an" actively participating looking
for a""itional opportunities to sell "eeper into e%isting custo!ers con"ucting face-to-face
col" calls an" arranging weekly coffee *reakfast or lunch !eetings#
.he key is to "e"icate a significant a!ount of your weekly sche"ule to prospecting activities
regar"less of how long you have *een in *usiness or in your sales role#
/uestioning
'lthough this soun"s like a fun"a!ental concept the !a(ority of sales people I have
encountere" over the last 01 years fail to effectively e%ecute it#
Many sales people ask low-value 2uestions that "o little to engage their prospects in the
sales conversation# E%a!ples inclu"e3
4're you the "ecision !aker56
4What,s your *u"get56
4What "o you know a*out our co!pany56
4're you intereste" in saving !oney56
4What are your nee"s56
&nfortunately too !any sales people still ask tire" out-"ate" 2uestions like these# 's a
result they fail to "ifferentiate the!selves fro! the co!petition or "e!onstrate their
e%pertise#
.rue sales professionals know how to ask high-value 2uestions# /uestions that encourage
their prospect to share "etails an" infor!ation a*out their *usiness that in turn will help the
rep effectively position their solution# )igh-value sales 2uestions can transition into tough
penetrating 2uestions# /uestions that !ake your prospect sit up an" think#
/uestions that cause the! to say 4.hat,s a goo" 2uestion#6 /uestions like3
4What goals are you striving to achieve this 2uarter56
4What challenges are you e%periencing trying to reach those targets56
4What are those pro*le!s costing you in ter!s of lost revenue custo!ers !arket
share etc#56
4What i!pact is that having on your *usiness5 7n you56
4)ow i!portant is this pro(ect co!pare" to the others on your plate56
4What coul" potentially prevent this fro! !oving forwar"56
4What internal challenges "o you nee" to "eal with *efore this pro(ect gets the go-
ahea"56
When you "evelop the a*ility to ask high-value 2uestions you will stan" out fro!
your co!petition while also learning !ore a*out your prospect,s specific situation#
Listening
$ou can ask all the 2uestions in the worl" *ut if you "on,t listen carefully to what the other
person tells you you are wasting your ti!e an" losing valua*le sales opportunities# 'ctive
listening !eans actually hearing what people tell you# It !eans asking clarifying 2uestions
when the other person says so!ething vague or that re2uires ela*oration#
.rue listening !eans that you stop !ulti-tasking "uring a telephone conversation# 8on,t type
notes into your co!puter scan e!ails or anything else#
9ocus your full attention on the other person#
Listen for un"erlying !eanings clues an" cues an" respon" accor"ingly#
7ne of the !ost effective ways to show a prospect that you have listene" :an" hear"; what
they have tol" you is to 2uickly recap the key points they !entione" as *eing i!portant#
Presentation Skills
4&! I," like to uh "iscuss how our service can u! help you uh re"uce e!ployee
turnover#6
Not a very co!pelling to *egin a sales presentation is it5 $et this type of opening or
presentation is not unco!!on#
.wo aspects of presentations nee" to *e consi"ere"3
'# .he content# .oo !any sales people inclu"e far too !uch infor!ation in their
presentations an" open the! *y talking a*out their co!pany instea" of the *uyer,s
situation# <esist the 4inclu"e everything *ut the kitchen sink6 approach an" only "iscuss the
aspects of your offering that are critical for your prospect to know#
=# .he ver*al presentation# >onsi"er your pace ti!ing an" actual "elivery# .he !ore
i!portant a potential sale is for you the !ore critical it is that you ver*ally rehearse that
presentation# Watch your *o"y language gestures an" facial e%pressions#
.he *est way to i!prove your presentation skills is to vi"eo-tape a presentation an" watch it
afterwar"s# It can *e painful to watch yourself in action *ut it is the !ost effective way to see
how you actually "eliver a presentation#
<apport-*uil"ing
8eveloping a connection is still i!portant in to"ay,s sales environ!ent even though we rely
heavily on technology# People still *uy fro! people#
>reating rapport with so!eone !eans connecting with the!#
.his "oes not !ean that you talk a*out a photo on the "esk or an awar" on their wall?that
approach is severely out"ate"#
Instea" you nee" to *e a*le to speak your prospect,s language# $ou nee" to "e!onstrate
that you un"erstan" the *usiness pro*le! they face#
9or e%a!ple if a client has e%perience" a significant "ecline in their profit !argins "ue to
changes in the !arketplace you nee" to *e a*le to talk a*out that pro*le!@intelligently#
When you e%ecute this properly you not only "evelop rapport with the other person you
also position yourself as an e%pert#
$ou can also esta*lish rapport *y outlining the goal of your sales call confir!ing the ti!e
that,s *een allotte" an" then finishing early# No one will EAE< co!plain a*out a sales
!eeting finishing earlyB
7*(ection han"ling
7*(ections are a natural part of the sales process# )owever how you respon" to the! can
!ake or *reak a "eal#
9irst it is essential that you outline the o*(ections you hear !ost fre2uently# .hen "eter!ine
the !ost appropriate re*uttal# )owever *efore you respon" follow these three short steps
first#
1. Empathize. .his !eans ver*ally stating that you un"erstan" respect or appreciate the
other person,s concern# 4Mr# S!ith I un"erstan" that you have *u"get issues to "eal with#6
2. Clarify. <estate the o*(ection *ack to the prospect in your own wor"s to ensure that you
clearly un"erstan" it 4So you see the value in this pro"uct it,s (ust that the purchase
e%cee"s the *u"get you ha" allotte" correct56
3. Seek permission. 'sk the other person for per!ission to offer a solution# 4Mr# S!ith
woul" it *e okay if I took a !inute to "iscuss a few options56
9ollow this process an" you will fin" that !ost people will *e !ore receptive to hearing your
solution#
Persistence
If you want to achieve long-ter! success in sales you M&S. *e persistent# )owever there
is a significant "ifference *etween *eing persistent an" stalking so!eone#
Persistence !eans fin"ing creative ways to keep your na!e in your prospect,s !in"#
Persistence !eans not allowing the first few no,s to prevent you fro! pursuing high-value
legiti!ate sales opportunities#
Persistence !eans asking for the *usiness the appoint!ent or the right 2uestions when
necessary even if the prospect is going in a "ifferent "irection#
7rganiCational Skills
.o succee" in sales you nee" a plan#
$ou nee" to *e organiCe"#
$ou nee" to *e a*le to outline your "ay week an" !onthly sche"ule in or"er of priority#
$ou nee" to (uggle the "e!an"s place" on your ti!e *ecause it is virtually i!possi*le to get
everything "one that you nee" to in a given "ay#
.his inclu"es contacting your !ost i!portant an" value" custo!ers first an" investing !ore
ti!e with the! than your low-value accounts# It !eans !anaging your ti!e so you focus on
co!pleting the !ost i!portant tasks first :i#e# prospecting; rather than spen"ing ti!e on
things you en(oy "oing#
9ocus
Lastly sales people nee" to have focus#
.here are a !ultitu"e of "istractions that threaten to challenge your focus# E!ail telephone
calls te%t !essages pro*le!s paperwork an" traffic are (ust a few#
=eing a*le to !aintain your focus on the *ig picture as well as the s!aller "etails can !ake
the "ifference *etween success an" failure#
.his also applies to each sales call an" !eeting# 8eter!ine the key o*(ective for each call
an" focus on achieving that o*(ective#
Selling in to"ay,s hectic an" co!ple% *usiness worl" re2uires tre!en"ous effort an" energy#
It is highly co!petitive an" stressful# )owever you can i!prove your results an" achieve a
!uch higher return on your invest!ent *y "eveloping an" applying these essential sales
skills#
1 G<E'. S'LES P<7SPE>.ING .E>)NI/&ES
Prospecting is an integral part of sales an" the i!portance of effective sales prospecting
techni2ues cannot *e un"eresti!ate"# $et !any sales people prospect without the *enefit
of first learning the sales prospecting techni2ues that coul" *e helping the! fin" *etter
2ualifie" lea"s !ore 2uickly# .his lack of focus un"er!ines the effort put into prospecting
since lea"s who are not 2ualifie" ulti!ately will not *e a*le to co!plete thesales cycle
resulting in further ti!e loss D ti!e that coul" *e spent actively selling# .hese five great
sales prospecting techni2ues can help you avoi" that outco!e *y !aking your prospecting
!ore efficient an" !ore effective#
0# Great Sales Prospecting .echni2ues3 .urn a >ol" >ontact War!
>ol" calling an" "oor knocking are facts of life in sales *ut not all initial phone calls or visits
have to *e col"# Especially with high-value lea"s it can *e helpful to war! up the lea" with a
low pressure initial contact *y !ail or e-!ail# =y fa!iliariCing the contact with your na!e
an" *usiness affiliation *efore !aking a phone call or "rop-in visit you can increase your
chances of a war! reception#
E# Great Sales Prospecting .echni2ues3 =eco!e a Su*(ect Matter E%pert
'lthough there is little a sales person can "o to !ake an un2ualifie" lea" 2ualifie" a sales
person can "o a great "eal to interest lea"s in an offering# 7ne way to increase interest is to
*eco!e a su*(ect !atter e%pert# 's a sales person you alrea"y know the ins an" outs of
your in"ustry+ esta*lish yourself as an e%pert *y looking for opportunities to speak or
present at conferences an" tra"e shows# .hese high-visi*ility venues will help you esta*lish
cre"i*ility an" trust while reaching out to new lea"s#
F# Great Sales Prospecting .echni2ues3 )ol" $ourself 7ut as a <esource
.op sales people "o !ore than sell+ they also support their clients after the sale is !a"e
repositioning the!selves as the provi"ers of solutions not (ust pro"ucts an" services# When
clients have an opportunity to !ake a referral the person whose na!e co!es to !in" will
*e the person who offere" a solution# Sales people who are a*le to *eco!e resources to
clients are then a*le to continually prospect fro! referre" lea"s alrea"y intereste" in
*uil"ing a *usiness relationship#
G# Great Sales Prospecting .echni2ues3 &se a Script
)ighly e%perience" sales people so!eti!es a"vise those new to selling not to use a script
un"er the *elief that scripting can !ake a conversation soun" like too !uch of a har" sell#
What those giving this a"vice "on,t realiCe is that they are using a script D the script is
si!ply so !e!oriCe" fro! practice it soun"s as natural as unrehearse" speaking# 'll sales
people shoul" have a *asic script for prospecting an" practice it until it soun"s right# .he
*est scripts3
<e"uce unco!forta*le pauses in the conversation
&se natural language at the prospect,s level
Provi"e high-level interest generators
Inclu"e responses to the !ost fre2uent o*(ections for "eclining further contact
1# Great Sales Prospecting .echni2ues3 <e!e!*er Prospecting is Not Selling
'lthough prospecting supports selling prospecting is not selling# Prospecting is "one to fin"
lea"s who can *e 2ualifie" an" le" into a sale# 7nly once a prospect is 2ualifie" "oes the
true selling take place# 's a result sales people who treat prospecting as a relationship
*uil"ing e%ercise ten" to *e !ore successful since this approach re"uces pressure on the
prospect an" on the sales person# With the focus on *uil"ing a relationship *oth parties are
!ore co!forta*le interacting+ this for!s a fir! foun"ation of trust for a "eal *y the ti!e
active selling enters the picture#
.here are !any sales prospecting techni2ues you can use to support your prospecting
efforts# .he task is to fin" the !ost effective an" co!forta*le techni2ues for you# Practice
your sales prospecting techni2ues until you fin" the right !i% to support your sales goals#
9 steps to *etter negotiation skills
Entrepreneurs an" e%perts reveal the secrets *ehin" striking the *est "eal
4'l!ost every aspect of the *usiness lan"scape is negotia*le6 says 'n"rew Si!!ons
!anaging partner of negotiation specialists .he Gap Partnership# In recessionary ti!es this
can work in your favor as the pressure to get the !ost out of relationships an" realiCe value
fro! "eals is higher than ever#
So whether you,re face" with suppliers looking to hike prices clients e%ten"ing their
pay!ent ter!s fi%ing a price for new *usiness or "ealing with an e!ployee,s re2uest for a
pay rise un"erstan"ing the art of negotiation will consi"era*ly increase your chances of a
positive outco!e#
.here is a lot !ore to negotiation than open-en"e" 2uestioning an" other sales tricks an" a
few key principles will stan" you in goo" stea" no !atter what you,re *artering over# We
have "istille" the a"vice of a nu!*er of e%perts into 0H top tips for perfecting this crucial
an" so!eti!es un"ervalue" art#
Preparation is everything
4$ou can,t wing negotiations6 says Mark Iaco*s !arketing "irector of sales an" *usiness
!anage!ent training co!pany .he M"ina Partnership# 4$ou,ve got to know your au"ience
what they want an" what 2uestions you nee" to ask#6
.he first step is to un"erstan" what,s "riving the party you,re negotiating with an" where
their priorities really lie#
.ailor your response
9igure out what type of in"ivi"uals you are "ealing with an" talk to the! in a language they
recognise# In short fin" out how to push their *uttons# Kevin 8ougall !anaging "irector of
'P )< Solutions uses a four-colour syste! to !ake an initial assess!ent of a person3 a
*lue person is for!al precise an" analytical an" nee"s a lot of "ata *efore they can !ake
a "ecision+ a re" is purposeful "e!an"ing an" co!petitive an" !ore intuitive+ green
people are caring rela%e" an" patient an" "on,t like to rush things+ yellows are war!
e%pressive socia*le an" often persuasive#
7nce you,ve "eter!ine" who you,re "ealing with a"apting your approach will !ake
negotiation easier# =lues or thinkers will want lots of infor!ation re"s or knowing people
(ust want the *are *ones while yellows an" greens prefer stories or "iagra!s# )owever it,s
i!portant to un"erstan" what type of person you are too# 4If they,ve got a strong Jre"K
knowing person putting your own strong co!petitor or thinking person in against the! is
not going to work6 says 8ougall# 4Instea" look for your own Jgreen or yellowK pleaser or
feeling person to help !ake the other party feel like they are winning# $ou nee" to a"(ust
who talks to who a*out what#6
Listen carefully
4Nature gave us two ears an" one !outh an" in life D generally you,ve got to use the! in
that proportion6 says 8ougall a""ing that this is the *est way to un"erstan" who you,re up
against# )e reco!!en"s asking the other party what they want to get out of the negotiation
an" a"vises an initial face-to-face !eeting to "iscuss this *efore getting into the specifics#
Si!!ons *elieves knowle"ge is power# 4.he !ore you say the !ore you give away6 he
says# 4E%ercise control *e 2uiet# 'sk lots of open 2uestions# Let the! talk listen an" take
notes#6
=e !entally prepare"
We give 11L of what,s going on in our hea" away through our *o"y an" face-to-face is
usually the preferre" !e"iu! for negotiation# So you nee" to take the right !ental
approach# If you feel su*or"inate it will *e har" to cover this up an" will set the wrong tone
fro! the outset# Even your !ost (unior staff shoul" *e encourage" to think of negotiation as
a *usiness-to-*usiness "iscussion#
4Whatever,s going on in your hea" will co!e out of your *o"y6 says Iaco*s# 4If a (unior
salesperson is trying to sell so!ething to so!eone senior their approach !ight *e
su*servient# .hat is a terri*le negotiating position#6
Instea" those entering into negotiations shoul" think3 4We all nee" each other#6 Know the
value of what you,re offering an" how it helps the other party# 7nce your hea" is clear you
will feel in control an" can take the lea" through 2uestioning#
8iscuss "on,t sell
Negotiation shoul" *e a "iscussion of how to achieve a !utually agreea*le outco!e not a
selling e%ercise# 4.he classic sales pitch is Mlook what we can "o for you,6 says Iaco*s#
4What you shoul" *e saying is3 M.his is what we "o an" what we can offer# )ow can it help
you5, .his gives you so!ething to negotiate with as they,re telling you why they want your
pro"uct or service#6
'lso try to i"entify tra"e-offs D things you can offer that are of a low cost to you *ut high
value to the! or 4coinage6 accor"ing to Iaco*s# Let,s say you,re selling I. syste!s an"
part of the offering is two "ays, on-site help fro! your engineer# $ou coul" give the! three
"ays *ecause you alrea"y pay for that person so a "ay here or there "oesn,t cost you
!uch# =ut if you usually charge your engineer out at N1HH a "ay that,s valua*le to the!# In
other wor"s how can you help the! to help you5
4If it,s your pro"uct or service on the ta*le the key issue is trying not to !ove on price6 says
Iaco*s# 4So what can you agree to give the! that !eans they still *uy at the original price56
.ake so!e ti!e out
8on,t *e afrai" to ask for a *reak in negotiations to collect your thoughts# 4$ou nee" ti!e to
go away an" reconsi"er6 says 8ougall# 4&nless you,re up against an a*solute fi%e"
"ea"line *e prepare" to ask for ti!e out an" use this to recali*rate your thought
processes#6
&n"erstan" your position?
=efore you enter negotiations for! three positions in your hea"3 what you coul" get away
with D which is usually your opening *i"+ what you e%pect to get *ase" on a knowle"ge of
your !arket+ an" your "eal *reakers# 7r as Iaco*s puts it3 your 4!ega win6 your 4e%pecte"
win6 an" your 4walk away6# 4In the heat of the *attle it,s easy to give !ore away than you
want to# It,s 2uite an e!otional thing6 he says# So it,s vital to work out these positions in
a"vance#
Si!!ons reco!!en"s *eing e%tre!e *ut realistic with your opening *i"# 4Move fro! this
position to give the! the satisfaction of winning6 he says# 4.his helps the! *eco!e !ore
agreea*le# $ou nee" trust for colla*oration to work# &nrealistic positions "a!age
relationships#6
?an" get to know theirs
7ne of the *iggest !istakes negotiators !ake accor"ing to Iaco*s is failing to uncover
their opponent,s position# When selling for e%a!ple if a potential custo!er "oes not want
to pay your asking price ask the! what they "o want to pay#
4I think a lot of people !iss that *it out6 he says# 4.hey,ll say 7K we,ll give you 0HL off
an" the client will say3 M.hat,s not enough, an" then the sales!an will offer !ore# We call
that Mringing the "ishcloth,# When "o you stop "oing it5 When the "rops stop co!ing out#6
7nce they have tol" you what they are willing to pay you have two positions an" there is
scope for negotiation#
Everyone,s a winner
If you,re going to have an ongoing relationship with the other party negotiation nee"s to *e
win-win# 4Negotiation shoul" always *e a*out un"erstan"ing how we are solving people,s
pro*le!s an" what pain we are taking away6 says Iaco*s#
7nce !ore with feeling
Whether it,s an e!ployee asking for !ore holi"ay or you,re agreeing the price for a pro"uct
e!otions are usually involve" in negotiations# 'ccor"ing to 8ougall talks often fail "ue to
co!!unication pro*le!s even when an agree!ent isn,t far away# So you can go a stage
further than si!ply fin"ing out a*out who you,re negotiating with D an" a step closer to
success D *y carefully assessing how sensitive the su*(ect is an" the level of e!otion
involve" an" taking this into account#