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2 © Diversified Operations Corp & Envision Group Ltd.


Contents

Introduction to Professional Sales................................................................................. 4

Module 1: Understanding Yourself and Others ............................................................... 5

Topic 1 - What kind of sales person are you? .............................................................. 5

Transactional Selling ................................................................................................ 5

Relationship Selling .................................................................................................. 5

Topic 2 - Understanding the DISC Profile for Selling ..................................................... 7

DISC profiles explained: D is for Dominance/Driver ...................................................... 8

DISC profiles explained: I is for Influence ................................................................. 10

DISC profiles explained: S is for Steady.................................................................... 11

DISC profiles explained: C is for Compliance ............................................................. 13

Topic 3 - Adapting Your Approach ............................................................................ 15

Topic 4 - Listening Actively ..................................................................................... 17

Module 2: Vision and Mission .................................................................................... 18

Topic 1: Vision ...................................................................................................... 18

Topic 2: Mission .................................................................................................... 21

Module 3: Building your Business Strategy ................................................................. 23

Topic 1 - Creating a Compelling USP ........................................................................ 23

Topic 2 - Create Your Elevator Speech ...................................................................... 27

Module 4: Territory Planning ..................................................................................... 30

Topic 1 – Planning with a Pyramid............................................................................ 30

Topic 2 – Strategy Development .............................................................................. 32

Topic 3 - Sales Call Planning ................................................................................... 32

Topic 3 – Goal Setting ............................................................................................ 37

Topic 4 – Post Sale Analysis and R.O.T.I ................................................................... 41

Topic 5 - Time Management .................................................................................... 47

Module 5: Account Management................................................................................ 51

Topic 1 – Keeping your Customers ........................................................................... 51

Topic 2 - Key Account Management ......................................................................... 54

Topic 3 – The Sales Funnel ..................................................................................... 55

Module 6: Selling with Insight .................................................................................... 57

Topic 1 - Overview ................................................................................................. 57

Topic 2 – Connecting .............................................................................................. 59

Topic 3 – Convince ................................................................................................. 61

Topic 4 – Collaborate with Influence ......................................................................... 64

Module 7: Negotiation and Overcoming Objections ....................................................... 66

Topic 1: Negotiation ............................................................................................... 66

Topic 2: Overcoming Objections .............................................................................. 67


Introduction to Professional Sales

The sales landscape has changed. It’s no longer a seller’s market. Instead, due to the growth

of content marketing, social media and the wealth of free information that’s readily available,

customers have control. What’s more, due to the change in the way people seek information

to help inform their buying decisions, the role of sales reps have changed too.

You may have discovered that traditional sales techniques such as cold calling are no longer

as effective as they used to be. In the past, sales teams played a key role in educating and

informing prospects to help them make their buying decisions – often right at the start of the

sales funnel. This scenario is now rare.

Instead, in today’s customer’s market, it’s not unusual for a prospect to be a long way down

their buying journey when they first make contact with you. That’s because consumers can

(and do) educate themselves using the huge amount of eBooks, webinars and blogs available

for free. In addition, social search allows prospects to instantly get feedback, opinions and

recommendations from other users.

In many ways, sales is beginning to shift back to the early days of sales when sales were

made face to face with person to person contact. You bought from people you knew and had

a connection with instead of the people with the biggest budgets and fancy ad campaigns.

In the industrial age, sales shifted to a spray and pay model where sales professional became

less engaged and less human. We forced our products and services on our customers without

truly getting to know the core of their needs. This resulted in customer churn and ultimately

a business model that was unsustainable.

Today, technology has given us a chance to connect again. To better understand our prospects

while giving us the tools we need to better nurture and build on existing relationships.

Additionally, these tools are making sales more human again. We’re back to the days of

putting relationships first and building sustainable relationships.

It means sales reps have to work differently... Instead of “pure” selling, they need to focus

on adding value they need to become a source of information and best practices for their

customers.

Insight selling requires skills, product and industry expertise, knowledge of customer

circumstances, and more time and effort than with Transactional Selling.

Over the next few days we will provide you with the detailed support that is required by

salespeople so that it is easy for you to deliver a consistent experience of value. Customers

feel important. They feel that the salesperson cares, is listening to them and is responsive.

This builds more trust and comfort in sharing insights that permit a more valuable and

relevant response to their needs.

You will be delivering powerful and meaningful experiences that quickly increase revenue.

You will have a new set of insight selling skills that will quickly show improvements in sales

effectiveness.


Module 1: Understanding Yourself and Others

Topic 1 - What kind of sales person are you?

Think about someone you seek out when you’re working through a challenge. They help you

think things through and see what’s important. They ask the right questions. They listen.

They don’t just give you answers — they help you come up with them. And yet, they’re not

afraid to tell you what they think, share their ideas, and take a stand when they feel strongly

about something. People like this make us better. They help us see what’s possible. That’s

why we get so much from interacting with them. That’s why we seek them out again and

again.

The sellers who are winning major sales these days are starting to look just like these people.

With the rise of the Internet, today’s customers have a lot of information and choices, but

they don’t necessarily have more wisdom or confidence. They need people to share ideas and

help them think these ideas through. Yet this is where so many sellers are struggling, falling

short and losing, while a select few are getting it right and winning.

Transactional Selling

This strategy is all about short-term solutions. The sales rep is primarily concerned with the

promotion and selling of the product with little or no emphasis on customer needs. This

strategy, also known as traditional selling, is all about the single sale and focuses on short-

term interactions between a customer and a salesperson such as:

Professional Visitor - succeeds on personality or shared interests, forming limited

relationships with customers rather than long-term alliances that promote future sales.

Price and Content Seller - highlights costs, deals, and quotes. While price sales people

may meet customers’ financial needs, only coincidentally do they meet other needs,

reinforcing a perception of their products or services as commodities. Content sales people

emphasize product or service features, often without linking them to key issues for the

customer. This "feature focus" is long on technical information and short on explicit

benefits to the customer.

Chameleon – has the ability to be as changeable as a chameleon, willing to try putting a

new spin on what they have to offer.

Relationship Selling

This strategy is all about building long-term relationships. The sales rep gets to know his/her

customer, their needs and their wants. Then and only then does the salesperson even think

about trying to make a sale. Relationship salespeople likely fall into one of the following:

Loyal Champion - possesses deep insight into the customer’s business and industry. As

a result, the customer views a Loyal Champion almost as an employee, often providing

access to strategic plans and other inside information. In these close relationships, the

salesperson often acts as an advocate for the customer within the sales organization.

Consultative (Needs Satisfaction Seller) - creates mutually beneficial relationships,

uncovering a customer’s critical needs and tailoring solutions to each customer’s situation.

When customers view the salesperson as a Need Satisfaction Seller, a new world of sales

possibilities begins to emerge. As a resourceful expert they apply in-depth product and

industry expertise to configure solutions that meet customer needs. This deep knowledge

often creates value for customers at different organizational levels who interact with the

solution in different capacities.


Insight Seller (Trusted Advisor) - has achieved the ultimate customer relationship.

Trusted Advisors consistently use their in-depth knowledge and highly developed sales

skills to the customers’ benefit. Over time, they earn the right to influence all stages of

the buying cycle. A Trusted Advisor discovers and meets critical needs in unparalleled

ways by providing not only products and services, but also insights, advice and assistance.

Notes:


Topic 2 - Understanding the DISC Profile for Selling

To connect with the customer it is helpful to present and converse in ways that THEY would

prefer, and not necessarily the way the sales person would like. If the customer is thoughtful,

analytical and deliberate and the sales person is “fly by the seat of the pants” . . . then there

is going to be a certain amount of disconnect and stress.

The DISC behavior models allow an understanding of how we might recognize and customize

our message so that it gets through the customer's mental filtering system. DISC looks at

how people interact with the world based on RESPONSIVENESS and ASSERTIVENESS.


DISC profiles explained: D is for Dominance/Driver

The “D” is looking for: Results

Emotion: Anger

Quick Observations: Extroverted, task-oriented Communication: Direct

Overextension: Impatient

Body Language:

Stance - Forward leaning, hand in pocket

Walks - Fast, always going somewhere

Gestures - A lot of hand movement when talking, big

gestures

Communication Clue: Doesn’t want others’ opinions, only

facts

These people are driven, determined and can tend to be a bit overbearing at time. D-Type

decision-makers are extroverted, active, demanding, forceful, egocentric, aggressive, and

decisive. CEOs often fall into this quadrant.

What are the general characteristics of the D Personality Style?

The D Personality Style tends to be direct and decisive, sometimes described as dominant.

They would prefer to lead than follow, and tend towards leadership and management

positions. They tend to have high self-confidence and are risk takers and problem solvers,

which enables others to look to them for decisions and direction. They tend to be self-starters.

What does the D Personality Type contribute to a team?

They think about big picture goals and tangible results. They are bottom-line organizers that

can lead an entire group in one direction. They place great value on time frames and seeing

results. The D may challenge the status quo and think in a very innovative way.

What are the possible weaknesses of the D Personality Style?

They tend to overstep authority, as they prefer to be in charge themselves. At times they can

be argumentative and not listen to the reasoning of others. They tend to dislike repetition and

routine and may ignore the details and minutia of a situation, even if it's important. They may

attempt too much at one time, hoping to see quick results.

What is the greatest fear of D Personality Types?

The D Personality Type will craves to be in control of the situation, and therefore fears the

idea of being taken advantage of by others.

What motivates the D Personality Style?

The D is highly motivated by new challenges, setting and achieving goals, and seeing tangible

results. They appreciate receiving verbal recognition from others as well as rewards. They

enjoy power and authority to take risks and make decisions. Freedom from routine and

mundane tasks is important. Since repetition is frustrating for the D, changing environments

in which to work and play can be highly motivating.

What is the ideal environment for the D Personality Type?

They like to focus on the future and the big picture, and like non-routine challenging tasks

and activities. They are motivated by projects that produce physical, trackable or tangible

results. They enjoy being in charge or having the freedom to make decisions for themselves

and may crave freedom from controls, supervision, and details.

What does the high D Personality Style desire?


D personalities desire freedom from others rules. They gravitate towards authority, personal

freedom, and opportunity for advancement. They desire recognition, awards, and prestige

for their work and ideas. In the work environment, D Personality Types, focus on promoting

growth and a "bottom line" approach.

What should one remember to do when working with D Personality Types?

When working with a D, be direct, to the point, and brief. Focus on tangible points and talk

about "what" instead of "how". Focus on business instead of social topics and try to be results

oriented. Make suggestions for how to achieve the goal instead of talking about why it won't

work. Try to thinking like a D, be confident and focus on problem solving.

What should one remember not to do when working with a D Personality Type?

When working with a D, it's important not to focus too much on the problems, the negative

points, and the small details. They are big picture thinkers and may perceive you as negative.

When speaking, try to speak confidently. Avoid repeating yourself or rambling. Don't make

generalizations and make statements without support. Focus on the topic and do not be too

sociable, they want to get right to the point.

What is a high D DISC Style likely to do when working with details or when

analyzing information?

Because the D Style wants to look forward and think in bigger terms, they tend to ignore the

information and analysis of past experiences and the details of what new projects may entail.

They may ignore potential risks, not weigh the pros and cons, and not consider the opinions

of others. They will likely offer innovative and progressive ideas and systems, but will need

someone else to break down the project and work with the specifics.

What positive characteristics does the D Personality Type possess when in teams?

They will likely be very autocratic managers in a team environment and rise to the top during

crisis moments. They will provide direction and leadership, push groups toward decision

making, will maintain focus on the goals, and will push for tangible results. They can

sometimes intimidate groups because of their directness and lack of social interest around

others. They are generally optimistic thinkers, but may have personality conflicts with others

they perceive as negative. They function well with heavy workloads and when under stress

and welcome new challenges and risks without fear.

Selling to D’s - Get to the point fast! Bullet points and headlines make content easier to

read and digest. They like to control their consumption so you may be able to use the

phone but don’t start with, “what are you doing or how is your day going”. Niceties are lost

on D’s, they just want to get on the phone, find out what is needed or what you are selling

and get off. D’s make buying decisions fast. Rarely will they ponder for days, let alone

weeks, on whether or not to buy something. They are jump right in and get started type

of people. That being said, don’t forget, they can dump you just as fast so you might want

to spread your marketing around a bit!


DISC profiles explained: I is for Influence

The “I” is looking for: The “Experience”

Emotion: Trust/Optimism

Quick Observations: Extroverted, people oriented

Communication: Indirect

Overextension: Disorganized

Body Language:

Stance - Feet spread, two hands in pockets

Walks - Weaves, people focused, may run into things

Gestures - A lot of big gestures and facial expressions when talking

Communication Clue: Talks with hands.

These are the fun people who like to be around other people. They like order and structure.

I-Type decision-makers are extroverted, active, social, talkative, emotional, optimistic, warm,

convincing, magnetic, and trusting. Sales and marketing people are often I’s.

What are the general characteristics of the I Personality Style?

The I Personality Style is not afraid to be the center of attention. They are enthusiastic,

optimistic, talkative, persuasive, impulsive and emotional. This Personality Type will trust

others naturally, truly enjoys being around others, and functions best when around people

and working in teams.

What does the I Personality Type contribute to a team?

The “I” style are naturally creative problem solvers who can think outside of the box. They

are great encouragers and motivators of others. They will go out of their way to keep things

light, avoid and negotiate conflict and keep the peace.

What are the possible weaknesses of the I Personality Style?

The I Personality Style is likely not good with detail. They are more concerned with people

and popularity than with tangible results and organization. It's also possible that they are not

great listeners, and may give the impression of waiting to speak instead of truly listening to

what someone else is saying.

What is the greatest fear of I Personality Types?

Since acceptance and approval by others is the main desire of I Personality Types, rejection

is their biggest fear.

What motivates the I Personality Style?

The I DISC Style is motivated by the approval, flattery, praise, popularity or acceptance by

others. They excel most when they can be the talker, the presenter, the one who builds

rapport or works in teams, but needs another person to handle the details.

Selling to I’s - You need to make I’s sound like you are in it together. I’s are much like D’s

in not wanting to have too much to read and going into overload. If you have a four page

marketing proposal they will not want to hurt your feelings and will promise to look at it, but

will probably find someone that they feel will be easier to work with. I’s will not go off and

work by themselves for days; they need to be with people and like to do things together. I’s

make buying decisions based on the person they are working with. If they like you they want

to work with you – the end. Keep up that relationship with good communication and you will

have them for life.


DISC profiles explained: S is for Steady

The “S” is looking for: Security

Emotion: Non-emotional

Quick Observations: Introverted, people oriented

Communication: Indirect

Overextension: Possessiveness

Body Language:

Stance - Leaning back, hand in pocket

Walks - Steady, easy pace

Gestures - Will gesture with hands Communication Clue: Has a “poker” face

People with the S style place an emphasis on cooperating with others within existing

circumstances to carry out the task. S-Type decision-makers are introverted, calm, relaxed,

deliberate, and consistent. They are concerned about employees and family, and

uncomfortable with sudden change. Human resources people are often in this quadrant.

What are the general characteristics of the S Personality Style?

The S Personality Style is known for being steady, stable, and predictable. They are even-

tempered, friendly, sympathetic with others, and very generous with loved ones. The S is

understanding and listens well. Preferring close, personal relationships, the S is very opened

with loved ones, but can also be possessive at times and hold them close.

What does the S Personality Type contribute to a team?

The S style is reliant and dependable. They are patient, good listeners, who want to work with

teams in a harmonious way. They strive for consensus and will try hard to reconcile conflicts

as they arise. They are compliant towards authority and a loyal team player. The S is also

good at multi-tasking and seeing tasks through until completion.

What are the possible weaknesses of the S Personality Style?

The S is described as stable and predictable; this is because they like to get into a routine

and what feels secure and stick with it. This results in an opposition towards change. However,

when change is occurring, they adjust best when given a long enough period of time to adjust

and an explanation of why the change is occurring. Because the S style is passive and avoids

conflict, they may also hold grudges when they experience frustrations and resentments,

instead of facing the issue head on. They strive for positive environments and relationships

and can be especially sensitive when it comes to criticism. They want to please others;

therefore may have a difficult time saying no or establishing priorities.

What is the greatest fear of S Personality Types?

Because the S strives for stability and a feeling of peace and safety, they fear the loss of

security through change.

What motivates the S Personality Style?

The S Personality Type is motivated by safety and security. They want to avoid conflict and

exist in peaceful environments and around groups that are at harmony. They truly appreciate

recognition for their loyalty and dependability.

What is the ideal environment for the S Personality Type?

The S flourishes in a team environment, when working with others and getting along. They

enjoy people, but prefer individuals and groups that they trust and feel comfortable around.

They like environments with little change or surprise and little to no conflict. They like tasks


that can be completed at one time or seen through from beginning to end and enjoy practical

procedures and system. The S style wants stability, predictability, and harmony.

What does the high S Personality Style desire?

S Personality Types desire sincere appreciation for their acts of kindness and security in both

situations and environments. They enjoy repetition and patterns and time to adjust to change

if it must occur.

What should one remember to do when working with S Personality Types?

When working with S Personality Types, try to be personable and build rapport. The sooner

they feel comfortable with you, the sooner they will open up to you, especially if they see

genuine interest in them as a person. Provide them with specifics and clarifications for tasks

they are asked to do and try to explain the "how" questions. If instituting change, be patient

with them, explain your reasoning, and give them time to adjust. It will make them

uncomfortable at first.

What should one remember not to do when working with an S Personality Type?

When working with an S Personality Type, it's important to be kind and patient. Avoid being

confrontational, using strong tone or body language, being overly aggressive, pushy, or

demanding. They avoid confrontation and will recoil if approached in this way.

What is a high S DISC Style likely to do when working with details or when analyzing

information?

The S will genuinely try to help with the details and is a valuable support for team goals. They

may work slowly and systematically, which can slow down the action. If they truly have a

concern or doubt, they will likely internalize it or hesitate to voice their feedback unless a safe

environment has been created for dialogue.

What positive characteristics does the S Personality Type possess when in teams?

They are naturally relational, creating a supportive and positive team environment. The S

style tends to be grounded in reality and common sense and may be able to see a simpler or

more practical way to accomplish a goal. They are talented at multitasking although will work

at a slow and steady pace until something is complete. They can view the project from both

the overall big picture view and the smaller steps to get there. They tend to be peacemakers

and nurturers in groups.

Selling to S’s - S’s are the people who everyone counts on to get things done. If you are

selling to an S, you need to make it sound safe and secure with guarantees and lots of

testimonials from happy customers. They will read your marketing message and will probably

have questions about your products. When prospecting S’s, you can call them, making sure

to ask how their day is going and about their business or family. When sending your marketing

messages, make sure to have trust symbols like the Visa and MasterCard logos, the Better

Business Bureau logo, etc. You want to talk about having been in business for X-number of

years and about how you are going to be around for the long haul. S’s like to make sure

everything will stay on an even keel. S’s make buying decisions slowly and will stay with you

forever as long as you don’t rock the boat too much. You can make changes, just make sure

to give them notice and time to assimilate them!


DISC profiles explained: C is for Compliance

The “C” is looking for: Information

Emotion: Fear

Quick Observations: Introverted, task-oriented Communication: Direct

Overextension: Critical

Body Language:

Stance - Arms folded, one hand on chin

Walks - Straight line

Gestures - Very reserved, little or no gestures

Communication Clue: Asks detailed questions

People with the C style place an emphasis on working conscientiously within existing

circumstances to ensure quality and accuracy. C-Type decision-makers are introverted,

cautious, systematic, accurate, and comfortable with rules, regulations, and structure.

Purchasing people and those in administrative positions are often C-Types.

What are the general characteristics of the C DISC Styles?

The C DISC Styles are accurate, precise, detail-oriented, and conscientious. They think very

analytically and systematically and make decisions carefully with plenty of research and

information to back it up. The C has very high standards for both themselves and others.

Because they focus on the details and see what many other styles do not, they tend to be

good problem solvers and very creative people.

What do the C DISC Styles contribute to a team?

The C style brings perspective to groups and tends to be the "anchor of reality" in team

thought. When something is proposed, it is the C who will think through every detail of how

it works and the process. The C is conscientious and even tempered. They will complete

tasks they've committed to and will be very thorough. They take great pride in doing their

work accurately and are excellent people to analyze, research, or test information.

What are the possible weaknesses for the C DISC Styles?

The C Personality Type is one of the passive styles, which results in avoiding conflict. They

will avoid conflict rather than argue, and it is difficult to get them to verbalize their feelings.

They need clear cut boundaries in order to feel comfortable at work, in relationships, or to

take action.

What is the greatest fear of C DISC Styles?

Because C Personality Types take great pride in being accurate and correct, they fear

criticism.

What motivates the C DISC Styles?

The C is motivated by information and logic. They have very high standards of quality and

are motivated by being well informed, researching before deciding, having clear parameters

and instructions, doing work accurately and correctly, and seeing a project through to the

end.

What is the ideal environment for the C DISC Styles?

The C Personality Type prefers an environment that is peaceful and organized with few to no

conflicts or arguments. They do not need to be social at work and would be fine working

alone. They need an environment where tasks and projects can be followed through to

completion and especially excel in specialized or technical tasks due to their attention to


detail. The C feels most safe when there is procedure and routine and they are given

instructions and reassurance that they are doing what is expected of them.

What does the high C Personality Style desire?

C Personality Types desire independence and autonomy, but also a controlled and organized

work environment. They require reassurance that they are doing what is expected and prefer

exact job descriptions, expectations and goals to be laid out. They desire that things do not

change, but if change is necessary, that it's well thought out and planned. The C does desire

reassurance from others and fears being criticized.

What should one remember to do when working with C Personality Types?

When working with a C Personality Style, it's best to be prepared when possible. Do your

research and prepare your case in advance. Pay attention to the details because this is what

the C focuses on. When you can support a statement or idea with accurate data or examples,

which is helpful. When disagreeing, work with facts instead of people examples. Be patient,

persistent, and diplomatic and remember that they fear criticism.

What should one remember not to do when working with a C Personality Type?

Do not speak in broad generalizations with no specifics, use details and explanations when

possible. Try not to answer questions too vaguely or casually, as they need information and

details to make sense of new plans and decisions. Do not criticize the work they've already

done as they take great pride in their work. If you do need to criticize, be specific with your

examples and be diplomatic. Avoid being confrontational as they will not respond well to this

and will close off.

What is a high C DISC Style likely to do when working with details or when analyzing

information?

They will focus very much on the details and can become too focused on them, lacking

perspective on the overall picture. However, they will be cautious when analyzing and will find

any mistakes that need to be corrected. They are very effective trouble shooters. When the

C style works with details and information, they excel, yet if they find problems or perceive a

risk, they will try to avoid or postpone decisions being made based on it.

What positive characteristics does the C Personality Type possess when in teams?

C styles are instinctive organizers, who can both create and maintain systems. They strive for

consistency, logic, and accuracy and do very good work. They ask important questions and

talk about problems that could hold up projects. They are "do it yourself" managers who

maintain focus on tasks and will see something through until it's finished. They emphasize

quality, think logically, and strive for a diplomatic approach and consensus within groups.

Selling to Cs - Details, details, details! They want to know every bit of your sales process,

work flow and reporting deliverables. They will need A LOT of data to make a decision and

will need a number of phone calls to close the sale. When sending your marketing message,

no stone should be left unturned. They WILL read them all, highlighting points that they

need to clarify before buying. C’s also like trust symbols and to know the background of any

company they work with. Include degrees earned, certificates achieved, awards won, etc.

C’s make slow buying decisions and need to nudged into buying, so make sure that you

send them a series of direct mail pieces or emails. The first one could be an overview of

your products or services and the subsequent ones could be more details about different

aspects.


Topic 3 - Adapting Your Approach

You may discover that it is easier to adapt to certain styles than others. This is in part because

of your own DISC style. For instance, if you have a "D" style, you probably emphasize bottom-

line results. This is likely effective when dealing with other D-style individuals. Those with an

"S" style, on the other hand, may find the "D" approach to be blunt or too fast-paced,

especially when dealing with sales.

By contrast, if you are an "I", you probably focus on getting to know your customer personally.

A customer who also tends toward the "I" style may appreciate your enthusiasm and

friendliness. Those who lean toward the "C" style, however, might find it off-putting,

considering it to be frivolous or too forward.

If you have an "S" style you're probably sincere and try to establish a relationship of trust.

Customers with the "S" style probably will appreciate that you care about them and will try

to avoid sudden changes, even if that means there is little sense of urgency. But those

customers with the "D" style might perceive this as uncertain or wishy-washy.

Finally, if you are a "C" personality you probably focus on the quality and reliability of your

product or service. Customers with this style might agree that this is vital to getting things

right, even if the two of you get bogged down in analysis. But for customers with the "I" style,

your cautious pace may feel dry, sapping their natural energy.

Everyone has a unique blend of DISC-based characteristics. The key to a successful

relationship lies with the service provider's ability to identify its customers' styles and adapt

to meet their needs. When it comes to selling, a truly great professional has to connect by

understanding the temperament of each customer. Using the DISC model helps you to quickly

identify, understand, and adapt so you can connect better with your customers-which is more

than you'll ever get out of a Magic 8-Ball.

Notes:


Body Language

Showing active listening through your body language conveys the message

that you are interested and listening, encouraging the speaker to tell you

more. Some suggestions for effective body language include the following:

Maintain eye contact

Move closer to the person, but do not cross over any personal boundaries

Nod from time-to-time

Say things like “yes” or “uh huh”

Keep your posture open to the person by keeping your arms unfolded and

uncrossed

Keep distractions to a minimum

Guide to Effectively Reading People using DISC

Observation/DISC Style

D Dominant

I Influence

S Steady

C Compliant

Likes to

do things The FAST way The FUN way

The

TRADITIONA

L way

The PROPER

way

Personal

Decor

Large desk,

awards, useful

accessories

Flashy, trendy,

with fun

pictures

Family pictures,

personal

mementos

Aesthetically pleasing,

unique,

functional

Body

Language

Big gestures,

leans forward, advancing

Expressive,

friendly

posture, amusing

Gentle

gestures, reassuring

Unemotional,

controlled

gestures, assessing

Speech Pattern

Directive

tones, abrupt, interrupting,

intentional

Talkative,

varied tones,

personal, easily

distracted

Conversational

, warm tones,

friendly, prefers

listening

Clarifying,

monotone,

logical, focused,

questioning

Processes

by asking What? Who? How? Why?

Personal Strength

Firm Fun Friendly Factual


Topic 4 - Listening Actively

If, in each contact you make with customers, you provide some sort of value, they will look

forward to hearing from you and ultimately remember you by the extra value you provide.

Often times, salespeople, like most of us, have selective hearing and still miss two key points

about these findings:

1. It is about the “value” you provide, and

2. Educating with new ideas and perspectives is about collaborating (see section 2 for more

on collaboration) and does not mean lecturing and talking too much.

Active listening is a critical component of any conversation you have with another person.

Actively listening to other people sounds easy, doesn’t it? In reality, it is one of the most

difficult aspects of effective communication. Active listening takes commitment and

knowledge of barriers that are keeping you from listening effectively to others.

Blocks to Active Listening

Day Dreaming - Daydreaming is allowing your attention to wander to other events or people.

It is a time when you stop listening and drift away into your own fantasies.

Rehearsing - Rehearsing is when you are busy thinking about what you are going to say

next, so that you never completely hear what the other person is telling you.

Filtering - Filtering is when you listen to certain parts of the conversation, but not all.

Judging - Judging is when you have stopped listening to the other person because you have

already judged, placed labels, made assumptions about, or stereotyped the other person.

Distractions – Distraction occurs when your attention is divided by something internal to

you (headaches, worry, hunger) or external to you (traffic, whispering, others talking).

Keys to talking less and generating more customers.

Assuming you would like to break the habit of talking too much, what next?

Approach sales conversations, like, conversations: Before you engage a sales

conversation, think to yourself, “If I needed to get a full picture of the prospect’s world before

going forth and building a solution for them, how would I approach it?

Balance advocacy and inquiry: While you don’t want to talk too much, you don’t want to

give the prospect the third degree with question after question. A good sales conversation

should have the prospect talking more than you, but customers are also looking for your

insight. Ask open-ended questions: The goal is to get the prospect to start talking.

While the heading for this is “listen actively”, it could just as easily be, “listen actually” or

“proactively listen”. If your prospects perceive that you are not listening to them, building

rapport will be virtually impossible. When you build genuine rapport with prospects, you may

find that the buying process moves more quickly, you’re able to uncover a deeper set of

needs, and that more customers end up choosing you. Tune in to what your prospect is saying.

Tune everything else out.


Module 2: Vision and Mission

Topic 1: Vision

What is your vision and mission for sales?

Your company vision statement is an aspirational description of what an organization would

like to achieve or accomplish in the mid-term or long-term future. It serves as a clear guide

for choosing current and future courses of action. Your vision statement is your inspiration,

the framework for all your strategic planning.

What is a sales vision statement?

A vision statement may apply to an entire company or to a single division of that company.

It answers the question, “Where do we want to go?” In terms of sales, your vision statement

should have specific figures and numbers of exactly what you want to achieve:

Examples:

we will win the most awards at next year national sales meeting,

being the most knowledgeable sales team in our industry

to sell 100 units of baby car seats within the first quota

What is your mission statement for sales?

The mission statement represents the enterprise’s purpose for existence. It should

incorporate socially meaningful and measurable criteria addressing concepts such as the

moral/ethical position of the enterprise, public image, the target market, products/services,

the geographic domain and expectations of growth and profitability.

In terms of sales, a sales mission statement addresses how a company would like to be

perceived by the customer, i.e. the company image, and how it products and services will

impact the customer.

Examples:

A radio station advertisement sales mission- Understanding our clients goals and

objectives must always precede any attempt to sell advertising

To Increase our customer’s profitability by improving the knowledge, skill set and

management effectiveness of the sales team

“To solve unsolved problems innovatively“- 3M

Notes:


Exercise: Vision:

An aspirational description of what you would like to achieve or accomplish in the mid-term

or long-term future. It is intended to serve as a clear guide for choosing current and future

courses of action.

1. What future state are you most focused on and/or excited about?

2. What does your ideal organization look like, feel like, and sound like?

3. What future state really enthralls, absorbs, and excited you relative to your current position?

4. In what do you absolutely and totally believe is possible for your future (professionally)?

5. How will you know if you have achieved what you most desire?


6. What are you absolutely and totally convinced can happen once your vision has been

achieved?

7. What legacy do you want to create?

8. What leverage do you have around you to make your vision happen – resources,

support?

9. How do you and others on your team need to behave in order to bring about this

vision?

Notes:


Topic 2: Mission

What is a mission Statement?

This is an individual or organization’s core purpose and focus. Properly crafted mission

statements serve as filters to separate what is important from what is not and clear sate

which markets will be served and how.

A mission is different from a vision in that a mission is the cause and the vision is the effect;

a mission is something to be accomplished whereas a vision is something to be pursued.

1. What are your areas of excellence? (Those things that you do better than most or all of your

competition).

2. Describe your ideal customer.

3. What Products and/or Services do you offer? (High-Level description of categories).

4. What Market(s) do you serve?


5. Who are your competitors?

6. What is your competitive advantage?

5. What is the mission (purpose) of your business?

6. Craft your mission.

Notes:


Module 3: Building your Business Strategy

Topic 1 - Creating a Compelling USP

If your ideal customer walked up to you and asked, “Why should I buy from you instead of

the other guy?” Can you give a compelling answer in ten words or less?

That’s what a unique selling proposition (USP) does. Sometimes, it’s called the unique selling

position. In a nutshell, a well-written USP does two important things:

o Helps differentiate you from your competitors

o Pulls your prospect into the desired action (click on your PPC, sign up for newsletters,

visit website, etc.)

Ideally, you should interweave your unique selling proposition into all of your sales and

marketing materials. So when a prospect has a need, they know exactly why you’re the best

solution for them.

An effective USP is NOT your tagline or slogan.

What many businesses do is confuse their tagline or slogan with their USP. They use them

interchangeably, ending up with ineffective one-liners like this:

o “Powering customer relationships”

o “The leader in email marketing”

o “Solutions from the ground up”

They may sound clever, but they don’t help the prospect understand why they should work

with you.

To illustrate, let’s look at the first example above: “Powering customer relationships.” After

seeing that, your prospects brain may go through a series of thoughts like these:

o What are you powering it with?

o Whose relationship are you powering? Mine or my customer’s?

o I don’t want power; I want answers to my nagging problems!

o Forget it, these guys aren’t for me.

Your prospect may not think exactly like that, but chances are, they want answers and they

don’t have much time or patience to find them. Or they’re comparing several competitors

against you. So you want to make sure your USP grabs their attention and makes them want

to learn more about you.

To do that, an effective USP must contain these three elements:

o Appeal

o Exclusivity

o Credibility

Appeal: Your relevance in comparison to what your prospects want.

Simply stated, what’s your prospect’s main concern? Such as: product reliability, 24/7

support, ease of use, flexible payment plans, or industry experience.

For an accurate answer, get out there and ask existing clients, your sales people, and

prospects. Once you have it, draft a USP that addresses their overriding concern. Then you’re

ready to add the second element of an effective USP.


Exclusivity: Can someone else match or beat your offer?

By addressing their main concern, you captured your prospect’s attention. It’s time to amp it

up a bit by showing why you’re the best person/company to solve their issue. You can do this

by using distinguishing words like:

o Only

o Fastest

o Best

o Largest

Or use offers like:

o Order by 2pm, delivery by 3pm

o Bottom-of-the-bottle guarantee

o 7,698 parts in stock

o Unlimited, on-site training

Be sure your offer addresses your prospect’s main concern. For the most impact, make sure

your offer can’t be matched by anyone else.

Credibility: How do you quantify your claims?

Most companies make claims generalized, fluffy claims, they are so common, they have as

much impact as pouring a glass of water into a full swimming pool.

Fluff doesn’t sell. Specifics do. To avoid fluffy, lifeless claims, use the exclusivity words, but…

Don’t say:

o “Best customer service”

o “Lowest priced plans”

o “Largest selection in town”

Do say:

o Dedicated support specialist 24/7

o Plans start at $4/month

o 50,357 parts in stock

To fire up your creativity, here are a few strong USP’s:

NetSuite – “The world’s #1, on-demand business software 6612+ customers worldwide…and

still growing!”

Sirius XM – “180+ channels, commercial-free music”

FedEx - "When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight".

You can have one USP for the company, and one

for each product or service. Effective USP’s aren’t

born out of a boardroom, they’re pretty much

dictated by your customers. So after you and your

team brainstorm a few strong contenders, test

those to see if they get the reaction you want.

To make the process easier, as a group we will

create your USP.


Group Activity - What’s Your Unique Selling Proposition?

The foundation of any business marketing starts from knowing your USP. When you weave a

strong USP throughout all of your sales and marketing collateral, it helps you stand out from

the crowd, and convinces prospects to choose you instead of the other guys.

USP Rules:

Show why you’re more unique, more qualified, etc.

You can match a competitor on several points – but one must be different

Prove you are the best choice for your prospect

Stay believable

Only make statements you can back up. If you say you’re an industry leader, show your

credentials, client list, book and training titles, etc.

Avoid fluffy, non-quantifiable claims like “best customer service.”

Focus on how it benefits the customer!

Let’s Get Started…

Step 1: List your top 5 strengths. What do you offer clients that you do really well?

Step 2: How are each of your strengths better than your competition’s?

Step 3: What’s different about you? Look at your education, process, guarantee, offer,

background, experience, who you work with, etc.


Step 4: For every statement you listed in Steps 1-3, ask, “why’s?” is that important to your

customer? Why should they care? By asking “why?” you drill down another level towards

your USP. Then when you get that answer, ask again and again until you hit the core.

That core is what motivates your prospect to call you. Be sure to ask “why?” at least three

times. Now you know their key motivation and you know specifically how you fulfill that need.

Based on this information, record your new USP in 10 words or less:

Step 5: Test it. Compare your claim to your main competitors. Is it unique enough? Is it

convincing? Does it address your prospect’s deepest concerns? How well does it answer, “Why

should my ideal prospect buy from me?”

How appealing is it (your relevance compared to what the prospects want)?

How exclusive is it (is your offer or a better one available elsewhere)?

How credible is it (quantify your claims)?

If it doesn’t feel strong enough, try again. Chances are, you already know it, and you may be

stating it somewhere in your marketing material or sales presentations already.


Topic 2 - Create Your Elevator Speech

You've just bumped into a former client at the airport. After exchanging pleasantries, he asks

you what your new company does. You open your mouth, and then pause. Where on earth

do you start?

Then, as you try to organize your thoughts, his flight is called, and he's on his way. If you'd

been better prepared, you're sure that he'd have stayed long enough to schedule a meeting.

This is one situation where it helps to have an "elevator pitch". This is a short, pre-prepared

speech that explains what your organization does, clearly and succinctly. This is an add on

to your USP.

The definition of an elevator speech/pitch is a brief summary that succinctly defines a product,

service, or organization and its value. The name comes from the idea that this summary

should be delivered in the time span of a typical elevator ride — approximately 30 seconds to

3 minutes.

Components & Tips:

Elevator speeches can vary a lot depending on the goal, audience, and circumstances but

they should all contain the following elements. They are intended to be a brief, persuasive

speech that you can use to spark interest in what your organization does. You can also use

one to create interest in a project, idea, or product. It needs to be succinct, while conveying

important information.

To craft a great elevator pitch, follow these steps.

1. Communicate Your USP - Your elevator pitch also needs to communicate your USP

2. Identify Your Goal - Start by thinking about the objective of your pitch. For instance, do

you want to tell potential clients about your organization? Do you have a great new product

idea that you want to pitch to an executive? Or do you want a simple and engaging speech

to explain what you do for a living?

Example:

"My Company develops mobile applications that businesses use to train their staff remotely.

This results in a big increase in efficiency for an organization's managers."

To highlight what makes your company unique, you could say, "We use a novel approach

because unlike most other developers, we visit each organization to find out exactly what

people need. Although this takes a bit more time, it means that on average, 95 percent of

our clients are happy with the first beta version of their app."

3. Engage With a Question - After you communicate your USP, you need to engage your

audience. To do this, prepare open-ended questions (questions that can't be answered

with a "yes" or "no" answer) to involve them in the conversation. Make sure that you're

able to answer any questions that he or she may have.

Example:

You might ask "So, how does your organization handle the training of new people?"


4. Put it all Together - When you've completed each section of your pitch, put it all

together. Then, read it aloud and use a stopwatch to time how long it takes. It should be

no longer than 20-30 seconds. Otherwise you risk losing the person's interest, or

monopolizing the conversation. Then, try to cut out anything doesn't absolutely need to

be there. Remember, your pitch needs to be snappy and compelling, so the shorter it is,

the better!

Example:

Here's how your pitch could come together:

"My company develops mobile applications that businesses use to train their staff remotely.

This means that senior managers can spend time on other important tasks. "Unlike other

similar companies, we visit each organization to find out exactly what people need. This

means that, on average, 95 percent of our clients are happy with the first version of their

app. "So, how does your organization handle the training of new people?"

5. Practice - Like anything else, practice makes perfect. Remember, how you say it is just

as important as what you say. If you don't practice, it's likely that you'll talk too fast,

sound unnatural, or forget important elements of your pitch. Set a goal to practice your

pitch regularly. The more you practice, the more natural your pitch will become. You want

it to sound like a smooth conversation, not an aggressive sales pitch.

How to Build Your Own Elevator Speech Exercise

WRITTEN EXERCISE: Complete the following:

PART 1: Communicate Your USP

PART 2: Identify Your Goal

PART 3: Engage With a Question


PART 4: Put it all Together

Notes:


Module 4: Territory Planning

Topic 1 – Planning with a Pyramid

Strategic planning is one of the most challenging – and exciting – exercises an organization

can undertake. Strategic planning allows an organization to make fundamental decisions or

choices by taking a long-range view of what it hopes to accomplish and how it will do so. A

strategic plan is built on a thorough analysis of the organization’s existing structure,

governance, staff, program or service mix, collaborations, and resources (financial, human,

technical, and material). This analysis is vital because it allows an organization to perceive

which of its above aspects it must change in order to achieve its goals. A well-developed

strategic plan serves as a blueprint for making these changes because it describes the

following:

A vision for the future

Strengths and weaknesses of the organization

The nature of the changes contemplated for future sustainable growth and

development

The sequence of these changes

Those who are responsible for guiding change

The resources required, whether they currently exist within the organization or must be

generated from external sources.

Strategic plans must be

institutionalized so that they serve as

the basis for performance standards,

decision-making, planning, and

resource mobilization and allocation.

Strategic plans must also be

systematically reviewed and revised

so they remain topical, relevant, and

“cutting edge”. The whole

organization must embrace the plan

so that the “daily decisions” are then

made on the basis of this plan, which

must be both practical – based upon

your organization’s mission – and

flexible, to allow for rapid change.

So you are thinking how does this

affect me in my sales role?

Starting at the bottom, you see that the strategic company business plan serves as the basis

for all other planning within the organization. From this plan, an organization will develop

division plans-perhaps tied to a region or a company group. Specific department plans follow;

these are sales department plans, or marketing department plans, etc. At this point in the

pyramid, planning reaches the level of the individual employee. For sales representatives, this


begins with a territory plan, continues with a strategic account plan, and eventually leads to

individual call plans.

All levels are interdependent-they rely on one another. For example, the division plan

encompasses the ideas, goals, and direction outlined in the company business plan. It is also

tied to all the other plans (the sales department plan, territory plan, strategic account plan,

and call plan).

Notes:


Topic 2 – Strategy Development

When we hear Sales Strategy we often think of our marketing department and their strategy

to position what we are selling. As sales reps and sales managers we don’t often think of

ourselves as strategists, but we should. Creating a successful Sales Strategy will allow

sales managers and their sales team to focus on the right customers, in the right

ways, and at the right times.

Any successful Sales Strategy should be based on all aspects of the Sales Execution Model.

The overall setup of the Sales Execution Model consists of 3 phases in which you will build our

Sales Strategy around; Pre-Sales Activities, Sale Execution, and Post-Sale Analysis.

Topic 3 - Sales Call Planning

What to Know Before Every Sales Call

In today’s highly competitive, global business environment, pre-call planning is more

important than ever before. Not only do you need to be more prepared for every sales call,

increasingly, clients expect you to arrive to the initial meeting already well versed on their

company and its needs.

So, what are the pay-offs to pre-call planning? First, it will enable you to qualify sales leads,

target prospects, and sell to them much more effectively.

Thorough pre-call planning will also:

o Provide you with greater self-confidence in your sales presentation

o Allow you to come across as a more knowledgeable professional to your prospects

o Increase your close rate

Pre-call planning success begins with preparation. The more research you do, the more

prepared you’ll be to address your prospects needs. Collecting the right information will help

you gain valuable insights that, if leveraged strategically, will separate you from the

competition. When collecting information, do so with the intent of trying to better understand

the prospect’s challenges. Learn what their business represents and how you can be a problem

solver for them. With effective pre-call planning, you demonstrate that you have a vested

interest in the client’s success, which is the foundation to building a long-lasting relationship

with them.

Here are some call planning strategies and questions you can answer for yourself before every

sales call that will help prepare you for success:

1. Your Strategy - This is a bit of a “chicken and the egg” situation. You may need to go over

and validate your response to these questions as you uncover more information through

the preparation process.

o Where is the customer in their decision-making process?

o Where are you in your selling process?

o What are your objectives for your call?

o What information, support, or decisions do you need to achieve your

objectives?


o What is the prospect's current situation? Often the goals you set for the

customer, the value you feel your products or services can offer the customer,

and your action planning for the rest of the sales call come out of your detailed

knowledge of the prospect's situation.

Tips for finding the current state:

o Look up the company in your CRM system to see if you have worked with the

company, or if anyone in the company has responded to any marketing offers.

o Google the company’s name, click on a few links to see what’s going on.

o Have there been any “trigger events”?

o Who else will influence the buying process? - Try to learn, in advance, who

will influence the solution and the decision-making process to buy from you.

People have a tendency to link to their colleagues on LinkedIn, some of whom

you can infer will be influential.

o See who the customer is linked to on LinkedIn, people have a tendency to

link to colleagues and others in their functional area.

o Visit each buying influences LinkedIn profile, pay close attention to whether

they are linked to any of your competitors, if they are, then that’s a red flag.

o Get smarter on the issues - Talk to your internal subject matter experts

about your products and how they may help your client.

o Brush-up on your solutions to the issues - You need to know how to bring

your company’s capabilities together to formulate solutions to potential

challenges or opportunities. You also need to know the limitations of your

capabilities so that you don’t promise the customer something you can’t

deliver.

2. What are your goals for this customer or prospect? Different goals for your customers will

make for very different sales conversations. Questions you can ask yourself may include:

o Is this the 'discovery' meeting where we get to know each other and build

rapport while learning how I might be able to help them?

o Am I reviewing the results from the previous year with a customer and this

is the meeting where I 'resell' my value so the customer stays loyal?

o Am I trying to displace a competitor?

o Is this a current customer where I work in one of their divisions and I would

like to get introductions into the other three divisions where I can also help?

3. What is your desired next outcome? Sounds simple enough, but this question is so often

overlooked by sales people before they meet with customers or prospects. if you don't

know what you want to get out of your meeting with them, if you don't have a solid plan

as to how to understand where they are and where they want to get to then don’t waste

their time (or yours).

Notes:


Pre-Call Planning Worksheet

Meeting Date

Company Name

Customer

Name/Title

Other info as

required

Pre-Call Plan

Where is the customer in their decision-making process?

Where are you in your selling process?

What are your objectives for your call?

What information, support, or decisions do you need to achieve your objectives?


What is the prospect's current situation?

Who is attending?

Your Company Customers Company

GOALS OF THE MEETING:

What are your goals for this customer or prospect?

What are your desired next outcomes?

Questions to uncover your customers’ unrecognized needs”


Collaboration Strategies:

Anticipate any potential roadblocks in the customer’s path so you are able to address the

roadblocks and show them how they will Achieve Results.

Notes:


Topic 3 – Goal Setting

Preparation means to set qualitative objectives, quantitative goals, and to prioritize

objectives, goals, and tasks. Goal setting is a powerful process for thinking about your ideal

future, and for motivating yourself to turn your vision of this future into reality. The process

of setting goals helps you choose where you want to go in life.

If most everyone thinks goals are important; and most everyone would like to be happier,

healthier, achieve more, etc.; why don’t they set goals?

o People don’t know how to set goals.

o People are searching for the perfect way to set goals.

o People are afraid to set goals.

o People are afraid to succeed.

o People are afraid they won’t succeed.

o People don’t want to set the goal too high.

o People don’t want to set the goal too low.

How to set a Goal

How to set a Goal! Sounds simple, setting a goal, many people have Dreams and Goals don’t

understand the importance of taking the necessary steps to make them happen. You can't

just will it or wish it to happen, you need to take action.

There are so many goal setting strategies it can be quite confusing, just know the most

important step of them all is to start with writing down your goals.

Write it - Writing out your goals is the most important part of goal setting ideas. The simple

act of writing down your goals is important because of the accountability that comes with

writing them down. Writing a goal is an action, one of many required in accomplishing goals,

but without writing them down, there is nothing to build on.

Plan it - For each goal create a time frame. Write down the day, month and year in which

you will complete the goal by. Write down what you need to achieve that goal: skill, education,

career advancement or change, finances, resources, etc. Write down the actions that you will

need to take in order to complete the GOAL and the steps required to complete the actions.

Do it - Don’t look at this as the hard part. This can be as fun as the reward if you are in the

right frame of mind. This is part of the adventure. This is challenging yourself and making

yourself better for it. You will learn how to overcome and adjust the path to reach the goal or

sometimes the goal itself. Keep your goals and the plan in sight, review it daily, follow your

plan and achieve your goals.

Enjoy it - If achieving your goal is not the reward itself, don’t forget to reward yourself for

achieving it.


Understanding SMART Goal Setting

What does SMART goal or S.M.A.R.T goal mean? S.M.A.R.T. is an

acronym meaning:

S Specific, Significant, Strategic

M Measurable, Meaningful, Motivational

A Attainable, Achievable, Adjustable

R Relevant, Realistic, Results

T Timely, Tractable, Tangible

Specific: A specific goal has a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general

goal. To set a specific goal you must answer the six “W” questions: Who, What, Where, When,

Which and Why. Specific means reasons, purpose or benefits of accomplishing the goal.

EXAMPLE: A general goal would be, “I want to lose some weight.” A specific goal would be, “I

want to lose 10 pounds in 2 months and I will eat properly and exercise at least 3 days a

week to accomplish my goal.”

Measurable: Establish criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of each goal

you set. Describes how each goal will be measured (numeric or descriptive). When you

measure your progress, you stay on track, reach your target dates, and experience the

exhilaration of achievement that spurs you on to continue the effort required to reach your

goal.

Ask yourself:

o How will I know when the result has been achieved?

o How will I verify the achievement/performance of this goal?

Attainable: When you identify a goal, write it out and make a plan, you are making an

attainable goal. You will see opportunities arise that will help you in accomplishing this goal.

You will develop a positive attitude working towards an attainable goal and you will develop

traits that will give you the strength to see it through.

Realistic: To be realistic, a goal must represent an objective toward which you are both

willing and able to work. A goal can be both high and realistic; you are the only one who can

decide just how high your goal should be. But be sure that every goal represents substantial

progress.

Make sure the goal you have set is something you are willing and capable of doing. When you

set a lofty goal and challenge yourself you will find the reward that much better.

Timely: – Creates a sense of urgency. Knowing you have to accomplish a task at a certain

time makes you accountable. Know what those time lines are. What needs to be done by

when. How much needs to be saved by when and take the steps necessary to meet those

timelines.


Exercise: Goal Setting

Work through the worksheet that follows, including as much detail as possible under each

heading in the columns.

Clarify your goals to yourself as much as is possible.

When you are done with the table you will be able to write SMART goals based on this.

iSMART Goals

intention Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Time

Based

What is it

that you

want to achieve?

Who? What?

Where? Why?

When?

How Much?

How often?

How many?

Achievable? Is it

important to

what you ultimately

want to

achieve?

When?


Phrasing Your Smart Goals

In the spaces below, develop a statement defining your specific goal, incorporating as many

of the elements that you worked on above as possible into the statement. This will include

the actions you plan to take to meet this goal, your timeline, and how it will meet the

organizational or personal goal you are addressing. Also indicate what types of additional

skills and resources are necessary to facilitate this goal.

GOAL 1:

GOAL 2:

GOAL 3:


Topic 4 – Post Sale Analysis and R.O.T.I

Most sales reps will point to the end result of, sale or no sale, as all the analysis that is

necessary. There are a few more things to consider such as: what went well and what didn't,

(documenting this will give you some concrete learning's and best practices for next time).

Should we have pursued this opportunity? Was there a project or application, a corresponding

budget and was the budget been approved? Did I understand the customer’s business drivers,

business initiatives and compelling reasons for them to make a decision or were they simply

gathering information? Did I clearly understand what's was happening in the customer's

environment that was creating the need for change and the need for our solution?

Since time and resources are limited, it’s important to determine that the opportunity is a real

and worthwhile investment in time and resources.

Could we effectively compete for this opportunity? Do our solutions fit? Did we know the

formal decision‐making process of the customer? Did I clearly articulate the specific way we

differentiated from our competitor(s)?

Knowing how your company, as well as your solution, relates to the specific sales opportunity

can be a key ingredient to winning the deal. Being able to realistically contrast that

information with that of your competitor(s) is an important factor of assessing this key

question.

Did we feel confident that we would win this opportunity? This question is the one most

overlooked in sales campaigns. Many opportunities are lost even if the salesperson has the

best solution, the best delivery and even the best terms and conditions. This question deals

with how well the salesperson understands the customer’s organizational structure that

reveals the inside support necessary to win the deal.

Since most sales reps have far too many customers to call on it is important to calculate your

Return on Time Invested (ROTI).

What is your time worth?

To objectively determine an account's profitability you need to calculate your Return on Time

Invested (ROTI). This is simply the relationship between the effort you invested and the

outcome of your efforts. Sales results will be your gross earnings (salary + commissions)

from one account; sales effort will be the amount of time spent on that account multiplied by

your hourly rate.

Mathematically stated - ROTI = Sales Results (divided by) Sales Effort = Gross salary +

commissions (divided by) $/hr. (times) # hours worked.

As an example, a sales professional with a million dollar per year sales target and 2000 hours

in a year would require an average ROTI of $500/hour to achieve that quota. When we use


this formula to understand the returns we need to generate for our time, we start to

understand the true value of an hour, a day, a week.

A Low Return on Time Invested

Some of the activities that you engage in produce a very low return for a high investment of

your time. Many of these activities look and feel like work. They give you a false sense of

accomplishment. But they produce nothing.

Much of the time you spend in your email inbox produces no return on time invested. You can

spend countless hours each day in email, especially if you check your email first thing in the

morning, check your cell phone every 20 minutes, and live with your email open throughout

the day. The return on the time invested in email is low because most of it is worthless and

much of it is simply other people’s requests and demands.

You can add to this list of low return on time invested activities many of your meetings, a lot

of time you spend on the Internet, much of the time you spend with your peers around the

water cooler, and some of the time you waste away with some of your friendly clients.

Ask yourself: What is my investment of time here going to produce? If the answer is “nothing,”

then take the decision to invest your time somewhere else.

Remember low value activities produce outcomes that, while still necessary, aren’t nearly as

important. They don’t have any real impact on your success.

High Return on Time Invested

All of the above activities are sometimes necessary. Just not at the level most people engage

in them. The most productive people spend their time where it produces a greater return on

investment. They invest their time where it produces the outcomes that they really want.

In sales, the most productive investment of your time is time invested with your clients and

your best prospects. There are dozens of high return on invested time activities, like time

spent with existing clients, time spent with the team that delivers for your clients, time spent

nurturing relationships, and time spent prospecting.

You can’t spend every minute on high return on time invested activities. But you can improve

the amount of time there, and you can crowd out the low return on time-invested activities.

High value activities are the activities that produce your most important outcomes. These

activities produce the results you are measured on, and they are the difference between

success and failure.

The high value activities for salespeople include prospecting, nurturing dream clients, making

sales calls, keeping their follow up commitments, and taking care of their existing client

relationships. These high value activities produce the outcomes of opening relationships,

developing opportunities, executing the sales process, winning deals, and owning the

outcomes that they have sold their clients.

These high value activities must dominate your calendar. If they don’t, you won’t produce the

outcomes that you need.


Invest your time in high value sales activities. Squeeze out just enough time for your low value

activities. If you have to barely get some of your work done, don’t let that work be the work

that really produces the results that you need.

Notes:


Exercise: R.O.T.I

1. Calculate R.O.T.I. – Over the past 12 months you have a customer that has contributed

$50,000 gross profit and the time required to service the account is approximately five

hours per month.

What is the R.O.T.I. ratio of this account?

Return on Time = ______________________

Time Invested = ________________________ R.O.T.I. = ___________________

Regardless of the methodology, maximizing profitability is a significant goal of today's

sales professional; the philosophy of merely increasing sales volume isn't sufficient. The

R.0.T.I. Ratio is a valuable tool for achieving this new goal.

2. What are the highest value activities for you as a salesperson?

3. What outcomes do the high value activities produce?

4. What are the low value activities for you as a salesperson?

5. What outcomes do these low value activities produce?


6. How do you minimize the time you spend on low value activities?

7. Are the tasks that are assigned to you by others always the best way to spend your time?

8. Who determines your priorities?

9. What are the dangers of allowing the demands of others to overrule your real priorities?

10. How do you eliminate non-value producing work?

11. What work shows up on your desk but doesn’t produce positive outcomes?


12. Why do transactional clients tend to dominate your time?

13. Are some transactional clients every bit as time-consuming and needy as a larger

client?

14. How do you ensure that you pursue the opportunities that are going to allow you to

succeed and make your number?

15. Why do we tend to avoid putting the effort it takes to open an opportunity with a larger

client?

16. How do you choose where to invest your time?


Topic 5 - Time Management

You have a choice in life. You can either live on-purpose, according to a plan you’ve set. Or

you can live by accident, reacting to the demands of others. The first approach is proactive;

the second reactive. The following are some suggestions followed by an exercise.

1. Create a daily plan. Plan your day before it unfolds. Do it in the morning or even better,

the night before you sleep. The plan gives you a good overview of how the day will pan

out. That way, you don’t get caught off guard. Your job for the day is to stick to the plan

as best as possible.

2. Peg a time limit to each task. Be clear that you need to finish X task by 10am, Y task

by 3pm, and Z item by 5:30pm. This prevents your work from dragging on and eating

into time reserved for other activities.

3. Create your ideal week. Having a calendar is the most fundamental step to managing

your daily activities.

4. Use an organizer. The organizer/calendar helps you to be on top of everything in your

life. It’s your central tool to organize information, to-do lists, projects, and other

miscellaneous items.

5. Know your deadlines. When do you need to finish your tasks? Mark the deadlines out

clearly in your calendar and organizer so you know when you need to finish them.

6. Learn to say “No”. Don’t take on more than you can handle. For the distractions that

come in when you’re doing other things, give a firm no. Or defer it to a later period.

7. Focus. Are you multi-tasking so much that you’re just not getting anything done? If so,

focus on just one key task at one time. Close off all the applications you aren’t using.

Close off the tabs in your browser that are taking away your attention. Focus solely on

what you’re doing. You’ll be more efficient that way.

8. Block out distractions. What’s distracting you in your work? Instant messages? Phone

ringing? Text messages popping in?

9. Prioritize. Since you can’t do everything, learn to prioritize the important and let go of

the rest. Apply the 80/20 principle which is a key principle in prioritization.

10. Delegate. If there are things that can be better done by others or things that are not so

important, consider delegating. This takes a load off and you can focus on the important

tasks.

11. Batch similar tasks together. For related work, batch them together.

12. Eliminate your time wasters. What takes your time away your work? LinkedIn? Twitter?

Email checking? Stop checking them so often, block off specific times of the day to check

and respond to e-mails.

13. Cut off when you need to. #1 reason why things overrun is because you don’t cut off

when you have to. Don’t be afraid to intercept in meetings or draw a line to cut-off.

Otherwise, there’s never going to be an end and you’ll just eat into the time for later.

You can’t plan for everything. Things happen that you can’t anticipate. But it is a whole lot

easier to accomplish what matters most when you are proactive and begin with the end in

mind.


The Ideal Week template, which may be created in a spreadsheet, is the “perfect” week

you would live if you could control 100% of what happens in your life and work.

Themes and Focus Areas

The image below is a snapshot of an ideal week. Daily themes are listed on the top row

above the day of the week. Each day is divided into 3 specific areas of focus which are

listed in the left column.

Some ideas for themes:

Monday team – one-on-one meetings and a staff meeting at lunch.

Tuesday is spent on short-term planning and thinking.

Wednesday is for meetings with key stakeholders – colleagues within the

organization and those in similar positions in other organizations.

Thursday is an ad hoc day during which may be used to schedule various requested

meetings.

Friday long-term planning which includes reviewing vision and business plan.

Saturday is for family time, personal chores, and activities.

Sunday is for rest, and planning and preparation for the coming week.

Some ideas for areas of focus:

Mornings may be devoted to personal growth and development.

The bulk of the day is devoted to work.

Evenings are set aside for my family and friends.

Notes:


Exercise: Time Management – Create your Ideal Week

Map out your own Ideal Week. Once you have created your Ideal Week, test it for a week or

two. Change it where necessary. Once comfortable with it plug the items from your ideal

week right into your calendar. This is the most important step – if you’re going to make

it work!

Themes

Mon Tues Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

05:00 -

05:30

05:30 -

06:00

06:00 -

06:30

06:30 -

07:00

07:00 -

07:30

07:30 -

08:00

08:00 -

08:30

08:30 -

09:00

09:00 -

09:30

09:30 -

10:00

10:00 -

10:30

10:30 -

11:00

11:00 -

11:30

11:30 -

12:00

12:00 -

12:30

12:30 -

01:00

01:00 -

01:30

01:30 -

02:00

02:00 -

02:30

02:30 -

03:00

03:00 -

03:30

03:30 -

04:00

04:00 -

04:30

04:30 -

05:00

05:00 -

05:30

05:30 -

06:00

06:00 -

06:30

06:30 -

07:00

07:00 -

07:30

07:30 -

08:00


Module 5: Account Management

Topic 1 – Keeping your Customers

“There is only one boss, and whether a person shines shoes for a living or heads up the

biggest corporation in the world, the boss remains the same. It is the customer! The

customer is the person who pays everyone’s salary and who decides whether a business is

going to succeed or fail. In fact, the customer can fire everybody in the company from the

chairman (CEO) on down, and he can do it simply by spending his money somewhere else.

Most people think that selling means getting new customers. That's part of the job but truly

successful companies thrive on their ability to keep the customers they've already acquired.

The reason is simple. Finding new customers is expensive and time consuming. Many

companies consider a "get new customers" campaign successful if more than 5% of the

companies contacted end up buying. Sales campaigns launched at a base of existing

customers often have success rates as high as 70%, according to research. That's why losing

a good customer to the competition is always a bad thing: You have to work more than 10

times as hard to get enough new customers just to make up the revenue that you lost--and

forget about profit.

Reasons Customers Leave

1% pass away

3% move away

4% loose interest

5% change due to friends or family recommendations

9% are lured by a competitor

10% are chronic complainers

68% leave because of poor attitude or indifference on the part of the service

provider

Salespeople have little control over the first four reasons why customers leave, which account

for 32% of those that depart. But salespeople and business owners have complete control

over at least 68% of the customers who leave.

T.R.U.S.T.

If building relationships is the key to sales success, then trust is the foundation. Ask any top

sales performer what factors contribute to their success, and you'll hear that building trust is

vital in their dealings with customers. But how do you build trust? Usually, it's the little things

you do over time that make the difference.

The following five strategies will help you form strong relationships and long-term success

with not just your customers, but also everyone you surround yourself with.

1. Truth: We can do many things to lose business: not deliver on time, not communicate

effectively, not following up. But from your customers' point of view, lying is the

number-one way to lose their trust and business forever. Build your relationships

around being bone-honest--which also happens to be one of the top traits that high

achievers throughout history have had in common.


2. Reliability: Here's where the T.R.U.S.T. factor starts getting built. Every time you get

back to the customer with the information he's requested, you're building trust. Every

time you follow up after the customer receives your service or product, you're building

trust. And every time you respond to a problem immediately and solve it right away

(or at least make sure the customer knows you're on top of it), you're building trust.

No miracles necessary--it's just about being there for the customer before, during and

after the sale.

3. Understanding through uncommon efforts: When you invest the time to

understand your customers' needs, business situation, and competition etc., you are

building the T.R.U.S.T. factor by making the effort to see the world through their eyes.

Asking questions that show an interest in their day-to-day business challenges is one

way of doing this. Understanding not only builds trust, but also gives you the

confidence and tools to provide the right solution.

4. Service: There's no better way to build and maintain your customers' trust than

through ongoing personalized service. To stay on top of the activities essential for

sales success, ask yourself these questions:

1. If one of my customers leaves, do I know why?

2. If I don't know why, do I ask?

3. Do I ask every customer I have, "Is there anything I'm not doing that I could

be doing to serve you better?"

4. Do I consider myself a resource for my customers--even in areas not associated

with my business?

5. Do I create added value for my customers by going beyond what's expected?

6. Do I look for ways to help my customers increase their bottom line?

5. Take your time: Building trust does not happen overnight. It's the many little things

you do over time that help you build lasting relationships. The follow-up calls and

visits, solved problems, on-time deliveries and all of the times you say thank you will

all add up.


Ways to Keep Them

Exceed expectations. Personalize your service. Instead of promising more than you can

give, give more than you promise -- under promise, over deliver. Deliver a "wow"

customer experience.

Always be available. Be there to serve customers whenever they need you to be there.

The Internet has enabled companies to have a constant presence with their customers,

“24/7”. Reliability and availability are vital. Make sure your customers know you are

available on demand. Be involved in the same social media channels as your customers.

Customize how you serve. Find or develop solutions that fulfill your individual

customers’ specific needs. Successful salespeople customize their business relationships

with customers. They pride themselves on their one-on-one interactions. These

salespeople value the differences in customer needs and respond with customized

solutions.

Be easy to deal with. Make doing business with you easy and pleasurable. Assume the

burden of relieving inevitable aggravations for your customers. Salespeople who exceed

their customers’ expectations do so by creating hassle-free experiences.

Put the customer first. Don’t wait for opportunities to present themselves. Seek them

out. Give customers more than they expect.

Resolve conflicts and solve problems. When conflicts arise, some salespeople have a

tendency to deny them, debate them, shift responsibility for them, place blame for them,

or hold their breath hoping they’ll go away. Top salespeople accept ownership of the

problem, collaborate on a solution, and take on the burden of finding a resolution

regardless of fault.

Handle complaints. Complaints usually have some validity and can be an “early warning

system” of conflict on the horizon. When you view complaints this way, they can become

your ally, helping you resolve problems and minimize their impact. Complaints that go

unattended may evolve into conflicts that could have been avoided.

Communicate constantly. Ask questions that result in a dialogue. The more the

customer talks, the more you’ll learn. Continue questioning until you understand and have

uncovered all the information required to proceed. Try to avoid jumping to conclusions

with customers.

Remember nonverbal communication. When communicating with customers, observe

their non-verbal signals. Take note of their body language, appearance and posture. Look

for signs of distraction. Pay attention to their facial expressions and eye contact. Listen to

the tone of their voice as a means for understanding what they may be feeling.

Notes:


Topic 2 - Key Account Management

Key Accounts are those customers who are strategically important to your business usually

because they account for a significant volume of your business and profit and as such they

require attention, effort, time and resources to grow and retain.

The traditional sales-customer relationship is no longer enough for these major key accounts.

They are looking for a business partner, someone who really understands their business and

can add insight and value to their business. Establishing the essential relationships to make

it work is one of your most important competitive advantages.

To better understand Key Account Management below is a list of the key differences between

the traditional sales-customer relationship and key account management.

1. The Obvious Difference

The rationale behind key account management is the well-researched fact that major Key

Accounts (customers) expect more – more service, more idea generation, more

understanding and more results for you and them. Whereas in a more traditional sales setting

the customer and seller into a transactional based relationship where the sale is made and no

further relationship is entered into until such time as another transactional sale needs to be

made.

2. Growth and Returns

One of the strategies Key Account Managers employ is to focus their efforts with the customer

where they know they will get a high rate of growth and therefore return for their business

as well as the customers’ business over the long term. In a transactional sale the focus is on

achieving the highest price for the sale.

3. Considering the Competition

Key Account Managers are concerned with protecting their customers from the competition.

As such they build a metaphorical wall around their customer and stop the competition from

infiltrating these walls. In a transactional sale there will also be consideration for the

competition but this is usually focused around beating the competition on price, value and the

good or service being sold as opposed to brick walling them.

4. Increasing Long Term Loyalty

As you will have read by now key account management is about the long term relationship

and as such key account manager’s work to increase the long term loyalty of their customers

by providing value to the customer. Transactional selling is short term and the focus in on the

sale not the long term relationship with the customer.

5. Identifying and Forward Planning Customer-Focused Activities

Key Account Managers meet regularly with the customer. In some situations the Key Account

Management Team works on the customers’ site. The focus is on forward planning and

partnering in activities that are mutually beneficial to both parties. This is not the focus of

transactional selling which focuses on a quick win and transaction.


Topic 3 – The Sales Funnel

Keeping Control of Your Sales Pipeline

At the top of the funnel you have "unqualified prospects" – the very many people who you

think might need your product or service, but to whom you've never spoken. At the bottom

of the funnel, many sales and delivery steps later, you have people who have received

delivery of your product or service and have paid for it.

The metaphor of the funnel is used because people drop away at each stage of a long sales

process:

For example, many of your unqualified prospects may

have existing suppliers with whom they're very

satisfied. Others may have needs which other

competitors are better-placed to satisfy. Still others

may love your products, but not have the budget to

buy them.

Why Use the Tool?

By using the sales funnel, and by quantifying the

number of prospects at each stage of the process, you

can predict the number of prospects who will, in time,

become customers. More than this, by looking at the

way in which these numbers change over time, you can

spot problems in the sales pipeline and take corrective

action early.

For example, if you spot that very few mailings have taken place in a month, you might

expect that in a few months’ time, sales might dry up. Next month, you should make sure

that more mailers than normal are sent out.

Use of the Sales Funnel shows roadblocks and times of standstill, or if there are an insufficient

number of leads at any stage. This knowledge allows you to determine where you should

focus attention and efforts to keep sales at the desired level and to meet sales targets.

The funnel can also point out where improvements need to be made within the sales process.

This may be as simple as ensuring that sales representatives put sufficient focus on all steps

of the sales process.

In the example shown in figure 1, a manager might be pleased by the amount of early stage

prospecting in the month, but might worry that there's been a drop off in activity later in the

sales process.

In the next month, he or she might work with sales people to increase the effort put into

solution development and negotiation.

Tip: If you're to use sales funnel reporting effectively, it's a huge benefit to have an effective

and properly maintained sales contact management system, with a prospect status and

progression workflow in-built. Without this, reporting can be hard work and very time-

consuming.


How to Use the Tool

The first stage in setting up sales funnel reporting is to understand your sales process fully

(perhaps using a technique like flowcharting).

From this, identify the key sequential steps in the sales process, and from these, create status

codes. Try to keep these to a reasonably small number – otherwise reporting will be arduous,

and it will be difficult to see meaningful patterns within the data.

Next, classify your prospects by the status codes you've identified. (Again, this will be much

easier if you have a sales contact management system, and if people are disciplined about

keeping this updated. Even better is if there's a sales workflow in place, so that as key tasks

are performed, status codes are updated automatically.)

Finally, work out the number of prospects of each status, and calculate the change since the

last month.

Tip: As you build up a picture of your sales funnel from month to month for several months,

you'll start to be able to see expected conversion rates from one stage of the process to the

next.

By comparing these against the conversions other people are achieving, and comparing them

against what you think you should be able to achieve, you can start to understand where you

can improve your sales process. More than this, you can start making changes to the way you

do things, and measuring the effects of these changes on conversion rates.

Notes:


Module 6: Selling with Insight

Topic 1 - Overview

In the past sales people believed that in order to sell, they needed to provide solutions to

their customers’ problems. In the old playbook, sales reps would take the time to discover a

customer’s needs and sell them the solutions to those needs. For a long time, this approach

worked simply because customers didn’t know how to solve their own problems.

To help differentiate your company from the competition and to open a customer’s mind to

new ideas, or to shift the way they think about their challenge or opportunity, sales people

need a compelling insight about a client’s issue that is important to them, fits the sales

persons capabilities, and is personalized to the clients world.

There are two types of insight selling: opportunity insight and interaction insight.

1. Opportunity Insight: Focuses on introducing a particular idea that is geared to lead to

a sale. To do this, sellers must bring up the idea proactively. Opportunity insight also

creates customer loyalty. Educating customers not only shares the seller’s expertise, but

also demonstrates the seller’s willingness to collaborate with the customer, and that’s the

second type of insight selling.

2. Interaction Insight: Provides value in the form of sparking ideas, inspiring “AHA!”

moments, and shaping strategies based on interactions between the seller and customer.

You’re not just there to sell them something; you’re there to shape ideas and inspire

changes that could benefit their business. Much as a trusted colleague might help you

come up with your own ideas, so does the savvy seller who practices interaction insight.

Opportunity insight and interaction insight work together to build customer loyalty and earn

repeat sales. Whether presenting the customer with a new opportunity, or simply

collaborating with them, insight sellers drive change with ideas that matter.

Attributes of Insight Sellers

Insight sellers often are predisposed to tendencies that drive how people choose to spend

their time:

1. Passion for work and selling: Insight sellers have a desire for success in general and

for selling in particular.

o Lacking it, the sellers don’t do the work. They may be compliant, but they are not

committed to doing what it takes to succeed.

2. Conceptual thinking: Insight sellers conceive innovative ideas and select the right

strategies. They see how the parts affect the whole and tend to have the mental discipline

to think structurally and systematically.

o Lacking it, their ideas are poorly positioned. Sellers tend not to create compelling

solutions or inspire customer confidence.

3. Curiosity: Insight sellers are interested in people and situations. They have a thirst for

knowledge and strive to become experts.

o Lacking it, the sellers are not knowledge seekers. They often don’t ask enough

questions or listen. Insights they do share often aren’t new, interesting, or

relevant.


4. Sense of urgency: Insight sellers value speed. They drive sales forward, are impatient

with the status quo, and take action.

o Lacking it, and they let too much time slip by. They don’t focus on actions that

drive the best results or push for decisions. They aren’t change agents.

5. Assertiveness: Insight sellers take control and lead discussions. They defend their point

of view and insert themselves into important situations. They are not afraid to create

disruptions.

o Lacking it, they don’t create the tension or disruption required to create change.

They don’t practice interaction insight and aren’t forceful enough to even get on

the customer’s radar screen.

6. Money orientation: Insight sellers are comfortable discussing money and understand

how businesses make money. They are also motivated to maximize their personal income.

o Lacking it, they tend not to qualify prospects or establish return on investment

(ROI) cases necessary for driving new initiatives forward. They don’t ask about

money and waste time chasing leads that don’t have a chance of closing.

7. Performance orientation: Insight sellers manage their time ruthlessly and focus on

results. They take advantage of opportunities, manage their pipelines tightly, and are

driven to win.

o Lacking it, they don’t manage their time or activities well. They make excuses and

don’t make strong ROI cases.

Insight selling can be characterized by specific behaviors at three different levels, Connect,

Convince and Collaborate.

Notes:


Topic 2 – Connecting

Connect – Great Sales People connect in two ways. First, they connect the dots between

customer needs and their company’s products, services and solutions. Second, they connect

with people. Customers believe that these sales people both listened to them and connected

with them personally more often than the rest.

Understanding vs. diagnosing needs - Fundamentally, sellers need to shift from

diagnosing needs to demonstrating an understanding of needs.

Focusing on pain - Another needed change is a shift away from the prevalent use of

the words “problem” and “pain.” These are the two most common terms associated

with discovering customer needs.

Insight sellers, however, don’t just focus on the negative, they focus on the positive—goals,

aspirations, and possibilities achievable by the customer, even if the customer doesn’t know

it yet. Along with having much richer sales conversations, focusing on the positive opens the

door to significant opportunity to increase sales.

Sellers who focus on aspirations as well as afflictions are able to directly influence the

customer’s agenda by inspiring them with possibilities they hadn’t been considering, but

should.

The point is: sellers who do a good job, even with these changes to the traditional solution

sales approach, haven’t yet won the game, but they’re in it.

Connecting is about uncovering your customers’ unrecognized needs (Educate customers

with new ideas and perspectives, customers want salespeople who bring value to the table,

so expand customers’ horizons and give them ideas that can change their thinking).

Insight selling hinges on the concept of cognitive reframing. Cognitive reframing refers to

creating alternative ways of viewing ideas, events, situations, possibilities for action, or

anything.

Using the customer you created your pre-call plan for, start thinking about asking the

following questions to help bring insight selling alive in your meeting:

1. Why? “Why is that your strategy?” “Why do you say that?” “Why do A versus B?”

By asking why, you are asking customers to justify something. Sometimes, when

customers respond to the “why” question, they give the insight to themselves. But even

if they don’t, that’s an opportunity for you to help.


2. How? How do you see this all panning out? How do you think you need to proceed so this

becomes a part of the culture? How might you avoid the common challenges like X, or Y,

or Z that commonly crop up?

How questions get people thinking about their current reality.

3. What have you tried that hasn’t worked?

This question will help you understand their thinking, and will help you see the gaps

between what they know won’t work, and what you know will.

4. What will the impact be if you did this? Answers here can show:

a) They see the impact and why it’s important (good!)

b) Their perception of the impact grows as they think it out (great!)

c) They see the impact as too small for action (you can show them it’s bigger!)

d) They don’t know (you can help them figure it out!)

5. What will happen if you don’t act?

Asking this question gets customers thinking of the negative consequences of inaction.

They may work it out themselves (“We’ll bleed cash! Turnover will be unsustainably

high!") and their perception changes. Perhaps they need your guidance to see the

negative consequences of inaction. Either way … insight.

6. How do you know that?

Customers often give “facts” without foundation. Or, they may give facts with foundation

that once was true, but isn’t anymore. By asking for the reasoning behind a statement,

you can help the customer question the fundamental basis for their assumptions.

5. What do you think is missing?

This is the question that often gets a response of, “Good question!” Or, people get up on

their soap boxes decrying what “should be” but isn’t. Openings for insight all around.

Notes:


Topic 3 – Convince

Your ability to quantify the impact and paint a clear, persuasive, and believable picture of the

results you can achieve for customers is the foundation for how important it is for the decision

maker to buy from you. If you don’t show the impact, the initiative will fall to the bottom of

the priority list. Make the impact clear, and the customer’s perception of the gap between

where they are and where they want to be grows to its widest.

Here are some ways you can communicate impact in sales and make the case for moving

forward:

1. Calculate the Business Impact - Each affliction that you solve and each aspiration that

you help a customer realize will ultimately have a financial impact.

2. Impact Compared to the Alternative - Not only do you need to know the impact of

working with you, you need to know the impact on the customer of working with

alternatives to you. Perhaps your company offers better ROI, their products are inferior,

or your service is better. Know the alternatives, and you can make the best case for

helping the customer to succeed with you.

3. What Won’t Happen? - Sometimes the prospect sees the positive impact of buying from

you, but doesn’t see any negative impact of not moving forward.

4. Build Credibility with Similar Impact - Customers have aspirations and afflictions.

You’re selling what they need to help them meet their goals. The value proposition is clear,

but they are still unsure. Sometimes customers want to know if you’ve been there before.

And, when you were there, what happened. In this case, share success stories and results

you helped others achieve.

5. Demonstrate Impact Tangibly - The more you can make the impact tangible, the

stronger your case for impact will be.

Not only do you have to show the impact of your solution — you have to persuade customers

you can achieve these results. A powerful way to do this is through telling stories —Compelling

Stories.

Every Compelling Story satisfies the same basic criteria and follows the same story format

and should answer three questions:

o What do I want them to learn/have?

o What do I want them to feel/be?

o What do I want them to do?


Key components of the Compelling Story are:

1. Connection – Build rapport and establish credibility by demonstrating keen insight into

the customer’s world. This can be an overview of industry trends that are influencing

everything, technology changes that change the game, or an overview of any context that

is relevant to them. Once you show you know what you’re talking about, you’ll get their

attention and build curiosity in hearing the rest of what you have to say.

Rapport – Focused Questions

o What’s going on in your industry these days? How have things changed?

o You mentioned you want to retire in a few years. What are you thinking of doing

then?

2. Current State – The current state can be almost any set of issues: lack of results, slipping

market share, ideas whose time have passed, anything that creates problems in the

customers sales process. Establish the current state and why it’s not good enough. Then

identify the perfect future state or new reality. You can then go back and forth between

the current state and the possible new reality, establishing a very important rational gap

(you’re here, but you could be there).

Current State (where they are today) – Focused Questions

o Why isn’t this particular technology, service, product, situation, issue working

for you right now?

o What’s holding you back from reaching your revenue (or profit, or other) goals?

3. Future State – Establish the new reality. People have a natural tendency to drive forward.

But if they don’t know where they’re headed, any road will get them there. Your ability to

establish the destination—to help them imagine some specific aspiration—is critical. These

are how messages. Nobody cares about the how until they feel the depths of the why.

Getting to a New Reality is the why. Why is a powerful force!

Future State/ New Reality - Focused Questions

o If you were to wave your magic wand and in three years from now, how will

this all look different?

o (In early sales discussions) You mentioned you’re not having a good experience

with your current provider. If you work with us, what are you hoping will be

different?

o What does success look like for you…your business…this project…our work

together?

o If you could overcome these challenges, what would happen to your company’s

financial situation?

o If you were to make this happen, what would it mean for you personally?

o How would implementing these changes affect your competitiveness in the

market?

o How do you think the board of directors would evaluate the success of this

initiative?

o If you don’t solve (insert the particular challenge here), what kind of difficulties

will you face going forward? What won’t happen that you want to happen?


4. Results – Communicate Results, Create the Feelings. Many sales people know how to tell

a return on investment story, but few do everything they should to communicate the full

power of the impact. You still need to tell the ROI story— and you probably did so in

general terms when you established the possible New Reality—but now you must make it

real by showing real, specific results.

5. Action – Invite Collaboration. Every seller has been told to recommend action, specifically

a next step. Few, however, build in collaboration. When customers feel that sales people

collaborate with them, they are much more likely to buy, and to buy from that particular

seller.

At this point, your call to action will be to invite discussion and collaboration. Use the

Compelling Story structure and you’ll achieve the three outcomes you need to sell.

Notes:


Topic 4 – Collaborate with Influence

Since the customer isn’t required to buy when salespeople drive demand, salespeople must

be able to take their priority of making a sale happen, and make it the customer’s priority to

make a purchase happen. It’s not that easy, though, because you’re nowhere near the

customer’s priority list when you start. The key to moving up on a customer’s priority list are

desire and ownership:

Desire: They really need to want what you can do for them.

Ownership: You need to take something that wasn’t even on their radar screen and get them

to believe deeply, “I need to do something about this!” Perhaps the most overlooked strategy

for creating customer desire and ownership is getting them involved in the selling process by

inviting their collaboration. In almost every sales situation, collaboration helps.

Here are some steps to engage customers through collaboration:

1. Build a trusting Collaborative Relationship – Position yourself as an ally and a trusted

business advisor; listen actively; be empathetic to their needs, make the customer feel

valued, be non-judgmental, emphasize similarities; invest time.

2. Clarify a common agenda – Seek common ground, seek to understand their situation,

ask compelling questions to find the need behind the need. What are the problems or

concerns they are facing, explore those, find out what is important to them with regard to

their future or desired state. Do your research ahead of time and come to them showing

an interest in finding or offering solutions to their problems or concerns.

Examples:

o Is inaction on the issue hurting your productivity and morale?

o If you know that you need to do something about it, why haven’t you all taken

action yet?

o You took action and it failed in the past, but it seems like you’re considering

doing something similar again. Why is it going to turn out differently this time?

o When I’ve seen similar issues like yours, such as A, B, and C, it’s usually a recipe

for big problems like X, Y, and Z to eventually crop up. But you don’t seem

terribly concerned. Could you make the case for me that X, Y, and Z won’t

happen here?

When customers answer your questions, you can share stories of how the problems

they see have been solved at other places. You can also ask them, “Let’s look at that

last roadblock. How could we fix that?” Many customers talk themselves out of the

problems as they start to wonder about the solutions.

3. Present your point of view and Highlight Incentives – Explain your point of view and

how it supports something that is important to them. Invite the customer to “wonder”

with you about the possibilities. The problem is often not in the impact the product or

service can have on the customer, it’s the psychological effect of not being involved

enough in the discussion.

For example you might say:

o “So it’s happened like this at our other two client sites. Given what we discussed

so far, imagine for a minute you implemented something similar, and its six


months from now. What effects do you think you might see? What would the

impact be?”

o “You mentioned that A and B are not issues for you, but C and D are. Imagine

for a minute that C and D disappeared as problems. What effects do you think

you might see? What would the impact be?”

o “This is why we think it’s possible that you could increase revenue 20% by

getting your marketing engine firing on all thrusters. We realize, however, that

as much as most company leaders would want this kind of revenue increase,

they’d be skeptical that it would actually happen. Why wouldn’t this work here?

What would the roadblocks be?”

When customers answer your questions, you can share stories of how the problems

they see have been solved at other places. You can also ask them, “Let’s look at that

last roadblock. How could we fix that?” Many customers talk themselves out of the

problems as they start to wonder about the solutions.

4. Confirm Commitment, Give the Customer Ownership of the Idea - By collaborating

with your customers in the selling process, not only will you get on their priority lists and

shape their agendas for action, but the likelihood they’ll take that action with you will

skyrocket. Summarize the options, agree to a next steps and action items, if appropriate

ask for commitment.

Notes:


Module 7: Negotiation and Overcoming Objections

Topic 1: Negotiation

Negotiating, when done correctly, creates strong win-win situations for both parties. Sales

negotiations might take place over a series of meetings, conversations and phone calls, or

can begin and end within minutes. Remember, successful sales people always ask for

precisely what they want and enter into negotiations a plan in place. With that in mind, here

are five ways that you can quickly become a power negotiator:

1. Know your own position - Identifying what you want before entering negotiations gives

you the ability to both visualize the outcome and avoid leaving the table with the feeling

of selling yourself short. Have an exact dollar amount, terms, etc. outlined on paper prior

to meeting with the other party. Once you identify your desired meeting goal, be prepared

to ask for slightly more, allowing wiggle room for your client to ‘come down’ to your desired

price. Learn what your competitors offer. Stress the advantages your product has over

theirs. Their product might be less expensive, but yours might be of higher quality,

meaning it lasts longer. Let the customer know how much he will actually save in the long

term with your product.

2. Set your objectives - Set your walk-away price. Know when to quit negotiating. Know

the bottom-line you will go to and always be willing to walk away. While this can be difficult

when dealing with large pieces of potential business, it is imperative that you never enter

negotiations without the option to walk away. This lessens the likelihood of the other party

being able to use hard-ball tactics to back you into a corner. Are you willing to make

concessions in return for a larger order?

3. Decide which areas are negotiable - Understand the other party’s position. What are

their requirements and restrictions? Take the time to research the company and/or person

you’re meeting with and discover their surface needs, past negotiation outcomes, and

what would make them look good. Think about what you can offer the customer that

means little to you but a lot to them. Consider the implications. For example, what would

happen if you offered all your customers the same discount?

4. Decide how important the deal is to you - Know your value, what do you bring to the

table? Are you offering a revenue-generating service to another business? If so, how much

money will they make as a result of securing your services? What is the likelihood of repeat

business, large orders or immediate payment?

5. Never accept less without gaining concessions - While you may not walk away with

the exact dollar amount you envisioned, you can ensure that you leave with your desired

‘value.’ Figure out an alternative option that is worth that what you are giving up for you.

Accepting less without gaining something in return is the equivalent of stating that you

are worth less than your initial ask.


Topic 2: Overcoming Objections

In any selling situation, it is likely that you will need to overcome a customer’s obstacles

before a buying decision is made. Objections are not necessarily a bad thing. If your customer

raises an objection, it is actually a good sign. The fact that they're talking out their concern

means that they're giving you a chance to answer it. If someone is completely uninterested

in buying your product, they won't bother to object.

1. Listen It can be a real challenge to listen to objections. Most salespeople face the same

handful of objections, and tend to hear them all the time. Because of the familiarity with

common objections, you may tend to listen halfway through and jump in to respond.

Instead, try to use this time to slow down the sales process, listen for understanding, and

see objections from the customer’s point of view. Use the active listening skills you learned

earlier in the program.

2. Mirror Back to the Customer. When you're absolutely sure they are finished talking,

look thoughtful for a moment and then repeat back the gist of what they said. When the

customer gives an objection, you can perceive it in four ways:

o What they say

o What you hear

o What you interpret it to mean

o What they really mean

It is critical that, before responding to the customers concern, both you and the customer

clearly understand what the concern really is. Be careful not to interpret the objection,

because your response might be off target if your interpretation is incorrect.

3. Explore the Reasoning. Sometimes the first objections aren't the customer's real

concern. For example, many customer don't want to admit that they don't have enough

money to buy your product, so they'll raise a host of other objections instead. Before you

launch into answering an objection, ask a few exploratory questions, like “Is product

downtime a particular issue? Have you had trouble with it before?” Draw the customer out

a bit.

4. Answer the Objection. Once you understand the objection completely, you can answer

it. When a customer raises an objection, they're actually expressing fear. Your task at this

point is to relieve their fears. If you have specific examples, such as a story from an

existing customer or a few statistics, by all means present them – hard facts make your

response stronger. One of the best ways to respond to objections is evidence.

Evidence DEFEATS doubts.

Demonstration Example Fact Exhibit Analogy Testimonial Statistics

5. Check Back with the Customer. Take a moment to confirm that you've answered the

customer's objection fully. Usually this is as simple as saying, “Does that make sense?” or

“Have I answered your concern?”

6. Redirect the Conversation. Bring the customer back into the flow of the appointment.

If you're in the middle of your presentation when the customer raises his objection, then

once you've answered it quickly summarize what you'd been talking about before you

move on. If you've finished your pitch, check if the customer has any other objections,

and then start closing the sale.


Notes:


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