Part 1
What is sales: Making a company thrive, Applying for a job, Tinder profile, Introducing
yourself to your in-laws, Getting a favor done, Getting a better room in a hotel, Etc.…
Selling is: Communication, A process, Target & Result Orientated, Behavioral change
Selling is transforming a need of a customer into an action (of buying) via different steps
Core Business of the sales team: Realizing sales targets, Maintaining customer relations,
Acquisition of new customers , Advising customers, Service, Inform the company about
customer and market developments
Position of sales: Sales is positioned, is the bridge between customers and the company
The social side of sails: Problem solving, Socially skilled, Educational role ,Catalyst for
innovation and change
Characteristics of a good sales person: Empathy, Focus ,Responsibility ,Optimism ,Financial
insight Graphics, Presentation
Hard selling Vs Soft Selling
Hunter Farmer
One time Shot Sales repetition with existing customers
Short term Long Term
Arousing desire to buy Arousing desire to buy
Closure orientated Cudtomer relationship
To Prospect is fun Customer relationship
Competition stimulated Service orientated
Hard Skills Soft Skills
Analysing Empathy
Ethical behaviour Create and innovate
Integrity Show ambition and drive
To report Learn from new knowledge
To act commercially Cope with teerre and
Focus on needs and defeat
expectations of Research
customers Cooperate and
Planning and organising communicate
Presenting teer and lead
networking Persuade and influence
Making decisions
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Part 2
LSD: Listen Summarize Dig
Active listening: It helps all areas of life, not just sales. Active listening leads to more
meaningful conversations. This impacts your sales conversations as well as your personal
ones. It directly impacts your income earning potential, The better you are at active listening
the more information you will gain. That information, when used well, will lead to more
sales. You will never feel "lost" in a conversationWhen you master active listening you will
always be able to find something to talk about. This eliminates getting "lost" on a call.
How to actively listen:
1. Summarize, by reflecting in your own words what someone else has said, you can check
whether you have understood it. You let the other person know that you really listened.
You give someone the chance to add even more information. You put everything neatly
in your head so that you can make a choice about what you want to ask next.
Tips for summarizing: Keep it short, you only need to summarize the essence, Use little
phrases such as:
If I understand correctly, you mean…
Do I correctly understand that….?
Are you saying that you….?
So, you want……?
2. Body Language Non-verbal communication: Eye contact, Avoid distractions, Put passion
into the conversation, Show your admiration Play with your posture, Appearance, Touch
Personal space ,Smile
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The golden circle:
Everyone knows what they do, most know how they do it, few know why they do what
they do, what’s your purpose, belief (Besides making money) Why does your
organization exist.
Example apple:
People don’t buy what you do they buy why you do it.
For example, you would not buy a phone from dell, they make computers. Yet Apple
also started as a computer brand, but we associate them with the why, more than just
the what.
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Part 3
Closed questions: Start with a verb, "Yes" or "No" as an answer, You use to verify
something avoid these in your sales conversation as they will lead to dead ends.
Open Questions Start with: Who, What, Why, Which, How. Can't answer with "Yes" or
"No". You use to collect information.
Dig: Open questions allow you to dig deeper, You are showing your interest and
understanding You invite the other person to tell the whole story, You avoid
misunderstandings and miscommunication, It helps you to not come to premature
conclusions Avoid “why” questions – can come across judgmental ,When did you dig
enough?: Average of 5 questions on the same topic/ Intuition
AIDA:
The AIDA model, tracing the customer journey through Awareness, Interest, Desire and
Action
AIDA Model identifies cognitive stages an individual goes through during the buying process
for a product or service. It's a purchasing funnel where buyers go to and from at each stage,
to support them in making the final purchase.
It's no longer a relationship purely between the buyer and the company since social media
has extended it to achieving the different goals of AIDA via information added by other
customers via social networks and communities.
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Modern Customer Journey:
Loyalty loop: Example loyalty to advocaccy: Duvel Fan Strava
Different Personalities and why it’s important to recognize them:
it is crucial to align your communication to each person’s nature. It will make you a better
leader, increase your team’s satisfaction and improve your overall efficiency.
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Part 4
SMART:
- Specific: What do you want to do?
- Measurable: How will you know when you’ve reached it
- Achievable: Is it in your power to accomplish it
- Realistic: can you realistically achieve it
- Timely: When exactly do you want to accomplish it
Selling is: Selling is transforming a need of a customer into an action
Sales is: turning an address into a client.
Prospecting
Cold prospecting Warm prospecting
reaching out to targets you don't know to is a prospect who's been receptive to your
generate an initial meeting – is one of the marketing or early sales outreach.
hardest parts of sales. Partly, it's a numbers Generally, they've demonstrated tacit
game. With decision makers more insulated interest in your offering by providing you
than ever, it's getting harder and harder to with their contact information. They're not
get past gatekeepers and beyond voicemail as interested in you as a qualified lead, but
they're more likely to convert than a cold
contact.
Why prospect: Maintaining customer base (continuity), Growth ,Cost per visit ,Personal
appearance ,Stay creative
Work systematically: Balance between address search and revenue, Deploy the phone
strategically, Start with a goal
Know your prospect: Who is your prospect, What’s the organization/company like, What is
the prospect looking for, is there a history
Databases: • Companyweb • Trendstop • Kruispuntbank • address banks for private
individuals, Newspapers and magazines, Vacature, Jobat ,Linkedin
How to build your own database:
- Determine: Determine target audience
- Identify: Find prospects in your market
- Select: Get contact details of companies you want to visit
- Register: Save contacts in database
- Qualify: Supply with valuable information
- Exploit: Breath life in your database, the more you use it, the better it becomes
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Part 5
Sales conversation
Skills needed: soft skills, hard skills
Preparation:
Prospect Existing customer
-Check company activity (website but also -History & figures
recent articles / interviews
-Insight into further evolution in the sector
-Evolution of the sector
-Look for cross and upselling opportunities
-Info about contact person (social media? /
Linked in / ...)
-Similar customer? Need? What do they
find valuable
Scotsman:
Solution
Competition
Originality
Timescale
Size
Money
Authority
Need
Sales cycle: The sales cycle is the time which expires between the first visit to a prospect
and them effectively placing the first order. From a day to several years.
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Short and long-term:
Short cycle Long cycle
-cheap -Not cheap
-simple -Not easy
-Great availability -Small number of players
-Great potential -Potential customers is limited
-Decision = one person -The decision = several people
-Decision process = transparent and simple -Decision process = opaque and complex
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Structure sales conversation:
-Introduction
-Questioning: Needs analysis
-Convincing: Demonstration, Argumentation
-Persuading: Dealing with objections, Detecting buying signals, Closing
Introduction -Goal: Selling the conversation to the customer (not yet product!) , Making
yourself acceptable as a partner in the relationship ,Absorb contact resistances ,Overcome
your own fear + negative attitude
1 minute Important! First impression to take charge
Introduction -Mistakes: Thank the customer for the conversation, Far too long an
introduction ,Tell that you are coming to introduce the company (... and do that)
Contradiction: saying that you want to ask questions but still give an explanation, Starting
from self-interest, Start with a hidden blame, Assume, Knife to the throat
Introduction – promote relationship: Use the name of the customer, Introduce yourself
clearly, Give a firm handshake ,Use your business card – alternative?, Smile!
Introduction – structure:
1. Introduce the needs assessment • Introduce yourself briefly • Say you want to ask
questions • Close the entrance phase with a closing question (a closed question)
2. Open with a agenda proposal • Briefly introduce yourself and your company • Suggest
three agenda items • Close the introductory phase with a closed closing question
Introduction – psychology: Give attention, Listening credit ,Take the lead
Summarize: By reflecting in your own words what someone else has said, you can check
whether you have understood it. You let the other person know that you really listened. You
give someone the chance to add even more information. You put everything neatly in your
head so that you can make a choice about what you want to ask next
Tips for summarizing: Keep it short, you only need to summarize the essence. Use little
phrases such as:
If I understand correctly, you mean…
Do I correctly understand that….?
Are you saying that you….?
So you want……?
Why do customers buy: Technical properties vs benefits of those properties Selling
arguments are meaningful combinations of technical features and customer benefits.
Motives differ from person-to-person Tools: stats and facts, comparison, passion, …
Remember: Hit the heart and the head will follow.
Ex: We don’t sell insurances -We sell control and reassurance
We don’t sell sweaters -We sell comfort, identity and fashion
We don’t sell brown bread -We sell health
We don’t sell easter eggs -We sell being together with the family
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Sellogram: Tool to help you make your selling arguments
Demonstration Structure: -Say what you are going to show -Explain why it is important -
Demonstrate -Ask customer opinion -Add technical explanation
Dealing with objections:
Objections – why: Postpone the purchase -Customer does not agree with you -Fear of
change -Different need -Looking for a better deal -Testing of the salesperson -Get
information -Hide uncertainty -Get more certainty
Objections or something else: More information needed -Misunderstanding or judgement -
Lie, excuse or false objection -Condition
Objections – when: -Prospecting fase -Argumentation fase -Closing
How to handle objections: How to approach? We have a solution for that ... I understand
that … I hear what you say ... Techniques: Asking questions How and why? Concretize
Silence Delay Boomerang technique
Never argue with the customer Ask questions to find out what the customer means exactly
Detecting buying signals
Definition: any words, gestures or attitudes of the customer that indicate that he is willing
to buy.
Nonverbal communication: Eye contact -Avoid distractions -Put passion into the
conversation -Show your admiration -Play with your posture -Appearance -Touch -Personal
space -Smile
Verbal Buying signals: general satisfaction -Positive feedback on partial advice -
Announcement of an action -A choice made by the customer
Provoke Buying signals: When can I get the specifications from you? -What procedure
should we follow when we deliver the goods? -Who should our technician report to when
we perform the treatment? -Which solution do you prefer?
Example: Question-Answer: How much is it? How big is the order we are talking about?
What conditions can you guarantee Which order are we talking about?
When could you deliver? When would you like us to deliver?
How much do I have to order to get the best conditions? What quantities were you thinking
of?
Are we obligated to sign for the whole package? What would you like to change?
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Closing
Close in style: Summarize the main needs.
-Match the needs with your own services and USPs or Unique Selling Points.
-Ask if this is correct and complete.
-Translate your services into customer benefits. Highlights more pros than cons.
-Ask for a response.
-Give another example of customers who are satisfied.
-At the end of the conversation, you will then reap the fruits of your hard work:
-You have been able to arouse your customer's desire to buy and then get a clear yes to
your proposal.
-You have succeeded in presenting targeted solutions that fit in nicely with the inventoried
wishes and needs.
-You could explain with enthusiasm what your proposal will bring to the other.
Closing – where it goes wrong: Maturity -Must or want? -Avoid pushiness -Assertiveness -
Pride -Shyness
The three closing steps:
-Prepare closing Detect buying signals or trigger them
-Trial Closing Ask for the customers opinion
-Closing Ask for the client’s commitment
Closing – ask what you need: The purchase proposal -No opportunity => no closing question
-Why ask for the order?
Closing mistakes:
Sell again, overselling
-Shut down implicitly
-Don't be silent after the closing question
-To be without obligation
-Not should but can
-Trying to increase the order from a small starting order
-Don't visualize
-Push or beg
-Handing over the initiative
-Not responding appropriately to a buy signal
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Summary:
Preparation Check your Sales Instruments Check your objective. What do you want to
achieve?
Contact tactics: who do you want to talk to, why, about what ... Contact (The actual
conversation) Focus on the conversation Contact itself (attitude and question) Open
questions, non-verbal communication, eye contact Deepen Go through the agenda with
your client and discuss the goal.
Analysis: The art of “asking good questions” ..! (SPIN model) The art of “listening” (Listening
levels) To summarize..!
Presentation Story telling (e.g. Nike, the 3 Bs: Experience, Message Meaning) 93% of the
communication is non-verbal !!!
Closure (Hardest) 52% gives up on the first objection. Only 4% continues up to 4 attempts
Use the closing techniques.
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Part 6
Assertiveness: is the quality of being self-assured and confident without being aggressive.
Assertiveness relies on effective communication while simultaneously respecting the thoughts and
wishes of others. People who are assertive clearly and respectfully communicate their wants, needs,
positions, and boundaries to others.
Assertive Communication:
Confidence
Clear
Controlled
Think before speaking
-What is the goal?
- What are the options?
-How can I communicate in a way
that’s honest and respectful?
- Communicates concerns directly to the person he or she has an issue with, rather than talking
indirectly about someone behind his/her back.
-Listens actively and reflectively to others.
-Offers direct eye contact.
-Has strong self-awareness and a relaxed posture.
-Communicates positively and constructively, without use of judgement and labeling.
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Part 7
Tools Of Sales
CRM
CRM: Customer Relationship Management: is a business strategy aimed at realizing sustainable
competitive advantage through value creation, in which customer insight, customer experience and
customer involvement are central.
4 Goals CRM: Attract customers, Retain customers, Increase customer value, Increase of profitability
per client
What does CRM contain: Address data, Products, Competition, Campaigns, Contact moments,
Quotations
Mailings
Mailing – sales goals:
Objective: To inform the customer about a benefit
Why: To create a favorable climate for telephone follow-up
Who: Targeted mailing, to selected addresses.
How: In relatively small and manageable quantities (1 to 20 weeks)
The role of the seller: He is proactive.
Response from the customer: None, the customer is actually not allowed to respond to the mailing.
The initiative lies with the seller
Mailing – sales – criteria: Maximum 300 words, Text as limited as possible (max 3 paragraphs), the
letter stands out for its brevity, free benefit, build in a customer benefit in the letter, with the
announcement of the telephone follow-up in the last paragraph.
Mailing: example
Dear Ms Coopman,
You will receive a free edition of the Sales Guide-report concerning: making appointments by phone
In the report you will find: A measuring insturment to analyse your results when making you
rappointments A few results of sales teams of different branches so you can compare your status
In a couple of days I’ll be giving you a call to check when I can stop by to hand you the Sales Guide-
report.
Kindest Regards
Walter Spruyt, Sales Coach
Houd ook in Linkedin push messages etc – nieuwe platformen!
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