Winging It - confidence? A large portion of sales people just 'wing it' when it comes to speaking with customers. So many sales people are not 'drilled' in the 'art' and 'science' of selling, and not held to account, so they 'wing it'. Some to the point where the conversation becomes all about them rather than the customer or their needs. To be really good at pretty much anything, there are steps you need to take. You need to learn how to do it, practise it, act on feedback, and repeat. It is infuriating how many 'sales people' just rock up and do the same thing (i.e. the 'repeat' bit). They go to a meeting without any previous thought or consideration of using tried and tested processes and skills. It…
What do they value? The customer is always right? Right? Wrong. Often your customer has only a limited knowledge of what you can do for them. How can they be right if they don't know? Asking great questions about what you could do for them stimulates their thinking and allows the salesperson to uncover the customer's needs and requirements, understanding what is valued. Alex Selwood and Gareth Moxom discuss in this short video, how to really know what your customer's needs are, and how to then add value according to those needs. https://youtu.be/vDajy1RrHYA If you'd like more information of how we can support you or your sales teams, click here: https://www.expressionforgrowth.com/virtual-learning-sprints/#precision-selling
Virtual Selling – Part 4: Use the tools in the virtual kitbag… Back to basics and joining the 1% club Following the COVID crisis, customer interaction has been stripped back to the very core; no-frills, focus on the basics & keep it simple. Grappling with survival, organisations using even the basic approach, are facing challenging client relationships. But with some form of stability beginning to emerge in certain sectors, and a slight shift back to more ‘normal’ customer engagements, it is an almost certainty that ‘virtual’ meetings will remain the new norm and become a permanent feature into the future. But, “How do we interact with our customers virtually in a way that gets the most out of the experience for all?” As discussed in our previous articles; Part 1,…
Creating your elite sales team “You will be remembered by how you behaved during this time” Sat here at home like a large proportion of the global workforce, every day, I still have a sense of ‘shock and awe’ at the sheer speed that the COVID-19 crisis has impacted every element of almost everyone’s life. Being part of a business that earns its money helping others enjoy performing at their best, by running workshops and events that challenge beliefs and equip people to be ‘the best they can be’ - we, like many, have felt this acutely. Very early on in this crisis (what seems like a long time ago but in reality is a matter of a few weeks), someone said to me “You will be remembered by how…
Time to Prepare Prepare for getting back on the pitch… Like everyone else, the coaches of professional sports teams are facing an unprecedented situation – no matches, no team training…well, no nothing really. Their equivalent of the office is shut. What they have been doing is giving their players diet plans, personal training schedules & focus areas. To support and encourage, regular virtual check-ins & coaching sessions. Getting them ready for being back on the pitch. Businesses are facing a similar dilemma and many of the usual excuses for not preparing have disappeared almost overnight. What are you doing to prepare to get back on the pitch? Getting it done before the wasters turn up…. Great preparation is a prerequisite for good performance. With that in mind, when running a…
It’s been a heck of a ride, running a business for the past 19 years. So many mistakes, so many lessons, but what a joy it is to see it take shape, evolve, respond to today’s needs…but also to remind ourselves that the one constant is people. They are humans too, and when you need to win a piece of business, inevitably you will need to pitch to win that business, and if you are to win that business, you need to win the hearts and minds of those humans... I thought it would be interesting to look through the other end of the telescope for once and share with you what I have learnt about how NOT to win business. All you need to do is the opposite, to…
Make an impact and stand out from the crowd to deliver your message I have been involved in helping others be the best they can be in front of groups of people for the past 25 years, and in my view, this core business skill is underrated, usually poorly executed, and probably one of the most significant ways you can make an impact on your colleagues, customers and stakeholders. It’s a question of; “what kind of impact do you want to have?” Is it lunchtime yet? Think of all the presentations that you have been in the audience for. Now, think of all the ‘virtual’ presentations that you have witnessed. Then, think of all the conference calls you have been part of. Be honest - how many of them stood…
A story of a headmaster, the engineer and disappointment Imagine the scene; a budding mining and explosives engineer in his mid-twenties. The phone call to his proud father, a respected head teacher of a well-known school. “Dad, you know that career track I have sunk the past 8 years of my life into? The one where I get to run my ‘very own’ coal mine? Well…I’ve quit. I am going to be a salesman…..” The silence was deafening, the disappointment palpable…..I remember it like it was yesterday and that moment was 30 years ago. Sales people get a bad rap…deservedly so. So….what is really interesting about this tale is WHY? What is it about the ‘sales profession’ that so many people dislike? (I think I can actually hear you responding…
Technology is improving; travel budgets are shrinking; people’s time is becoming increasingly scarce. Those three factors are leading more organisations to hold virtual meetings and training sessions, instead, or in complement to, face-to-face meetings and workshops. Great, right? …right? I'm not bored at all....!! Well, maybe not. If you’re like most of us then you’ve experienced terrible webinars and dysfunctional virtual meetings. Let’s face it: many things can make webinars uninspiring, boring and dull. Most often, it’s when they are treated as a ‘one-way’ communication tool. This is demoralising for everyone involved: the people ‘receiving’ the message get bored and find distractions elsewhere; the person ‘transmitting’ the information gets little feedback from the group and feels isolated and frustrated. These types of webinars rarely achieve desired outcomes and are often…
People often tell me, ‘Nick, you look fabulous’, and, of course, they are correct. It’s great to be me. Some possibly-important-context: those people are never in the same room as me when they say that. And they are not actually talking about my general attractiveness or rippling physique. (They are probably just too shy). What they are actually talking about is how I’m appearing in the Skype or other video meeting I’m participating in. The quality of the video image IS always fabulous (regardless of how fabulous I’m feeling that day)… Here are my four top tips to looking fabulous on webcam: Who said that? LIGHT IT UP – having a good quality light source positioned behind the webcam is essential. If you’re able to position yourself with a good-sized…
