Is Your Phone Sales Opening a Cliche?

Have you taken the time to think about your telephone presentations lately? 

Many people tell me that possibly the hardest thing to do these days is reach the decision maker. But what happens when you do reach them? Are you making the most of your opportunity? Have you created an opening that makes people want to listen to you and become active participants in the conversation? All too often when I look at prepared scripts, I notice sentences that might look well in a direct mail piece but will either get you shot down quickly or simply won't engage your prospective customer.

Here's two cliched examples: openings that tout money savings or a saving of time and effort. It may very well be the case, but everyone says their product either 1) saves you money, 2) saves you time or 3) makes your efforts more efficient thereby also giving you savings from 1 and 2 as well. Seriously, everyone says it. Doing this actually makes it easier for a decision maker to tune you out - because you're not different from anyone else who calls - and they'll try to get off the phone as quickly as possible.

Let's think about a better way. Why not simply introduce yourself and your company name, make a quick one sentence statement about what your product is, and then ask some questions. Take the opportunity to learn more about your potential customers. In fact, one of the things you might find is that this decision maker is not a potential customer. Isn't better to find that out up front? Isn't it better to learn who you should be talking to or know that currently your products/services are not a good match for a particular organization?

Sit down and review your opening. Make it natural sounding. Avoid tired and hackneyed phrases. Take the time, instead, to become genuinely interested in your prospect. You'll be far happier with the results.

Not Being Pushy Shouldn't Equal Not Selling

Once again, misconceptions about selling rear their ugly heads.

It's so fixed in the minds of many that selling equals "pushy" that many people who must sell aren't selling at all. They present their product. They'll tell you what's great about it. Maybe even ask you a question or two but leave it up to you, the prospective customer to take the lead. If the customer has no questions, makes no move to buy, then it's over. Sure, some of them will decide to buy later on, but all this technique does is leave money on the table.


Now I'm not going to advocate "pushy". It really doesn't work effectively as a long term strategy. Perhaps if you are working with a product that people will only need once, you could pull it off. However, if you're hoping for them to buy again - or give you referrals - pushy isn't your best choice.


Going in the opposite direction, isn't effective either. The goal should be to discover needs and concerns through careful questions and listening - discussing the pros and cons. If there are more pros than cons suggest the product/service as the solution.


But here's the kicker. To do this right and to be effective, you've got to practice. You need to know how to do this right. Not just a few meetings with your manager or (and this is really bad) being handed a binder or a pdf file and told to learn it.


You need to practice, you need to DO.


Only that will bring you the confidence, the results and the happy, satisfied customers who do not think you are pushy!




KRG Communications Group: we help you bridge the gap between knowing and doing. (www.krgcommunications.com) How can we help you?

Sales or Service Success: Listening is Key

I spend a lot of time with inside sales and customer service personnel helping them improve their interpersonal skills in areas such as questioning techniques, reaching decision makers, dealing with difficult people, closing sales and so on. The key to all of it, however, is the ability to listen well.

Studies have shown that we spend about 9% of our time writing, 13% of our time reading, 23% of our time speaking and 55% of our time listening. What's staggering about that is not only do we spend most of our time listening but that we spend double the time listening as we do speaking.


Here are some things to keep in mind:
You cannot not communicate. Even when you are not verbally saying anything, you transmit messages through your non-verbal's. How you dress, your body language, we count on so many visuals to communicate.

Up to 80% of our communication skills are non-verbal. So, when you speak to someone on the telephone, in effect, you're only using about 20% of your skills.


In my work in inside sales and customer service training, I've used the phrase "Communicating Blindfolded". It's a good analogy. Think of phone work as being given a blindfold. You can hear - but you can't see. You don't have a choice, you must listen.

I consider listening to be one of the three legs of the communication stool we sit on when we communicate over the telephone. The other two are words and voice. When I began in inside sales, I only considered these last two - but the more time I spent in these activities the more I came to realize that I can never truly be effective - never really reach my potential - unless I acknowledge the need for, improved and used my listening skills.


One of the greatest obstacles to good listening, particularly over the phone is that meanings cannot be transferred from one mind to another - only words can be transferred. The challenge here is that you, as the receiver of the message, attach your own meaning to the words I sent you. This is why I'm a huge fan of using clarifying questions when I speak with someone. Just because I attach a particular meaning to certain words or phrases, doesn't mean that someone else does. Regardless of the stage I'm in the sales or service process, I need to make sure that I understand what you mean and that you understand what I mean. 

I do this by focusing only on the task at hand: listening.

Listening is affected by what's called "selective attention". This is almost as a survival technique because I can't' possibly listen to and process every sound I hear. have to use selective attention in order to listen actively - and that means I have to stay in the moment. I can't let my attention wander. If I'm on the telephone, I don't yield to the temptation of reading email, trolling the news sites online or reading that report on my desk, all while "listening" to you. Can't be done.

Remember my mantra: Multi-tasking is the enemy of good listening. 

Listen well and all will be well. 

Sales Experience is NOT all the Same

I've been reading a discussion on one of the Inside Sales boards I follow, the gist of which is that most sales managers would rather hire for sales experience than industry experience. I'm not going to disagree but I am going to posit that the issue is actually more complicated.


There are many different types of sales and most of them boil down to transactional vs. consultative. I've had the opportunity to work with both types and I've seen people go from being very successful in one and then failing when they take on a job in the other. They are usually dumbfounded and can't understand why. "I was a crack closer" they'll say. "I always exceeded my quota", they'll claim. They're right - they did. But that's not the whole story.

Let's face it, closing a sale for a car or a home improvement can be done in one call. Closing on a high dollar sale in a large business can not. Now, it's not that the skill set is different per se, but that the skills are used differently. I'll need to hand hold more people. I need to build consensus - on teams, across departments and divisions in some cases. It's a slower process. I'll ask the great questions, I'll be prepared to take my opening. However, if I don't understand how the sales process works, I'm not going to get anywhere. It works in reverse, too. If I've worked in high dollar b to b sales and now I find myself selling lower dollar, high volume consumer goods, it's going to take a while to find my footing. Unfortunately, some people never will.


So, my bottom line isn't just going to be sales experience, it's how that sales experience has been acquired and how willing the sales professional will be to learn and make changes as necessary. Everyone can learn, everyone can grow. We must be willing to take those steps and most importantly we must understand that those steps must be taken. Sales hotshot in Company A doesn't automatically translate to sales hotshot in Company B. 

As managers and trainers it's our responsibility to make sure this transition goes smoothly. On boarding and on going training and coaching are essential to the success of every salesperson who joins your team. 

Need some help making this happen in your organization? For more information, contact me at info@krgcommunications.com  

www.krgcommunications.com 

Characteristics of Great Closed Ended Questions

Closed-ended questions serve a unique purpose in conversations. Done correctly, they require narrow answers to a specific inquiry.  The answers to these questions are typically "yes"-"no" or some other very brief answer.  Questions (or probes) of this nature perform the following functions:  

• They allow specific facts to be obtained.
• They are simple to answer. The buyers only need answer one question.     
• They are useful in a feedback process when the salesperson desires to check the communication accuracy.
• They can be used to reinforce positive statements.
• They can be used to direct the conversation to a desired topic or concern.
• They usually start with the following words: is, are, can, do,  would, could, should, may.

So, close-ended questions narrow your focus and open-ended questions broaden it.  Although sales and service training and coaching often spends much time focusing on open-ended questions, we should remember that close-ended questions also serve an important function in our efforts.

Vital to Your Success 2: More Roles for the Inside Sales Manager

Motivator

It can be unnerving - sitting in a client meeting - when a top manager turns to me and begins to talk about how poor motivated the sales or service staff is.(My brain begins to signal UH OH!) Not a bad thing unto itself, but this is what usually follows: This  upper level management member says they need their managers to "Fire them up!” “Get them going!” “Motivate them!” Almost as though there is a magic wand that can be waved and “BAM!” people are motivated and productive, sales forecasts are being made and all is right with the world. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. There are no silver bullets, no magic pill that helps you motivate others.(sorry!) There are however, things that you can do in order to help people motivate themselves.


Experts in motivation theories will generally point out that motivation comes from within and not from without. A manager should not expect to give a “motivating” speech or incentive and expect it to work. With out understanding what is important to the employee, it is nearly impossible to be effective in motivating
them. 

A manager needs to discover what motivates each of their subordinates and create their motivational plans accordingly. It is difficult to motivate others but it is possible to create an environment conducive to motivating each rep. This is effective motivation. 

Positive reinforcement should always be chosen over negative. Most importantly, this requires managers and supervisors to get to know the people who are selling for them. Finding out what motivates people can be as simple as asking questions during a goal setting session. Some people will respond well to a lot of positive attention, some people will not. It’s important to observe how people react to each incentive. Some people respond well to certain things, others have different expectations. Don't use programs/incentives/etc because you like them - use them because your staff will.

In looking for motivators, a manager must observe their employees. Plus, keep in mind that motivations change. What motivates people can change based on what is happening in their lives. For example, a sales person who usually isn't motivated by money may become so, if something changes in their personal life which demands more cash. Conversely, some people will reach a level of earning and by satisfied by it. These sales people will not be satisfied by monetary rewards.

Converse, convey, connect...

What makes you passionate about what you do? 

What keeps you involved and motivated day after day?


For me, it's the knowledge that I've helped someone on the road to success. Whether that success is being better at their roles in a call center, helping an independent sales rep refine their technique, working with front line employees in a office to be more effective communicators or mentoring small business owners in their ability to manage, coach and motivate their sales and service staff, it's important to me that I make a difference. For me it's always been about how I can help people succeed.


Because when we work to help others - no matter how big or small an effort- good things happen all around.


In a nutshell, that's what sales and service are all about. Working to help others. Sometimes in the middle of a rough sales month or a day of really tough calls - inbound or outbound, it's easy to forget that. What makes it easier to stay on track is to have the tools and techniques that enable you to succeed.


Enable you to find passion.


I can help. If you'd like to be more effective, if you'd like your staff to be more effective in their sales or service mission and goals, I can help. This blog is called "Converse, convey, connect" because that's what we need to do in order to be successful in our sales and service relationship. If you'd like to learn more about how I can help you, here's some additional contact info:

website: www.krgcommunications.com
email: info@krgcommunications.com
phone: 973.709.1252

What is the Best Sales Technique?

I have a kayak! Brand new, can’t wait to take it out on the water. Now, owning a kayak means you also own other things, like paddles or a life jacket. If you've have the opportunity to read any of the literature that the Coast Guard puts out about being in any kind of watercraft of this type, you’d also know that that they consider a life jacket, also known as a personal flotation device (or PFD) a must. In all of their pamphlets, booklets, handouts, they have the same Q and A: What is the best PFD? Answer: the one that you will wear.

I thought about this in conjunction with selling (and yes, my brain does make connections that like). What is the best sales technique? The one that you will use.

There’s a lot to be said for that approach. If you are so uncomfortable with certain sales techniques that it negatively impacts on your ability to make phone calls or go out on sales calls or even ask for an agreement, than you want to re-think your approach to sales.

If you can’t use a sales technique, then don’t. There are a lot of different ideas in the world about how to sell. Some of them you will agree with, some you won’t. I've been selling and training people to sell for a long time - and I often find myself disagreeing with others about the best way to sell. There’s lots of room for different types of techniques. Because here’s the kicker: there is no one best way. There’s only the best way for you.

What will work best for you will take into account your own comfort zones and your personality preferences as well as your customers’ needs and preferences. Certain closes that will make one prospect run into the next time zone to get away from you will be expected by another. Certain techniques work better with certain types of sales. There’s a huge difference between a product sale that’s transactional vs. one that will be the start of a longer or even an ongoing relationship.

So just as I spent time trying on various types of life jackets for fit and comfort, you may want to try on different sales techniques for fit and comfort as well. After all, if you won’t use your sales “life jacket” it can’t help keep your selling efforts afloat.

Secondary Sales Goals

A successful inside sales call has many components. The exact components making up the call will vary depending on the result you want.  First, you'll need to determine the goal of the call.  What is your ultimate goal? The usual answer is the sale. Then take the time determine your secondary goal. If you don't get the sale, what do you want to leave with? Often a sales rep will say that the only goal of the call is to close a sale. That’s a good goal, but many sales, particularly in the B2B arena, are not closed on the 1st attempt.


Not having a secondary goal will leave the inside sales rep and the telephone conversation muddled as well as make it more difficult to ultimately obtain the sale. Therefore, a sales rep must always ask themselves before a call “What do I want to get out of this. If I can’t make the sale in this call, what do I want?” Here are examples of secondary goals:

• Discovering the “real” decision maker or other influencers
• Finding out the “real” objections for not purchasing
• Learning the needs and wants of the potential buyer
• Scheduling a call back for a specific time

All are valid pieces of information you will want to further explore a potential sales opportunity. Decide on your secondary goals - they will help you find your way to your primary goal, the sale.

Motivation Done Right

The first thing management usually wants a manager to do with a sales staff is “Fire them up!” “Get them going!” “Motivate them!” It's almost as though there is a magic wand that can be waved and “BAM!” people are motivated and productive, sales forecasts are being made and all is right with the world. 

Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. There are no silver bullets, no magic pill that helps you motivate others. There are however, things that you can do in order to help people motivate themselves.

Experts in motivation theories will generally point out that motivation comes from within and not from without. A manager should not expect to give a “motivating” speech or incentive and expect it to work. It may make some people feel uplifted - but it's a temporary effect. Without understanding what is important to the employee, it is nearly impossible to be effective in motivating them.


Managers need to discover what motivates each of their subordinates and create their motivational strategies accordingly. Although it is difficult to motivate others, it is possible to create an environment conducive to motivating each employee.


Positive reinforcement should always be chosen over negative. This requires managers and supervisors to get to know the people who are selling for them. Finding out what motivates people can be as simple as asking questions during a goal setting session. Some people will respond well to a lot of positive attention, some people will not. Observe how people react to each incentive. Actions will speak louder than words...and motivations change.


For example, a salesperson who usually isn't motivated by money may actually become so, if something changes in their personal life which demands more cash. Conversely, some people will reach a level of earning and by satisfied by it. These salespeople will not be satisfied by monetary rewards.


Spending the time to learn what motivates your staff will pay off handsomely for your and them. You can't motivate them but you can help them dig deep into their own motivations to help them succeed.

What Do I Do?

I like to use this blog to help and educate others not to promote myself. However, I do feel that I should - from time to time - review what I do and how I can help others (individuals and organizations) to succeed.

So, here's a run down. My contact information is:

Call: 973.709.1252
Fax: 973.709.1818
website: www.krgcommunications.com
Email jkirby@krgcommunications.com 

twitter: @thejoannkirby

 

Find me (Jo Ann Kirby) on LinkedIn as well.

Here's a brief rundown of some of the services offered by KRG Communications Group:

Inside Sales/ Customer Service Training and Consulting

• Training:
• Telephone Techniques/Etiquette
• Sales skills
• Customer Service Techniques
• Leadership and Management
• Supervisory skills:coaching and counseling for improved performance

Consulting:

• Interviewing/hiring
• Script/Presentation development
• Quality assurance procedures
• Development of metrics for performance expectations

I also teach public speaking skills. (private sessions)

Be the Best that You Can Be! 

I can help with that.

Will You Show Up Today?

"You Have to Show Up" This is a favorite phrase of anyone who's success is performance based. It's also a favorite phrase of managers and trainers everywhere.

 You want to succeed, you've got to show up - and if you show up often enough you'll get the jobs/results you want. It's an apt analogy for people who sell for a living.

You have to show up - be there not just physically but your brain as well. Are you fully engaged every time you're with a customer or prospect? Being fully focused on your customer and your objectives requires giving the proverbial 150% of yourself. 

That's how you succeed.

The Difference Between Knowing and Doing

Selling is very different from many types of jobs. One very important reason is that selling is a behavior. It's not a task like keyboarding or knowing how to use Excel. Selling requires us to use our interpersonal communications skills in order to achieve our goals.

In order to use our skills to the best effect, we need to be completely comfortable using them. Being completely comfortable requires more than just writing out your presentations. You need to actually practice it. This means role playing. Now many people are not comfortable with this. However, the best way to become comfortable with any skill is to practice it until you master it. Offer to partner with co-worker - use the buddy system to help improve both your skills sets. Role play several times other a period of several days or weeks. Don't do it once. It's the repetition that helps you feel comfortable. 

This is the difference between knowing and doing.

Don't be afraid to ask for a critique. Feedback is crucial to the process. Often we are too close to be able to accurately judge how we are doing. Don't assume feedback is negative. Ask your partner: What did you like? What was good but could be better? What needs improvement? You'll notice that we took 3 steps in this feedback process. First, it's important to know what you are doing right. It gives you something to build on. Second, you want to make sure you are mastering the skill - not just going through the motions. Third, you need people to be honest enough with you to be able to tell you what areas you really need to improve. Create a plan of action for yourself based on this feedback. Think about it, practice it on your own. Use it in your sales presentations. After a few days, ask your buddy to role play with you again. See where you've improved. Repeat this process over time to see real improvement. 

See the difference between knowing and doing.

When we master a skill, the comfort level comes with it. It becomes easy to use because we've taken the time to master it. Simply attending a teleclass or a seminar won't increase your comfort level for questioning sequences by themselves. Leaving the class with a resolution to practice and use the skills - put yourself on a course of self-improvement until you master them - that will make it easy for you.

It's the difference between knowing and doing.

Compensation is No Substitute for Leadership

It tends to be the assumption: Salespeople are motivated by money.

So, give them the right package and great sales numbers will result. Right? But often it only leaves sales managers scratching their heads and wondering how to make the package more enticing - to motivate the staff better.

Sadly, that type of thinking usually results in lower sales figures than you'd like and higher costs to your business in the form of higher sales rep turnover.

Compensation, no matter how attractive a package is never a substitute for good sales management. It cannot take the place of strong training and a basic understanding of human behavior.

Often, business owners and sales managers feel that since salespeople are motivated by money, the sales person will do everything (or anything) in order to close the sale. But selling can be very tedious and depending on the product, long and drawn out. It can be hard to keep sight of that end commission while you're getting the run around for the 20th time or having to meet yet another "decision maker".

It's up to the manager to make sure that the sales rep has all the tools necessary to be successful in the job. It's up to the manager to make sure that the sales rep remains motivated. This is particularly true in cases where the compensation is primarily in the form of commissions. See, here's the thing... you may think you've got the best product/service on the market but many are things outside of a sales rep's control.

Sales can be hard on a person, with rejection, customer demands and sales goals to be met. It can be hard to sustain excitement and motivation simply through a compensation plan when the payoff may be far off. Strong managers - strong leaders - make sure that their people have all the tools they need to succeed. They are available to brainstorm solutions, they are pro-active in positively motivating their people and coaching them on a regular basis. They make sure the sales force is given the sales training necessary to be successful.

Yes, a good compensation plan can help turn a hum drum sales force into a supercharged selling machine. But it is only a part of the equation. Compensation is no substitute for your leadership.

Is Your Selling on Cruise Control?

When was the last time you really thought about your selling process?

Do you go out each day saying the same things and not getting the results you want? You remember the old joke: What's the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Sometimes we've been selling for so long; we get into a rut without even realizing it. We have the same opening - with a couple of variations, the same offer, we rebut and overcome objections the same way. We have been using the same close forever. It short, we're in a rut.

Try this exercise for putting new life into your work. Go back to your sales calls and really think about what's going on in them. Has the industry you're selling in changed? Are your products being used the same way? Spend the time to re-evaluate what you're doing. I like to use a decision tree to help me in this process. 

The point of the exercise is to spend the time making sure that you are fresh and prepared. Selling changes. How I sold at the beginning of my career is different from how I sell now. However, I make the time to make sure I'm conscious of how I sell and make changes as necessary.

Remember, we're not cars, we're sales people. Cruise control has no place in our work.

Let a "Mirror" Help You Build Rapport

Here's an effective but often overlooked technique that can help you build rapport:

Building rapport is essential for ongoing customer relations. We want to build trust in ourselves and in our company and products. Traditionally, rapport building is done with some small talk. However, I’m not a big fan of small talk with someone you don’t already have a relationship with. Some sales reps can seem overly friendly and it backfires. It can actually lead your prospect to distrust you. People tend to think, “Why is this person calling me? I don’t know them.” They’re already thinking about ways to get rid of you.

The best ways to rapport is by having a professional manner, being helpful not pushy, being conscious of the time constraints of the customer.

We can also build rapport using a simple technique called “mirroring”. People are most comfortable with others they perceive to be similar to themselves. In person, we do this through body language. Have you ever noticed in some situations two people are mirroring their body language? Often this is unconscious – but many sales people do this consciously as well. When you are speaking on the phone with someone, you can make a conscious effort to mirror as well. How do you do this? After all, they can’t see you. The answer is in your voice.

We want to subtly but not explicitly imitate the vocal qualities of the person we’re speaking with. Generally speaking almost any element of your voice can be “mirrored”. If the customer speaks quickly, speed up your voice to match. If they speak slowly, slow down. Some people will suggest you also try to match their regional accents, however, I don’t recommend doing that. You need to have a really good ear to pull it off. “Mirroring” an accent can sound like an affectation or worse. People may think you’re making fun of them. That’s no way to build a relationship.

You may also notice yourself mirroring vocal patterns. That's good, too. Mirroring some one's vocal preferences will help them feel more comfortable with you. They won't consciously think "why?" but it will put them more at ease.  That ease can help build trust - which translates into all sorts of good outcomes - for both you and your prospect or customer. 

In Defense of Sales

During holidays or family get-togethers, many people dread spending time with various family members. Uncomfortable questions are asked, usually about relationship status (He hasn't proposed yet? Dump him!) or family/fertility status (“You can’t wait forever.” “Really, it’s no good to only have one.” or “You’ll completely change your mind once you have one.”). Me? I’m not grilled. I’m constantly regaled by tales of the worst of my industry or people’s thoughts about my industry – none of which are positive.

No, I’m not a politician or a lawyer. I’m in sales.

Everyone has their favorite, horrifying story of a salesperson run amok. They tend to cluster in fields such as car sales, real estate and home improvements. Now, I made a decision long ago to stay B2B. The hours are generally better and I've found the work environments to be more professional. Because most of the general public only see sales from the fields I've just mentioned, they tend to think that all sales people are like that.

Except, we’re not.

The best, the most successful sales people treat their customers and prospective customers with respect. They ask questions to learn about needs and concerns. They won't shove you into a square peg of a product/service when you need one with a round hole. They want you to be long term pleased with your decision to do business with them. They want you to refer others to them.


So why do people sell that other, terrible way? Simply put, it works. It’s not great for long term relationships and it certainly won’t gain any referrals but for a salesperson that needs to make quota, he might not care. Notice I've used “he”. In my experience, you’ll generally find harder sell techniques from men than women. To an extent, it’s about natural and environmentally reinforced styles. On the other hand, many times poor techniques simply arise out of misconceptions or lack of training or poor training in general. Poor communication from supervisors/managers also fall into that territory. If you've never been taught how to do it right and you spend your time in a situation where everyone does it wrong, well…. Those poor techniques will seem right to you.


So, let’s all make a pledge: To use our selling skills to enhance the customer experience. To be an ambassador for the sales profession by using effective yet appropriate selling techniques. To help guide our prospects and customer towards making the best decision for them. 

When you do this, notice how your sales will go up, not down. Notice how you’ll experience less stress on the job (because when we use communication techniques that encourage consensus and not conflict, it’s just easier). Notice how people will regard you in a more favorable light – as a partner not an adversary. Notice how your relatives will have fewer stories to regale you with at your niece’s graduation party.

Teaching and Leading = Effective Managing for Effective Performance

As a change of pace, I wanted to spend some time talking about training and leadership. Many managers are asked to train others without learning how to train effectively. In order for a training program to be successful you need to understand how adults best learn. You'll need to learn how to lead them into the new behaviors. Anyone who is attentive and willing during class will learn the material. But will they use the new behaviors back on the job? In a manager's role, you'd want to make sure that the time you invest in a learning initiative is time and money well spent.

How do Adults Learn?

Adults learn differently from children. Whereas children can be considered "blank slates", adults bring a wealth of already accumulated knowledge. This is quite helpful to the learning experience and a savvy facilitator will use this to their advantage. Adults also bring different expectations to the learning process. Adults will expect the learning to be a partnership, with the facilitator providing the impetuous and the means for the learning process while the adults expect to be responsible retaining and being able to use the learning. Adults expect to be respected for both their experiences and their opinions.

Adults tend to learn best when they are able to make connections between what they are currently learning and past experiences. They also prefer to be full participants in the learning process.

What is Facilitating?

Facilitating is the art of leadership in group communications. In a training or learning environment, this may mean the facilitator directs the activities and the line of questioning, but allows the learners to come up with the answers themselves. This has several positive effects on the learning experience. First, this interactive environment will be more stimulating for the learner. This increases the likelihood of retention. Second, by requiring the learners produce or generate the information instead of simply hearing it from a "teacher", the learners will develop a stake in the learning process. Learners with a stake in the process will retain more. Third, this allows for more learning by doing, whether looking up information in a manual or on a website and using that information that information in order to process requests.

What's the difference between teaching and facilitating (and why you should care)?

Teaching assumes that the learner knows nothing and the teacher everything. Elementary school, specific tehniqual or Some of the differences between teaching and learning can be summed up in this way.

Traditional Teaching is:
Passive.
Authoritarian.
Delivering information.
Convergence, conformism.
One-way (top-down)

Teaching is delivery-heavy and often requires entertainment to keep attention. On the other hand, if we focus on how to use the expectations and experiences of our learners, we realize that effect learning requires more.


Facilitating is:
Active and dynamic, experiential.
Reaching forward.
Empowering.
Responding to a challenge.
Divergence - going out of the box.
Interactive

Learning through facilitation involves questioning-heavy, inductive/ inferential, hands-on, reflective, interactive. You lead the participants to the desired behaviors.


What does this mean for your training efforts?

In order for your training efforts to be successful, you must be aware of the needs of your learners. Top heavy teaching generally doesn't do well helping adults learn new material or master new behaviors when teaching adults.

Having people participate in the experience will help them better retain the information as well as buy into the experience. Hmm, sounds a lot like a sales situation! It is. Treating your learners as though they are potential customers goes a long way towards getting acceptance of and ultimately mastery of the skills you want them to use.

   

_________________________________________________________

Does this subject strike close to home? If so, you may be interested to learn that I coach managers and small business owners to be more effective and efficient in your own sales and service efforts as well as become better facilitators to improve performance for your staff. After agreeing to your goals, you will work on your skills in a supportive and nurturing environment.

Contact me,  Jo Ann Kirby at 973.709.1252 or email me at info@krgcommuncations.com for more details and next steps.

Improve Your Sales Results: Focus on Feedback

Selling is very different from many types of jobs. One very important reason is that selling is a behavior. It's not a task like keyboarding or knowing how to use Excel. Selling requires us to use our interpersonal communications skills in order to achieve our goals.


In order to use our skills to the best effect, you need to be completely comfortable using them. Being completely comfortable requires more than just writing out your presentations. You need to actually practice it. This means role playing.The best way to become comfortable with any skill is to practice it until you master it. Offer to partner with co-worker - use the buddy system to help improve both your skills sets. Role play several times other a period of several days or weeks. Don't do it once. It's the repetition that helps you feel comfortable.


Don't be afraid to ask for a critique.Feedback is crucial to the process. Often we are too close to be able to accurately judge how we are doing. Don't assume feedback is negative. Ask your partner: 

• What did you like? 
• What was good but could be better? 
• What needs improvement? 

You'll notice that we took 3 steps in this feedback process. First, it's important to know what you are doing right. It gives you something to build on. Second, you want to make sure you are mastering the skill - not just going through the motions. Third, you need people to be honest enough with you to be able to tell you what areas you really need to improve. Create a plan of action for yourself based on this feedback. Think about it, practice it on your own. Use it in your sales presentations. After a few days, ask your buddy to role play with you again. See where you've improved. Repeat this process over time to see real improvement. 

I also recommend recording yourself for self-evaluation. Sometimes, hearing/seeing yourself is the most effective method for change. 

When you master a skill, the comfort level comes with it. It becomes easy to use because you've taken the time to master it. Simply attending a teleclass or a seminar won't increase your comfort level for questioning sequences by themselves. Leaving the class with a resolution to practice and use your skills - put yourself on a course of self-improvement until you master them - that will make it easy for you.

Develop These Qualities for Sales Success

People who are expert in influencing and persuading others share at least eight characteristics:


They know what they want. They have clear targets and goals. This means that when they call a buyer, they know what result they want by the end of the call.


They know they have a right to try to get what they want. They understand they don't have a right to get what want, but they have every right to try. You sell a good product or service. You present good reasons why the buyer will benefit from buying from you. You are respectful, believable authoritative. You deserve a hearing and consideration.


They are articulate. They tell a good story. They give the facts, and supporting evidence. They are clear and complete. Their presentation is logically constructed for easy understanding.


They are sensitive. They understand the buyer' needs and wants, and they are alert to buying signals. They know how to respond to the buyer's confusion, hesitation fear and tension.


The have credibility. They know their products  or services. They understand enough of the buyer's operation to match product to benefit to application. They are on top of their data.


They know how to deal with opposition. They understand that opposition often means that the buyer is involved in the interview. They take care not to react defensively to objections or stall but to continue to sell, realizing that much opposition is simply a signal that the buyer has not been given sufficient reasons to make the purchase.


They know how to ask for action - and do. They realize that they have an implied contract with the buyer, who has given them time and a hearing so that they may present their products and the reasons to buy it. They also recognize that the buyer expects, even wants, to be asked to buy. Not to be asked means that the buyer does not achieve psychological closure and that the salesperson has not lived up to this contract.


They know what motivates others. Effective salespeople understand that people are motivated by two factors: one, what they can expect to have and enjoy as a result of an action or decision - the reward-- and two, the expectation or the confidence, that they will actually be able to attain the reward. In short, people generally will not choose a course of action unless it offers some good or benefit for them and unless they anticipate success in attaining that benefit.



How does this translate into advice for the salesperson? When you sell be sure to:

MAKE IT INTERESTING.

MAKE IT VALUABLE TO THE BUYER.

MAKE BUYING FROM YOU EASY.