The 'golden rule' of negotiation is simple - don't! But life's rarely that simple and very often we do have to negotiate, particularly if we want to win the business and especially if we want to win it on our terms. Such negotiations are crucial. We need to prepare for them. We need a strategy, and the skills to execute it. Does your team have a structured approach? Is it flawlessly executed, every time? Or is there room for improvement? This programme will help them master the six fundamentals of closing better business: Manage all these elements well and you will win more business, more profitably. This course will help participants: Negotiate from a position of partnership, not competition Deal more effectively and profitably with price objections Identify and practise successful sales negotiating skills Identify strengths and weaknesses as a sales negotiator Understand different types of buyer behaviour Learn to recognise negotiating tactics and stances Apply a new and proven structure to their business negotiations Identify and adapt for different behavioural styles Be alert to unconscious (non-verbal) communication Prepare and present a proposal at a final business negotiation stage Project confidence and exercise assertiveness in all sales negotiations 1 Planning for successful business negotiations This session introduces the concept of business negotiation and looks at its importance in the context of the participants' roles and activities. It briefly examines why we negotiate and the dynamics involved. Session highlights: What kind of a negotiator are you? Negotiation skills self-assessment and best practice How to establish roles and responsibilities for both parties How to identify and set objectives for both buyer and seller How to research and establish the other person's position (business negotiation stance) 2 How to structure your negotiations This module presents an eight-step framework or structure for use in negotiations and considers how best to prepare and plan your negotiations within the context of a supplier/customer relationship or business cycle. It also includes a brief review of legal responsibilities and what constitutes a 'deal'. Session highlights: Learn and apply a formal structure to use when negotiating How to establish short- and longer-term objectives and opportunities How best to plan, prepare and co-ordinate a major business negotiation meeting, or on-going negotiations Understanding of basic legal and organisational requirements 3 Verbal negotiation skills This session examines the human and communication dynamics inherent in any negotiation situation. It emphasises the importance of professional skills in preparing for a negotiation by identifying needs, wants and requirements accurately and by qualifying the competitive and organisational influences present. Session highlights: How to fully 'qualify' the other party's needs, requirements and constraints during the negotiation process by using advanced questioning and listening skills How to pre-empt negotiation objections by promoting and gaining commitment to options, benefits, value and solutions How best to propose and suggest ideas, using drawing-out skills 4 Non-verbal negotiation skills This module highlights how different personal styles, corporate cultures and organisation positions can influence events, and demonstrates practical methods for dealing with and controlling these factors. It also examines key principles of body language and non-verbal communication in a practical way. Session highlights: Gaining rapport and influencing unconsciously Understanding the importance of non-verbal communication; reading other people's meaning and communicating effectively as a result Ensure that non-verbal behaviour is fully utilised and observed to create maximum impact and monitor progress (eg, buying signals) Recognising that business negotiations are precisely structured and agreements gained incrementally 5 Proposing and 'packaging' This session highlights how best to present and package your proposal. It looks at how to pre-empt the need for negotiating by creating minor-options and 'bargaining' points, as well as how to manage the expectations and perceptions of the customer or buyer. Session highlights: How to identify the key variables that can be negotiated The power and use of 'authority' within your negotiations How to structure and present your proposal, ideas or quotation to best effect The importance of when and how to identify and influence buyer's objections 6 Dealing with price This module highlights how to best present and package price within your proposal or negotiation. In most cases, price has more to do with psychology than affordability and preparation and careful handling are essential. Session highlights: The three reasons that people will pay your asking price How to set price in a competitive market The key differences between selling and negotiating Ten ways to present price more effectively and persuasively 7 Getting to 'Yes': tactics and strategies There are many different tactics and strategies common to successful negotiators. This session looks at those that are most appropriate to the participants' own personal styles and situations. The importance of 'follow-through' is also explained and how to deal with protracted or 'stale-mate' business negotiations. Session highlights: How to negotiate price and reduce discounting early in the process How to recognise negotiating tactics and strategies in your customer or supplier Key strategies, techniques and tactics to use in negotiation The importance of follow-through and watching the details How to deal with stalled business negotiations or competitor 'lock-out' 8 Case studies and review This session examines a number of different situations and participants discuss ways to approach each. This will allow learning to be consolidated and applied in a very practical way. There will also be a chance to have individual points raised in a question and answer session. Session highlights: Case studies Question and answer Planning worksheet Negotiation 'toolkit' and check-list 9 Personal action plans Session highlights: Identify the most important personal learning points from the programme Highlight specific actions and goals Flag topics for future personal development and improvement
Successfully closing a sale and negotiating the best outcome for the business is a key skill for all salespeople, and often an area that is overlooked. Investing in this skill will have a positive impact on interactions with customers, both new and existing, and lead to improved sales performance. Whilst understanding how to reach a conclusion with a customer faster means increased efficiency and more time to invest in sourcing new business. We have developed this programme to be practical, fun and interactive. Participants will learn proven techniques for influencing, persuading and negotiating with clients, gain increased confidence and clarity when reviewing contract terms and prices, and understand how to structure and manage sales negotiation and contract review meetings. This course will help participants: Learn a structured and proven approach to the negotiation of contract terms Apply the key principles of negotiation, playing the person and the problem Create a contract negotiation strategy - from opening to close Recognize and put to use proven negotiation tactics and techniques Learn how to embrace conflict positively - to 'say no, then negotiate' Plan and prepare for any commercial negotiation conversations Understand the stages of negotiation and how to move through them 1 Closing and negotiating from a position of personal power The eight steps of a sales or commercial negotiation Ten ways to resist price pressure How to draw on sources of power when you have less authority The six principles of influence and persuasion and how to use them 2 Effective negotiation - planning and theory How to plan and structure your negotiation for a successful and quick conclusion Influence: knowing how to 'push or pull' to win an argument Achieving a BATNA - a range of practical skills and techniques Case study: planning for a client negotiation around contract or price issues 3 Effective closing and negotiation - practice and reality Higher-level questioning techniques to investigate and solve problems Listening to lead - active listening and structuring your conversation The most common 'unforced' negotiation mistakes and errors Case study: setting objectives, sources of value, trading concessions 4 Sales negotiation tactics and playing the game How high - how hard - how soon; why now How to identify hidden or perceived currencies and values How to use these to establish a higher base price Negotiation best-practice checklist and summary
Coaching workshop for managers who want to use their coaching capabilities to improve the business performance of their coachees.
This course has a simple objective: to help gain appointments with potential clients. In most consultative selling situations clients won't commit to purchases over the telephone. This means setting up a meeting to discuss the options with them face-to-face. But getting 'face time' can be tricky. This practical workshop can help. Participants will acquire essential tools, skills and methods; discuss specific organisational issues; and identify areas for improvement. They will discover how to: Increase their effectiveness through proper preparation Construct attention-grabbing opening statements Help potential clients feel comfortable agreeing to a meeting Develop tactics for responding to difficult excuses and objections Stress the benefits of a face-to-face consultation Develop and enhance their questioning and listening skills Prevent customers cancelling booked appointments 1 Introduction to appointment setting Key trends that have changed the way people buy today - and will buy tomorrow Why many sales people avoid picking up the phone The difference that makes a difference - what makes a good appointment-maker? 2 Before you pick up the telephone It all starts with a plan... Who and what to focus our attention How much research should we undertake and why? Setting primary and secondary objectives 3 Making your approach Key considerations Every call is an opportunity - creating a positive mind-set Using a structured approach Using partnership language 4 Gaining an insight into the customer's needs How to quickly 'tune in' to your customers, so that you can serve them more easily Developing speech patterns that put customers at their ease Using effective questioning and listening skills Finding and building pain points 5 Dealing with excuses and objections Pre-empting potential excuses Developing techniques for responding to client objections Keeping the door open for future contact 6 Securing the appointment Selling the benefits of a consultancy meeting Techniques for avoiding cancelled appointments Gaining commitment 7 Action plans Course summary and presentation of action plans
Today's administrative professional needs flexibility and a broad portfolio of skills including self-motivation, assertiveness, and the ability to deal with difficult people. You will benefit from this course if you are an administrator, medical/legal secretary or PA, who wants to enhance your administrative support skills, as well as evaluating your existing techniques. This course will help you identify: your areas of strength and your areas for improvement in the work environment ways to accept new challenges and responsibilities with confidence what motivates you at work techniques to improve your planning and time management ways of improving your influencing and assertiveness skills your preferred working style (and relate it to your interaction with others) ways of using your initiative how to deal with challenging people, using recognised communication methods The course will help you develop a flexible set of skills that will allow you to succeed at work, no matter what the day throws at you. It will help you communicate effectively with a diverse range of colleagues and others with tact and diplomacy. And, finally, it will help you provide the administrative support that is essential for the smooth running of your area and of the organisation as a whole. 1 Introduction Overview Introductions Individual objectives 2 What exactly is your role? Before looking at new skills and techniques, where are you now? Do you have the skills, knowledge and attitude required to be an exceptional administrator? Understand your job criteria Identifying your strengths and areas for development Activity - skills analysis Activity - action plan 3 Building trust How can you build trust? Understanding the links between reliability, consistency and trust What is required to deliver efficient service? Activity: efficient service requirements of the professional administrator 4 Working styles Identifying your working style preference Understanding the importance of a flexible approach Identifying areas of improvement to become a more effective team member Activity: Questionnaire (completing, scoring and charting) Activity: drawbacks of my style Developing your working style 5 Assertiveness Understand the differences between behaviours Activity: Definition and characteristics of assertive / aggressive / passive behaviour Activity: Identifying different behaviours Understanding how to be more assertive How to use assertiveness techniques How to ask for feedback Activity: Making requests assertively Activity: Refusing requests assertively 6 Time management The importance of planning for success The importance of managing interruptions The importance of having clear purpose Time management best practices Activity: How do you plan your time? What prevents you improving your time management? How will you recognise success? 7 Prioritisation How to prioritise work to meet deadlines The prioritisation matrix Activity: Post it! 8 Dealing with interruptions The impact interruptions have on productivity How to manage interruptions Activity: What interruptions do you experience? What tactics can be employed to reduce these interruptions? 9 Close Open forum Summary Action planning
Negotiation is an everyday challenge for some whether it be in the office, field or at home. Have you ever walked away from a situation thinking "if I'd only put my thoughts, side, opinion or words across better"? This 2-day course is perfect for managers, supervisors and sales people. It will focus on negotiation skills and the techniques that go with it. In this energy-charged provision you'll learn and practice negotiation, assertiveness and influencing techniques. Course Syllabus The syllabus of the Effective Communication and Influencing course is comprised of seven modules, covering the following: Module One An Introduction to Negotiation Assessment of your current sales and negotiation strengths and improvement areas What is negotiation? Identifying objectives and all factors affecting negotiation The negotiation model - the four stages Module Two The Preparation Stage The significance of preparation and why we need to prepare What do you need to prepare? Preparing a set of objectives: yours and theirs Understanding constants and variables Researching the other party Creating a "win-win" situation Preparing yourself for possible set-backs and objections Module Three The Discussion Stage The importance of rapport building Opening the negotiation The power of effective questioning techniques Improving your listening skills Controlling emotions Spotting the signs - non-verbal communication and voice clues Module Four The Proposing Stage Stating your opening position Responding to offers How to deal effectively with adjournments Module Five The Bargaining and Closing Stage Making concessions - the techniques Adopting key bargaining skills Dealing with objections and underhand tactics Closing techniques Confirming the agreement Creating long term, lasting commitment Scheduled Courses Unfortunately this course is not one that is currently scheduled as an open course, and is only available on an in-house basis. Please contact us for more information.
This workshop will help you improve the impact, clarity, accuracy and effectiveness of your sales proposals. It takes bid and proposal teams right through the process, from start to finish - from forming the team and gathering the information, through to writing and reviewing the proposal document, and on to presenting it to the client. The learning points shared in the programme come from the trainer's extensive real-world experience with a wide variety of businesses. As a result of attending this programme, participants will be able to: Write more clearly, more grammatically and more persuasively Structure their written communications more effectively Avoid the 'howlers' that can cost you business Impress your clients Win more business 1 Bid strategy How to combine your knowledge of the market or customer, your products and services, and your competitors, to create a quality bid New insights into your comparative advantages and competitive position in the marketplace Understanding more about how your client views you and other suppliers A plan of attack to build on your strengths and attack the weaknesses of your competition Dealing with RFP/ITT situations 2 Teamwork How a bid or proposal team needs to prioritise and manage preparation time Co-ordinating input from team members Agreeing responsibilities 3 The importance and role of a well-written sales proposal Why bother? - the value of the sales proposal to you and to the customer What the customer wants and needs to make a decision in your favour Understanding and delivering on customer expectations Review and discussion of different proposals - with real-life examples 4 The best way to structure your sales proposals A section-by-section, page-by-page review of best practice in structuring great sales proposals How to improve the way you match your proposal to the customer's objectives and requirements Plan your sales documents systematically - to make them easy to read and more persuasive How to make your proposal look like the 'least risky' option 5 Making your proposal a compelling and persuasive proposition Choosing the right words that sell effectively Selecting the right content and information for your document or proposal Using an option matrix to summarise complex choices and increase final order value How to write an executive summary 6 Well-written and error-free Developing your writing style for maximum impact Expressing the content (ie, selling points) clearly, concisely and correctly Proof-reading and editing work effectively, using formal marks and techniques Improving visual layout, format and appearance Keeping it customer-focused 7 Presenting to the client - overview Presentation options Understanding the client's objectives - as well as your own The proposal review meeting - logistics Managing to the next step Designing and delivering a compelling presentation Isolating objections and concerns Follow-up and follow-through 8 Positioning your final proposal Finalising your bid - presenting the right 'best few' USPs, features and benefits and making them relevant and real to the customer Smart ways to position price and be a strong player - without being the cheapest How to differentiate yourselves by how you present, as well as what you present How to design and deliver a successful bid presentation 9 Bid presentation practice session with structured feedback Participants work in small groups or pairs to prepare and later present a sample section from a real life bid or proposal presentation The trainer will provide assistance and input During group review and discussions, input from others will be encouraged and many best practice ideas summarised 10 Managing the end game How best to draw-out, understand, isolate and answer customer objections, negotiate points and concerns How to read the situation to plan the next step Identifying negotiation tactics - and how to deal with them Planning for a negotiation and how to get the customer feel they have the 'best deal' 11 Workshop summary and close
This is not a single course but a set of menu options from which you can 'pick and mix' to create a draft programme yourself, as a discussion document which we can then fine-tune with you. For a day's training course, simply consider your objectives, select six hours' worth of modules and let us do the fine-tuning so that you get the best possible training result. Consider your objectives carefully for maximum benefit from the course. Is the training for new or experienced credit control staff? Are there specific issues to be addressed within your particular sector (eg, housing, education, utilities, etc)? Do your staff need to know more about the legal issues? Or would a practical demonstration of effective telephone tactics be more useful to them? Menu Rather than a generic course outline, the expert trainer has prepared a training 'menu' from which you can select those topics of most relevance to your organisation. We can then work with you to tailor a programme that will meet your specific objectives. Advanced credit control skills for supervisors - 1â2 day Basic legal overview: do's and don'ts of debt recovery - 2 hours Body language in the credit and debt sphere - 1â2 day County Court suing and enforcement - 1â2 day Credit checking and assessment - 1 hour Customer visits and 'face to face' debt recovery skills - 1â2 day Data Protection Act explained - 1â2 day Dealing with 'Caring Agencies' and third parties - 1 hour Debt counselling skills - 2 hours Elementary credit control skills for new staff - 1â2 day Granting credit and collecting debt in Europe - 1â2 day Identifying debtors by 'type' to handle them accurately - 1 hour Insolvency: Understanding bankruptcy / receivership / administration / winding-up / liquidation / CVAs and IVAs - 2 hours Late Payment of Commercial Debts Interest Act explained - 2 hours Liaison with sales and other departments for maximum credit effectiveness - 1 hour Suing in Scottish Courts (Small Claims and Summary Cause) - 1â2 day Telephone techniques for successful debt collection - 11â2 hours Terms and conditions of business with regard to credit and debt - 2 hours Tracing 'gone away' debtors (both corporate and individual) - 11â2 hours What to do if you/your organisation are sued - 1â2 day Other topics you might wish to consider could include: Assessment of new customers as debtor risks Attachment of Earnings Orders Bailiffs and how to make them work for you Benefit overpayments and how to recover them Cash flow problems (business) Charging Orders over property/assets Credit policy: how to write one Council and Local Authority debt recovery Consumer Credit Act debt issues Using debt collection agencies Director's or personal guarantees Domestic debt collection by telephone Exports (world-wide) and payment for Emergency debt recovery measures Education Sector debt recovery Forms used in credit control Factoring of sales invoices Finance Sector debt recovery needs Third Party Debt Orders (Enforcement) Government departments (collection from) Harassment (what it is - and what it is not) Health sector debt recovery skills Hardship (members of the public) Insolvency and the Insolvency Act In-house collection agency (how to set up) Instalments: getting offers which are kept Judgment (explanation of types) Keeping customers while collecting the debt Late payment penalties and sanctions Letter writing for debt recovery Major companies as debtors Members of the public as debtors Monitoring of major debtors and risks Negotiation skills for debt recovery Old debts and how to collect them Out of hours telephone calls and visits Office of Fair Trading and collections Oral Examination (Enforcement) Pro-active telephone collection Parents of young debtors Partnerships as debtors Positive language in debt recovery Pre-litigation checking skills Power listening skills Questions to solicit information Retention of title and 'Romalpa' clauses Sale of Goods Act explained Salesmen and debt recovery Sheriffs to enforce your judgment Students as debtors Statutory demands for payment Small companies (collection from) Sundry debts (collection of) Terms and Conditions of Contract Tracing 'gone away' debtors The telephone bureau and credit control Taking away reasons not to pay Train the trainer skills Utility collection needs Visits for collection and recovery Warrant of execution (enforcement)
Generating new leads and new business can be both time-consuming and frustrating. It's not easy - it takes skill, careful preparation and the creation of effective models and methods, even perhaps using formal approaches and scripts. Once generated, a new lead or enquiry must also be carefully managed to maximise the potential revenue it can generate. But it's crucial to get it right. If your company can afford not to worry about getting new business - congratulations! If your company is completely confident that it is performing at peak potential in generating new leads - again, congratulations! But if your company is working in the real world, couldn't your team do with some help, to become even just that little bit more effective, to make the process just that little less painful? This highly practical, intensive workshop gives sales teams the proven strategies and tactics they need to build a sustainable new business pipeline. This course will help participants: Develop a clear and consistent process for new business development and lead-generation Master the secret of effective new business development and lead-generation - 'only sell the appointment or next stage of the sales process, not your product or service' Set and achieve the right level of new business development and lead-generation activity to achieve your personal and organisational sales goals Apply the key principles of effective prospecting and pipeline management using a proven toolkit and approach Overcome the most common 'put-offs' when conducting telephone or face-to-face business-development and lead-generation activities Develop an engaging telephone voice and manner - and a 'networking personality' Qualify potential opportunities with more accuracy on a consistent basis Prioritise opportunities and manage their time when sourcing new business Discover online sources of leads, contacts and referrals Overcome psychological blocks to cold or warm calling - theirs and the client's Identify potential prospects - and decision-makers and influencers within target prospects - with greater accuracy Make outbound sales or appointment calls with improved confidence, control and results Improve the conversion of calls to appointments by using more effective questions and sales messages Get past gatekeepers and assistants more effectively Make the most of your CRM software and systems 1 Online marketing - what works! Workshop overview and learning objectives Choosing your social media channels LinkedIn for sales and marketing Designing and implementing an effective new business email campaign online Creating a lead-generation strategy online - with case studies Avoiding common mistakes in social media marketing Case study: 'Best practice in social media sales and marketing' Using blogs and video-based marketing (eg, YouTube) New trends and how to keep your finger on the 'social media' pulse Twenty essential websites and online marketing tools 2 Making appointments by telephone Planning the call, telephone techniques, integrating with email and online marketing Developing a clear and consistent process to appointment-making Setting and achieving the right level of telephone activity to achieve your appointment goals Applying the key principles of effective prospecting and pipeline management generation, using a proven toolkit and approach Overcoming the most common 'put-offs' to seeing or engaging with you Overcoming psychological blocks to cold or warm calling - yours and the client's Identifying potential prospects - and decision-makers and influencers within target prospects - with greater accuracy Making outbound sales or appointment calls with improved confidence, control and results Improving conversion of calls to appointments by using more effective questions and sales messages The five keys to developing an engaging telephone voice and approaching manner 3 Power networking Strategies for networking and B2B referral-based marketing The importance, and different types, of networking How to work a room - preparation and strategy Communication dynamics in networking - the power of the listening networker Assumptions when networking Business networking etiquette Making connections, asking for cards, contact details and referrals, gaining follow-up commitments Building relationships - follow-up and follow-through 4 Developing new leads Strategies for first-time sales calls Gaining rapport and opening first-time and new business sales calls effectively Advanced consultative selling - questioning techniques to quickly and efficiently uncover opportunities, need areas and preferences Presenting your solution to a new or first-time customer - creating an enthusiastic and compelling personalised and persuasive summary of your proposal Value message - differentiate your solutions clearly and accurately, with tailored value statements Presenting the right initial USPs, features and benefits and making them relevant and real to the customer Smart ways to position price, emphasise value and be a strong player without being the cheapest or leading on price Learn and use advanced techniques to determine customer needs, value and decision-making criteria in depth on a first-time call 5 Organised persistence - CRM and prospect-tracking Organised persistence - sales tracking, following up on 'sleeping' customers, gaining referrals, time and territory management Maintaining a good database for maximising new business ROI Developing a contact strategy with different types and levels of contact Analysing your contact base using state-of-the-art software and tools Making the most of your CRM systems and solutions Understanding that your attitude makes a difference when sourcing new business Setting SMART objectives for new business development and lead-generation Practical exercise - setting personal development and business goals Time management tips to improve daily productivity New business pipeline management strategies for peak sales performance 6 Workshop summary and close Practical exercise - developing your new business action plan Review and feedback
This workshop will help you create, develop and close business opportunities using a consultative approach and a value-based (not price-led) proposition. Value-based selling means working the way your customer wants to buy, not how you want to sell. It also means: In a transactional sale the customer knows the answer without help from a salesperson (or cannot see why they should choose you), or is prepared to stay with what they have. Customer decision criteria are price and convenience and customers resent time spent with (new) salespeople, mainly because the salesperson adds little or nothing to what the customer already has and just wastes time. In a consultative or value-based sale, by contrast, the customer doesn't know the answer already. The salesperson must take the role of an advisor, not just a 'product promoter'. Customers demand expertise, advice and customisation during the sales process. Often customers insist on multiple meetings with salespeople and others to develop advantages that you can bring and reduce the perceived risk of changing. In this way the salesperson often adds more value than the product or service alone. This very practical workshop will help you use proven strategies and tactics to build, manage and successfully close sustainable business opportunities using a consultative approach and a value-based (not price-led) proposition. This includes: Increased impact of your new sales conversations, presentations and proposals - leading to faster decisions and increased conversion Greater confidence, consistency and professionalism throughout the business development process Enhanced sales questioning skills and techniques, leading to better, faster and more accurate development of customer needs, problems, value and expectations Improve your people, communication, influence and persuasion skills when approaching, consulting or presenting your services and solutions How to build value at all points in the customer's buying process through your knowledge, skills and structured approach Proven ways to gain additional business and referrals from existing customers and contacts, through direct approach and lead generation Being better able differentiate your firm, your solutions, track-record and expertise clearly and accurately with tailored value statements for each stage and for each opportunity Overcome and avoid price-based objections, buying criteria and negotiation 1 Introduction and key principles of value-based selling Introduction and review of pre-course questionnaires - KPIs, personal learning objectives and key principles The main principles of value-based selling and how they benefit you and the customer How value-based selling differs from 'transactional' or 'price-based' selling The stages of the customer's buying cycle - how to identify and work through strategies for each stage The concept of structured and set-piece selling and proposing Presentation by participants: Personal sales improvement goals 2 Value-based selling strategies and skills What is value? How can one move away from a price-led agenda? How to survive and resist price pressure - six techniques A review of key competencies and skills needed for a value-based approach Strategies, case studies and examples with discussion and review Defining your initial value proposition and comparative advantage How best to established the right level of trust, rapport and credibility Planning and practice session: Strategy - mapping a value-based sales process. 3 Connecting skills Research before the meeting and the first few minutes - ways to gain instant rapport and setting the foundation for a successful outcome in a first sales call How to structure an effective first time sales call or meeting - the subtle differences that are important to master How best to differentiate your solutions and build credibility and enthusiasm early or at the start of the buying process Overcoming initial buying resistance and relaxing the prospect; gaining rapport, opening the meeting: PBC (purpose-benefit-check) and gaining agreement to proceed Planning and practice session: Connecting - first meeting with a new contact 4 Consulting - building, developing and influencing client needs Understanding the power of high-impact and third-level questions to influence people based around specific needs and solutions The importance of body language and other personal communication dynamics when asking questions; empathic listening, run-on questions, drawing out skills, summarising, etc Creating a 'disturb' approach to creating needs and opportunities and positioning your solutions Using proven advanced sales questioning techniques with greater skill: Outcome, SPIN and qualification questions 'Decision-making criteria' - tools to help you develop the relevant criteria with the customer and in doing so progress your sales opportunities more effectively Planning and practice session: Questioning skills 5 Convincing - presentation and persuading skills practice Substance and style - selecting the right tone and content to engage and enthuse your prospect Compelling benefits and reducing perceived risk - key messages to deliver Helping the customer choose your proposition - by being convincing, compelling and credible when you present Professional and effective presentation skills - with personal coaching and practice sessions The keys of influence and persuasion and the keys to convincing a new customer to choose you for the first time Planning and practice session: Role-play in presenting your solution 6 Commitment Knowing when and how to close for commitment to the next stage in your sales process, plus ways to ask for commitment professionally and effectively How to isolate, prioritise and answer objections and concerns more openly and accurately, using a consultative not a confrontational approach Deal more effectively and profitably with price objections and reduce buyer's remorse (which can lead to an 'I want to think about it' reaction and cause delay and inertia) Key negotiation skills around the closing process - getting to 'yes' Planning and practice session: Role-play in closing and negotiation skills 7 Assessed role-play - Final practice session Live role-plays There is an option for external participants to be brought in to the live training workshop to take-part in the final assessed role-play or assist with other sessions run during the course. Performance assessment - 'Dragon's Pitch' The final afternoon of the course is an assessed role-play using a prepared scenario and external 'CEO'. The assessment criteria will be agreed prior to the workshop. 8 Workshop summary and close Personal action plan and learning summary