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
The work of a technical team is invariably challenging and often unpredictable. Definition of the work can be problematic, timescales can be hard to estimate and the right technical approach difficult to select. Staff involved in this type of work usually have very high levels of specialist knowledge in their field and have high expectations of those who lead them. In addition to the challenges of the work, the team leader often has to balance the need for professional excellence with financial and commercial considerations and to ensure that team goals are realistic by being an effective negotiator with other project and senior managers. These characteristics make technical team leadership a demanding and complex activity. This programme aims to help participants develop the skills needed to become an effective technical team leader. The objectives of this programme are to help participants: understand the significance of leadership skills and their impact on team performance review the key skills needed to be an effective, 'multi-dimensional' team leader and learn how to develop, adapt and apply them in practice learn how to identify the preferred leadership style for the context and organisational culture and how to develop personal style versatility understand the role of the project leader in building an effective team and the skills required to promote and sustain team performance gain a better understanding of the interpersonal skills needed to motivate individual team members and harness the full potential of the team DAY ONE 1 Technical teams and leadership What is a leader? How much can leadership be learned? The team environment and the impact of leadership skills The characteristics of high performance teams and their leaders Some useful models and theories of leadership explored Types of leadership; choosing how to use leadership power Evaluating personal leadership style; how to develop style flexibility 2 Essential skills for team leaders 3 key dimensions of effective leadership: inwards, outwards and upwards Developing and promoting a 'team vision': strategic thinking skills The vital role of communication skills and how to develop them Understanding others; emotional intelligence skills Being a visible leader; behavioural and influencing skills Building effective relationships; the importance of trust and respect DAY TWO 3 Leading inwards to build the team The role of leadership in developing team performance Understanding individuals in the team; recognising team role preferences Managing conflict and promoting positive team dynamics Setting standards, maintaining discipline and rewarding performance Harnessing team potential: building motivation within the team Promoting team learning; the team leader as coach / mentor 4 Leading outwards and upwards to support the team Negotiating realistic team goals; effective influencing skills Gaining empowerment and support from the key stakeholders Leading upwards: knowing when and how to take the initiative Building team credibility within the organisation; helping the team deliver Becoming an effective team player in leadership teams Building and maintaining rapport with influential stakeholders
If you're looking to move to the next level in your career in sales, then understanding how to maximise your sales results, using a consultative and structured approach, will be key to your success. In order to develop the competitive advantage that enables you to stand out from the crowd, it is important to understand the tools and techniques to take your selling to new heights and build the confidence to apply them in work-based scenarios. We have developed this programme to be practical, fun and interactive. Learners will gain a range of practical skills that they can take back and apply to the workplace straight away, that will have a positive impact on sales and customer satisfaction. This course will help participants: Develop a structured and client-focused approach to creating high quality sales opportunities and account growth Learn persuasion and influencing skills to better define needs and develop opportunities Understand how to have better sales conversations, presentations, and proposals - leading to higher order value and increased sales Develop advanced sales questioning skills and techniques; understand the importance of listening Understand how to add value at all stages; plus gaining competitive advantage Develop proven ways to overcome and reduce price pressure Know when to use options and upselling when presenting products and solutions Develop techniques and skills for improved negotiation and closing 1 Advanced Selling - How to Increase your sales results Review of pre-course data and questionnaire The AVC model of increasing your sales results Creating a sales growth plan to achieve higher sales targets Mapping the accounts and products for targeted growth 2 The Four Cs to structure a sales call Research before the meeting or call; setting objectives, planning and preparation How to gain instant rapport and taking control - including online meetings Qualifying and initial questioning skills Creating an agenda and first-meeting structure: Four Cs Planning and practice sessions 3 Building bigger and better sales opportunities How to use questions to 'build' more opportunities Learning and using high-impact and third-level questions Advanced sales questioning techniques: five questioning techniques Qualifying and gaining commitment to the next stage Planning and practice sessions - advanced questioning skills 4 Presentation and persuading skills best practice Compelling benefits and reducing perceived risk - key messages to deliver Helping the customer choose your proposition by using options Professional and effective presentation skills Writing compelling sales proposals that improve your conversion rate Planning and practice session - presenting your solution 5 Overcoming concerns and client questions Proven techniques for answering client objections and concerns How to isolate, prioritise and answer objections, including price Overcoming delay and procrastination Planning and practice session - answering client concerns 6 Gaining commitment and closing the sale Knowing when to close for commitment How to ask for commitment professionally and effectively Key negotiation skills around the closing process - getting to 'yes' Checklist of closing and negotiation skills Practice session
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)
In today's fast-moving competitive environment, sales are often made or lost on the strength of a telephone conversation or a brief email. This means that not only is customer service everyone's responsibility - so is sales. Customer service staff are failing the customer if they don't think about sales. And sales staff are failing customers if they don't think about service. And anyone failing a customer is failing both themselves and their employer. Too often, customer service staff feel neither capable nor empowered to recognise or capitalise upon a sales opportunity. Too often, sales people pursue the short-term opportunity at the expense of the bigger picture. The good news is - it doesn't have to be this way! Sales and customer service skills can be acquired, developed and polished just like any other skill. This tried-and-tested programme shows you how to do it. As a result of this course, participants will be able to: Take control of a customer conversation, with confidence Refresh and polish their customer service and sales performance Recognise and develop a sales opportunity Engage the customer and build rapport Identify a customer's needs Match the customer's needs to the organisation's products or services Handle objections confidently Ask for the order At the end of the workshop each participant will have developed their own action plan for developing and using their skills in the workplace. 1 Introduction Course overview, objectives and introductions 2 Serving or selling? Feelings and attitudes - How we can affect the outcome by our feelings and behaviour What is selling? - Selling is helping people to buy, identifying the opportunities that exist within the conversation to develop the customer's interest in our products or services 3 Developing the right skills Communication- The impact of body language, voice tone and words- How to make the best impression on the customer and create a 'buying environment' Rapport-building- What makes a good working relationship?- What do customers look for when they call us?- How can we match their expectations in terms of our own interpersonal skills? Relating to different types of people by identifying and matching their communication style on the telephone 4 Making it easy for the customer Starting it right- Opening the conversation positively- Building rapport- How to develop interest in our products or services Gaining and clarifying information- Questioning skills and questioning style- What do we need to know from the customer?- How can we use that information in the conversation? Active listening- The most under-rated skill of all- Picking up on the 'Golden Moments' when a customer shows they may be interested Presenting information confidently- Knowing the benefits of our products or services- How to tell the customer what they need to know in order to enable them to buy Closing on a positive note- When and how to ask for commitment Dealing with the customer's objections and concerns in a positive manner 5 Course summary and action plans Review of main learning points Presentation of personal 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
As technology continues to develop and increasingly interact with our daily lives, so must our sales techniques to ensure we're leveraging advances in how people do business to our advantage. It is essential for all salespeople to understand how to navigate the various tools at our disposal and grow their skills and confidence to put them into action in order to build a solid business pipeline. We have developed this programme to be practical, fun and interactive, whilst ensuring that participants will learn how to utilise new technology to their advantage, self-generate new business leads and opportunities, gain additional business and referrals from existing contacts, and save time and effort using proven business development skills. This course will help participants: Understand the 'organized persistence' model of sales prospecting Develop skills in using video, online and social media to generate interest Understand how to write effective sales and outreach emails and using online tools Develop techniques for effectively managing telephone appointments Learn ways to use LinkedIn for connecting with customers and prospects Develop networking skills and learn how to source and develop referrals and professional introductions 1 Key principles of smart sales prospecting Set your sales prospecting goals and objectives Elevator pitch, core messages and your value proposition Targeting and segmenting your market 'Organised persistence' using your CRM effectively 2 Setting appointments by telephone - planning and preparation Why calling still works and the best times to call Creating a call prompt sheet: Opening a call and taking control Giving a reason to meet Key questions to ask Overcoming the cold calling blues 3 Setting appointments by telephone - advanced skills Giving a reason to meet and 'selling the appointment' Key questions to ask that will create interest and motivation to meet Voice tone, power words, phrasing, pausing, responding Getting past gatekeepers and getting through 4 Using LinkedIn for research and follow-up Why LinkedIn matters and how to use it Finding new contacts, connecting and Inmailing Short-cuts and advanced skills 5 Email strategies that work Using AIDA and other templates for sales emails Using personalized video emails to create interest Vertical targeting emails, with examples Building awareness with an email chain
Successful account management requires time and investment to achieve high levels of customer satisfaction and develop new business opportunities. Ensuring you are equipped with the right tools to approach every customer interaction in a structured way will help you have productive relationships with your clients. Whether you're new to account management or experienced in business development and looking to expand your skillset, understanding how you can maximise customer relationships will be key to your success. We have developed this programme to be practical, fun and interactive. Participants will have the opportunity to learn and practice a number of key skills that will see successful results, and are encouraged to bring real life examples to the course so that learning can be translated to real world scenarios. This course will help participants: Learn how to plan growth and increase revenue from existing accounts Develop skills to build and develop essential relationships to increase value and visibility Learn how best to create loyalty and customer satisfaction Identify how to set account targets and development plan for building contacts and cross-selling Develop persuasion and influencing skills to better define needs and develop opportunities Learn how to add value at all stages; plus gaining competitive advantage Develop an up-selling, cross-selling strategy 1 Performance metrics for account management Introduction to the PROFIT account management model Using practical tools to measure account performance and success Planning your account strategy - red flags and green lights 2 Relationships for account management How to build and manage key relationships Producing a 'relationship matrix' Developing a coach or advocate 3 Setting objectives for your account Developing an upselling cross-selling strategy Setting jointly agreed goals, objectives and business plans Planning session 4 Feedback and Retention - building loyal and satisfied customers How to monitor and track your customer's satisfaction Building a personalised satisfaction matrix Customer service review meetings 5 Influence Getting your message and strategy across to C-level contacts Being able to better develop a business partnership within an accountes 6 Teamwork and time management Working with others to achieve your account goals Managing and working with a virtual team Managing your time and accounts effectively 7 Gaining commitment and closing the sale Knowing when to close for commitment How to ask for commitment professionally and effectively Key negotiation skills around the closing process - getting to 'yes' Checklist of closing and negotiation skills Practice session
The aim of this programme is to provide current / prospective senior project managers with an in-depth review of the role and importance of project management in the organisation. It focuses on the strategic role of the project manager and aims to draw out the full scope of the role and how it impacts on project performance. The five key objectives of this programme are to enable the participants to: Identify the characteristics and attributes needed by project managers in ensuring the organisation is recognised as an industry leader in delivering successful projects Understand the full scope and impact of the project manager / leader's role in managing projects or programmes to maximise benefit to the business Define the hallmarks and skills required to manage significant business projects or project portfolios Develop an understanding of the skills required and their impact on the project through case study work and syndicate exercises Benefit from an effective forum for exchanging experience and fostering a sense of team spirit and mutual support between senior project managers DAY ONE 1 Introduction (Course sponsor) A vision of future opportunities and challenges The impact of project managers / leaders on future success 2 The determinants of success The contractor's perspective The client's perspective Success and failure: factors that determine the project outcome The impact of the project manager 3 Case study: Project Giotto How successful was this project? What were the primary factors that influenced the outcome? How relevant are these factors to current projects? Feedback and review 4 Project team exercise A practical exercise demonstrating the role of the project manager in managing the interfaces between the client, the project team and suppliers Review - what skills are required to be a 'world class' project manager? 5 The role of the Project Manager The role and skills of the 'world class' project manager The three key dimensions of effective project leadershipManaging influential stakeholdersManaging project performanceManaging the project team Project leadership skills appraisal (individual review) DAY TWO 6 Managing influential stakeholders Project management and the art of leadership Who are the influential stakeholders and how do they affect the project? What we need to do / not do, to build successful working relationships 7 Case study: Understanding the customer What are the likely problems the project manager will encounter? What should the project manager do to ensure an effective partnership? 8 Managing project performance Issues affecting commercial performance Joining up the project life-cycle: getting performance from inception to closure The roles of project manager, line manager and project sponsor 9 Project team exercise: Making the promise / delivering the promise An exercise demonstrating the commercial and team leadership skills needed by the project manager Review - what must the project manager do to optimise project performance? 10 Managing multi-functional project teams The challenges of building effective, multi-functional project teams Co-ordinating work across functional and organisational boundaries Maintaining strategic focus and balancing priorities 11 Making it happen Individual action planning Syndicate discussion 12 Course review and transfer planning (Course sponsor present) What will we do differently? How will we make it happen? Conclusion
This intensive one-day IACCM-approved programme helps participants develop the skills, knowledge and competencies required to plan for and carry out effective negotiations in a range of different environments. By the end of the programme participants will be able to: Understand the basic concepts of negotiation and how it adds value to the organisation Recognise the stages of negotiation and the skills required at each stage Make use of tried-and-tested negotiation planning tools Apply a range of negotiation tools and techniques to support the organisation in obtaining value for money, quality and fit-for-purpose outcomes Set negotiation objectives Appreciate the importance of interpersonal skills in maximising the opportunities for reaching win/win agreements 1 Welcome Introductions Aims and objectives Plan for the day 2 Why negotiate? Understanding the negotiation context Negotiating with suppliers Negotiating with stakeholders 3 Understanding the process The phases of negotiation and what to do in each phase Before During After 4 Planning Appreciating the importance of planning Different approaches Identifying the key variables Setting objectives for each of them Practical negotiation planning exercise 5 Doing The key skills required, Communication Numeracy empathy Applying these skills in a role play: practical exercise 6 Close Review of key learning points Personal action planning