Effective sales conversations take practice. Even our most seasoned sellers on the Force Management team take the time to do pre-call planners, role play conversations and prep for important discussions.
Taking the time to practice can make you audible-ready to dig deep on business pain and prevent missed opportunities. At the same time, it’s critically important for sales managers to reiterate the fundamentals with their reps.
Here are five areas of focus to help your and your team and command the sales message:
People love the question, “What do you do?” That's probably the question we are asked the most. Make sure you have an answer that demonstrates your capabilities, uniqueness and the value you provide your customers.
Brevity can be valuable when trying to get a busy prospect’s attention. Structure a succinct initial sales conversation by remembering the three Ps.
- The Purpose – the goal of the meeting
- The Process – define how the time will be spent
- The Payoff – the relevant and tangible benefits that will pique the prospect’s interest
Articulating the three "Ps" demonstrates your business acumen. It lets your prospect know you won’t be wasting his/her time. They also help ensure the right people will be part of the conversation.
You can never underestimate the ability to effectively listen in a sales conversation. Remember, people don’t like to be persuaded, but they rarely argue with their own conclusions. Help them see how your solution will provide them value by an effective discovery process. Ask the right questions and uncover the key positive business outcomes they’re trying to achieve.
Approach your sales conversations with a buyer mindset. If you successfully map your solutions to the buyer’s pains and provide proof that you can live up to your commitments, you’ll truly sell and negotiate on value, while minimizing a price-only conversation.
Show that you can provide the value you promise. Be ready to provide proof points that show the tangible results your solution provided for another customer. It helps your prospects see the value in doing business with you.
