Sales Training:

Sales Training America is a world class sales training and custom development training company specializing in sales training and sales skill development of our client's sales force. At Sales Training America we help our clients improve their sales profitability through the development of their sales management and sales efforts through SalesForce.com implementation. Sales Training America offers both public (open enrollment) sales training seminars well as the development of customized sales systems and sales seminars for Fortune 1000 companies across United States and Canada.

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Sales Training Tips:

Sales Training: A Great Sales Call is a Conversation

Have you ever had a great conversation that changes the way you view things? You know, the type of conversation that makes you use everything you've learned, makes you take a stand, and leaves you feeling refreshed. Ever have one of those?

Did you know that you could have one of those conversations when it comes to your sales business?

Yes you can.

It begins with you believing that every sales call is an opportunity to have a conversation with your customer/client. You must believe that this sales call will challenge the way you think and provide you with an opportunity to educate the other participant(s). In order to have a successful conversation you have to believe in yourself, your product/services, and in the best interest of your customer.

You have to believe.

A conversation is a dialogue, not a monologue. That's why there are so few good conversations: due to scarcity, two intelligent talkers seldom meet. - Truman Capote

Anatomy of A Great Conversation

Close your eyes. Think back to any of the great conversations you have had in your life. What components did they have in common? How did you feel during them?

I bet as you look back through your conversations you will find that the common components were:

Having time.

Asking great challenging questions.

Opening your personal filters to accept new opinions.

Allowance for a natural flow - give and take.

Listening.

Trust.

Notice what is missing? Intimate knowledge of the other participant who is part of the conversation. Granted that most great conversations are with family members and/or friends, there are times when they are held with complete strangers. When they are held with strangers the same components apply.

A conversation goes sometimes into personal things and that's nicer. You look to each other and you have a different picture, you get into a relationship. - Maximilian Schell

Practice Sales Call = Great Conversation

So how do you make a sales call into a great conversation? Well you must have the same components! To have those same components you have to practice!

You need to believe in what you are going to ask, say, and demonstrate. They only way to get this belief is to practice. Practice your sales call in front of a mirror, practice on your family, and practice on your friends/colleagues. When you practice with others it should not be a "you speak, they listen" approach, instead it should be in the form of a conversation. This will help you test your questions, respond to objections that might arise, and... practice listening.

Now, I am sure you a saying to yourself, "Hey! Aren't conversations supposed to be natural and not staged? What is up with all this practicing?" The answer is yes, conversations should occur naturally. The reason to practice is for you to know when and where you will introduce your product's benefits for your client. Through practice you will sound natural when you speak about your product information.

Some of the best comedians present their comedy in a conversational way instead of the old setup and punch line. As you watch them it seems as if they are bringing up all that funny stuff from the top of their heads. The secret as to why it comes of so natural... practice.

The same is true in discussing your products/services with your sales clients. If you do not practice then you will come off as pushy. You will not truly listen to your client; instead you will only be waiting for your turn to speak to pitch your product. In comedy they call that crow barring in a joke. In sales it is called being obnoxious. The result is failure either way.

Through your practicing you will be confident in yourself, you will believe, and that will build trust, allow for a flow in the conversation, and help you deactivate your personal filters so that you are open to the needs of your customers. When you do speak you will present your information naturally as if it is a part of your personal belief system.

A man's character may be learned from the adjectives which he habitually uses in conversation. - Mark Twain

Applicable To Any Sales Call

Obviously there will be times when you cannot have a conversation because the other party is just not interested in having one. You will find that to be the exception though as you will be actively engaging with customers that truly desire to be helped and want a conversation that provides it.

Source: Erroin A. Martin link

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