Trying to convince someone to buy your product or service is more than just about putting in the basics of persuasion. Persuasion encompasses a variety of communication and trust-building skills to bring people around to your way of thinking. Learning how to convince people in sales starts with, on a very simple level, building a relationship with that person. Starting a relationship with somebody who doesn’t believe they need your product or service is tough, and this is where some of the following tactics and techniques can ensure that you build that relationship.
From Transactional to Transformational Leadership: Key Strategies for Team Success
Adjusting Your Leadership Compass
Think about the last time you were part of a team rather than its leader. Did you feel like a cog in a machine, or did you feel empowered, valued, and driven to innovate? The way you felt about the situation probably came down to the style of leadership. To shift from a transactional to a transformational leadership approach, pay attention to these elements:
- Focus on the big picture, not just the day-to-day tasks.
- Encourage team members to contribute ideas and take initiative.
- Provide opportunities for professional growth and development.
These changes set the stage for a more dynamic and engaged team.
Turning Teams into Powerhouses
Now, let’s dive deeper. Transformational leaders know that a team’s potential is maximised when each member feels invested in the ultimate outcome. This means fostering an environment where risks are encouraged, and failures are seen as learning opportunities.
How can this be achieved?
- Establish clear goals that challenge the team but are also achievable.
- Create a safe space for open dialogue about successes and failures.
- Reward innovation and the pursuit of new ideas, even if they don’t always work out.
When team members aren’t afraid to fail, they’re more likely to succeed spectacularly.
Strategise to Mobilise: Empowering Your Team
Empowerment isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a critical component of team success. But empowerment without direction can lead to chaos. As a leader, your role is to provide a framework in which every member of your team can perform at their best and contribute freely.
Empowerment Tools and Techniques
Empowering a team requires more than just good intentions. You’ll need strategies including:
- Regular team-building opportunities that promote trust and camaraderie.
- Training programs that equip team members with the skills they need to excel.
- Regular check-ins that allow for feedback and adjustments to strategies.
With the right kind of interaction and tools, your team will become a production powerhouse.
Unlocking Potential Through Skilled Communication
Establishing Channels of Trust
Communication is the lifeline of any team. Without it, trust erodes, tensions multiply, and productivity plummets. To establish and maintain channels of trust:
- Keep lines of communication open with all team members.
- Listen actively and empathetically to concerns and feedback.
- Respond appropriately and authentically to suggestions.
- Be transparent about decisions and the reasons behind them.
- Remember that you don’t have all the answers – and your team members might provide what you need.
When your team trusts that their voices are heard, they will communicate more openly and effectively, and they will be more accepting when their ideas are rejected, or they receive negative feedback.
Crafting Messages that Resonate and Motivate
It’s not just what you say, it’s how you say it. If you want to craft messages that resonate with your team, then you must:
- Understand your team’s values and what drives individual members.
- Use stories and examples to illustrate your points and make them relatable.
- Consistently communicate with clarity and passion so that you inspire and motivate others.
A well-crafted message can turn a group of individuals into a unified team with a common goal.
For example, when presenting a new project, instead of just outlining tasks, describe how this project could impact the company and the team members’ growth. This approach can turn a routine assignment into a mission.
The Collaboration Imperative: Fostering Synergy in Teams
Collaboration isn’t just about working together; it’s about working smarter. In the world of team leadership, fostering synergy isn’t optional; it’s essential. When a team is in sync, the combined effect of their efforts is infinitely greater than the sum of individual contributions.
This is the power of synergy.
Cultivating a Cooperative Mindset
To build a cooperative mindset within your team, start by modelling the behaviour you want to see. Demonstrate respect for each person’s ideas and contributions and encourage your team members to do the same. This creates a culture where everyone feels valued and is therefore willing to contribute wholeheartedly.
Next, look for opportunities to bring team members together to solve problems collaboratively. This not only leverages the diverse skills and perspectives within the team but also helps to break down silos and build a sense of community.
- Encourage cross-functional projects to promote understanding of different roles.
- Host brainstorming sessions that welcome all ideas without judgement.
- Implement focused team huddles to keep everyone aligned and informed without taking all their time.
- Provide central areas for informal discussion and interaction (the watercooler effect)
As these practices become routine, the cooperative mindset will become ingrained in your team’s culture and the outcomes will speak for themselves.
Techniques for Team Cohesion and Problem-Solving
Team cohesion doesn’t happen by accident; it is the result of intentional effort. Use these techniques to strengthen your team’s bond and enhance their problem-solving skills:
- Set clear, collective goals that require collaboration to achieve.
- Use team-building exercises to deepen trust and understanding.
- Establish a shared vision that connects individual work to the team’s success.
When everyone is pulling in the same direction, the team can tackle even the most daunting challenges with confidence.
Redefining Team Success: The Tangible Benefits of Leadership Evolution
As your leadership strategies evolve, it’s important to redefine what success looks like for your team. It is no longer just about hitting targets and deadlines; it’s about how your team gets to those targets. Are they growing? Are they innovating? Are they working together in new and more effective ways? Are they learning new skills?
Success in this new paradigm is about the health of the team as much as it is about the health of the project. It’s about the process as well as the product. This broader definition of success opens up new opportunities for recognition and celebration, which in turn can lead to even greater achievements.
Measuring Performance Beyond Numbers
While traditional metrics are important, to truly gauge the success of your leadership shifts, consider these additional dimensions:
- Team Engagement: Are team members actively contributing and taking initiative?
- Innovation: Is the team finding new and better ways to do things?
- Adaptability: How well is the team responding to changes and challenges?
As you measure these aspects, you get a much more well-rounded picture of your team’s performance and the impact of your leadership.
Consider the story of a sales team that was struggling to meet its targets. After shifting to a transformational leadership approach that emphasised team engagement and innovation, not only did they meet their sales targets, but they also reported higher job satisfaction and the turnover rate was dramatically lower than that of other sales teams within the organisation.
Celebrating Growth: Recognising and Rewarding Team Achievements
Recognition and rewards are powerful motivators. When you celebrate the growth and achievements of your team, you’re not just giving them a pat on the back; you’re reinforcing the behaviours that led to success. This can take many forms, from public acknowledgment in a meeting to a team outing or a simple thank-you note.
Remember that whatever form of recognition you choose, it should be meaningful to members and aligned with the values you’re promoting within the team. It’s not just about the outcome; it’s about the journey.
The Continuous Journey: Encouraging Adaptation and Learning
Success is not a destination; it’s a journey. And on this journey, adaptation and learning are your lifelong companions. As a leader, you must create an environment where continuous improvement is not just encouraged but expected.
Encourage your team to seek out learning opportunities and to be open to change. This mindset will ensure that your team remains dynamic and competitive in an ever-changing business landscape.
Nurturing a Culture of Continuous Improvement
A culture of continuous improvement is built on the premise that there’s always room to get better. To nurture this culture:
- Implement regular retrospectives to reflect on what’s working and what’s not.
- Encourage experimentation, even if it means taking calculated risks.
- Provide resources and support for professional development.
When your team knows that you’re invested in their growth, they will be more likely to invest in their own growth and success.
Learning from Setbacks: Turning Mistakes into Stepping Stones
Sometimes a project won’t go as planned. How can you handle this?
Instead of assigning blame, the team leader could facilitate a constructive post-mortem analysis. During this process the team will identify key learnings that they can apply to future projects, thus turning a setback into a stepping stone for future success.
Setbacks are inevitable, but they don’t have to be dead ends. With the right approach, they can be transformed into valuable learning experiences that strengthen the team and improve performance.
By embracing these key leadership shift strategies, you’ll not only improve team performance but also create a more engaging, fulfilling work environment.
As leaders, we are the architects of our teams’ experiences and their pathways to success (or failure). The power to transform team performance lies in our hands, and it starts with a shift in our leadership strategies. The journey from traditional, transactional leadership to a more dynamic, transformational approach can seem daunting, but the rewards are incalculable. It’s about creating an environment where team members are empowered to take initiative, communicate effectively, and work together towards a shared vision.
By adopting these key leadership strategies, we can inspire company leadership success and foster a culture of continuous improvement. We’ll see our teams transform from groups of individuals working in silos into cohesive units that are more than the sum of their parts. And most importantly, we’ll unlock the potential within each team member, creating a ripple effect of positivity and productivity that extends far beyond the confines of our immediate work environment.
- Leadership strategies can transform team performance from average to exceptional.
- Adopting a transformational leadership style encourages growth and innovation within teams.
- Effective communication is essential for inspiring and guiding team members.
- Collaboration and a sense of shared purpose drive team success and cohesion.
- Continuous learning and adaptation are key to sustaining team improvement over time.
Now that we’ve explored the transformative power of leadership and the strategies that can guide us there, let’s look ahead. The future of leadership is not just about maintaining the status quo but about creating a sustainable legacy that endures and evolves.
It’s our responsibility to not only lead our current teams to success but also to pave the way for the next generation of leaders. This means instilling values and practices that will continue to drive team performance long after we’ve moved on. It means designing leadership pathways that allow for the natural growth and progression of team members into leadership roles.
Designing Leadership Pathways for Future Team Leaders
To ensure that our teams remain strong and successful into the future, we must focus on nurturing the leaders of tomorrow. This involves:
- Identifying potential leaders early and providing them with mentorship and opportunities to develop their skills.
- Creating a leadership development program that includes training in the key competencies we’ve discussed throughout this article.
- Encouraging a culture of leadership at all levels, so that every team member feels empowered to take the lead when the situation calls for it.
Frequently Asked Questions
In this final section, let’s address some common questions about leadership transformation and how it can impact team performance.
Leadership shifts can have a profound impact on team morale. When leaders transition from a command-and-control style to a more empowering, supportive approach, team members feel more valued and engaged. This can lead to increased job satisfaction, higher levels of commitment, and a greater willingness to go above and beyond for the team.
For instance, a team that was once micromanaged might experience a significant boost in morale when given more autonomy and trust. The resulting sense of ownership can transform their attitude and performance.
However, it’s important to manage these shifts carefully, as sudden, or poorly communicated changes can cause confusion and uncertainty. Therefore, clear communication and gradual implementation are key.
When attempting to transform team performance, leaders might fall into several traps. Some of the most common mistakes include:
- Implementing changes too quickly without adequate preparation or support.
- Failing to lead by example and not embodying the values they wish to instil in their team.
- Overlooking the importance of individual recognition and not celebrating small wins along the journey.
By being aware of these pitfalls, leaders can avoid them and ensure a smoother transition to improved team performance.
Measuring the success of leadership shift strategies involves looking at both quantitative and qualitative indicators. Some metrics to consider include:
- Team productivity and performance against goals.
- Employee engagement and retention rates.
- Feedback from team members, including surveys and one-on-one conversations.
It’s also important to reflect on personal growth and development within the team. Are team members taking on more responsibilities? Are they demonstrating increased confidence and competence in their roles?
Absolutely. While remote teams may face unique challenges, such as building trust and rapport without face-to-face interaction, the core principles of transformational leadership still apply. Clear communication, empowerment, and recognition are just as important if not more so in a remote setting.
Leaders of remote teams should make extra efforts to ensure that team members feel connected and valued, and leverage technology to facilitate collaboration and maintain a strong team culture.
Leadership strategies should be re-evaluated regularly to ensure they remain effective and aligned with the team’s goals. This doesn’t mean constant change for change’s sake, but rather a thoughtful, ongoing assessment of what’s working and what could be improved.
Leaders should be in search of continual improvement strategies and seeking feedback as often as they are providing it to their team members.
Consider conducting an annual review of your leadership approach, as well as more frequent check-ins during times of significant change or challenge. This will help you stay responsive to your team’s needs and the evolving landscape of your industry.
Uplevel Your Sales and Influence Potential in a Quarter of an Hour
Imagine if you could enhance your sales performance with just a quarter of an hour’s investment each day. Now imagine using the same technique to increase your influence and ensure others pay close attention to everything you say and the ideas you put forward because, as I always say, “Sales is the #1 Life Skill” and it is just as important when it comes to gaining attention and buy-in to ideas and action plans as it is to closing deals. If you follow the suggested practice, you can expect remarkable results. Taking the time to focus your mind can mean the difference between an average sales day and an outstanding one.
Quick Mental Shift for Immediate Results
It’s no secret that sales is as much about mindset as it is about skill. A quick mental shift can reframe your entire approach to the day’s challenges and transform your outcomes as well. This is about tapping into a mindset that sees opportunities instead of obstacles, and solutions instead of problems.
- Start by affirming your goals;
- Muster the feeling of satisfaction and achievement you’ll experience;
- Visualise the day’s successes
- Embrace a can-do attitude.
These steps prime your brain for success and are the foundation of the 15-minute mental exercise that we’ll dive into.
Why Fifteen Minutes Can Transform Your Sales Day
Why fifteen minutes? Because it’s long enough to be effective, yet short enough to be sustainable. It’s the perfect slice of time to recalibrate without overwhelming your schedule. This brief period allows you to centre your thoughts, align your goals, and charge into your day with renewed vigour.
Most importantly, this practice isn’t just about feeling good—it’s about tangible results. By honing your focus and cultivating a resilient mindset, you’re setting the stage for enhanced performance and, ultimately, increased sales.
“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.”
~ Abraham Lincoln
This wisdom holds true in sales as well. Preparation is key, and the mental preparation isjust as critical as knowing your product inside out.
Mastering the Mental Game of Sales
Understanding the Sales Mindset
The sales mindset is a unique blend of optimism, resilience, and strategic thinking. It’s about seeing the potential in every interaction and the value in every relationship – taking a long-term view rather than just the next KPI. To master the mental game of sales, one must understand that mindset is not a static trait but a dynamic state that can be changed in a heartbeat as well as cultivated and improved over time.
Cultivating a Positive Sales Attitude
A positive sales attitude is the fuel that drives the engine of your sales performance. It’s about maintaining enthusiasm in the face of rejection and staying motivated when things get tough. Here’s how you can cultivate a positive sales attitude:
- Reframe challenges as opportunities to learn and grow;
- Keep a ‘success journal’ to remind yourself of past wins;
- Surround yourself with positive influences and mentors.
By focusing on these areas, you’re not just preparing for the day; you’re building a foundation for long-term success in sales.
Step-by-Step Guide to the 15-Minute Mental Exercise
Setting the Stage: Preparing Your Mind and Environment
Before diving into the exercise, it’s crucial to prepare both your mind and environment. Find a quiet space where you won’t be interrupted. This could be a private office, a serene spot outdoors, or even a parked car. The key is to be in a place that signals to your brain: it’s time to focus.
The Exercise: A Focused Approach to Enhancing Sales Performance
Now, let’s walk through the exercise. Start with a deep breath to centre yourself. Then, proceed with the following steps:
- Reflect on your goals: What are your targets for the day? Visualise achieving them in technicolour brilliance and let yourself experience the feeling of success.
- Identify potential obstacles: What might stand in your way? How will you navigate these challenges?
- End with affirmation: Affirm your capability to meet your goals. “I am prepared, I am capable, I can figure this out, I will succeed.”
This focused approach takes only 15 minutes but can significantly influence your mindset and approach to sales for the entire day.
Example: A sales professional visualises successfully closing a deal with a challenging client. They see themselves handling objections with ease and leaving the meeting with a handshake and a signed contract.
By visualising success, you’re programming your mind to act in ways that make that success more likely.
The Power of Controlled Breathing in Sales Stress Management
When stress levels rise, your ability to think clearly and make sound decisions can plummet. That’s where controlled breathing comes in. It’s a tool you can use to calm your nerves and regain clarity. Controlled breathing helps to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which reduces the stress response enabling you to think more clearly and creatively.
Here’s a simple technique: Breathe in slowly through your nose for four counts, hold for four counts, and exhale through your mouth for eight counts. This 4-4-8 breathing pattern can be a quick reset button during a hectic sales day.
Controlled breathing isn’t just a reactive tool; it’s also proactive. By incorporating it into your daily routine, you can manage stress levels consistently, keeping you in a more balanced state ready to tackle sales challenges.
Integrating Breathing Exercises into Your Sales Routine
Integrating breathing exercises into your sales routine is straightforward. You can practice controlled breathing before a sales call, during a break, or after a challenging interaction. The goal is to make this practice a regular part of your routine, so it becomes second nature.
Visualisation Tactics for Sales Success
Visualisation is a powerful technique used by top athletes and successful business professionals alike. It involves vividly picturing yourself achieving your goals and overcoming obstacles. When you visualise, you’re preparing your mind to act in ways that align with your vision of success.
Visualising specific scenarios primes your brain to navigate these situations with confidence. You’re essentially rehearsing success, which can increase your belief in your ability to achieve it.
Moreover, visualisation can improve your focus, reduce anxiety, and enhance your overall performance. By regularly practicing visualisation, you’re training your mind to be more attuned to the pathways of success, and more familiar with its outcomes.
- Imagine engaging with a client and addressing their needs effectively;
- Envision yourself confidently presenting your product or service;
- Picture a successful negotiation where both you and your prospect feel satisfied.
Crafting Your Sales Victory in the Mind's Eye
Let’s craft your sales victory using visualisation. Close your eyes and picture a recent challenge. Now, reimagine that scenario, but this time, you’re handling it with poise and expertise. See yourself communicating clearly, responding to objections with ease, and closing the deal. Feel the satisfaction of success.
Visualisation is not about daydreaming; it’s an active process. The more details you can include in your mental rehearsal—the setting, the conversation, the emotions—the more impactful it will be.
For example, a salesperson might visualise a meeting with a prospective client. They see themselves arriving early, setting up their presentation, and greeting the client with a confident smile. They hear themselves explaining the benefits of their product clearly and see the client nodding in agreement.
This mental practice can make a significant difference when you find yourself in the actual sales situation.
Applying Visualisation to Real-Life Sales Scenarios
Now, take the visualisation practice and apply it to your real-life sales scenarios. Before each sales interaction, take a moment to visualise the upcoming event. See yourself achieving the best possible outcome. This practice can help you approach each sales opportunity with a positive and proactive mindset.
Adopting a Strategy for Ongoing Sales Excellence
Adopting a strategy for ongoing sales excellence means making the 15-minute mental exercise a regular part of your routine. Just as athletes train their bodies, sales professionals must train their minds. Consistency is key.
After you’ve completed the exercise, don’t just rush into your day. Take a moment to create an action plan. What will you do first? What’s the most important task? How will you apply what you’ve visualised?
Creating an Action Plan Post Exercise
Immediately after your mental exercise, jot down your action plan. This should be a concise list of the steps you will take to make your visualisation a reality. It might include:
- Following up with leads.
- Customising your sales pitch for today’s clients.
- Allocating time for additional product training.
By writing down your plan, you’re more likely to follow through. It also serves as a reminder of your focus areas throughout the day.
And remember, after each sales interaction, reflect on what went well and what could be improved. This reflection is crucial for continuous growth and mastery of the sales craft.
Maintaining Momentum: Daily and Weekly Sales Rituals
To maintain momentum, it’s important to establish daily and weekly sales rituals. These rituals might include reviewing your goals, practicing visualisation, or recapping your achievements at the end of each week.
These rituals serve as checkpoints that keep you aligned with your sales targets and personal growth objectives. They’re the habits that will compound over time to yield significant results.
Measuring the Impact of Your 15-Minute Mental Exercise
Measuring the impact of your 15-minute mental exercise is crucial to understanding its effectiveness. This is where Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) come into play.
Key Performance Indicators to Watch
Track the following KPIs to gauge the impact of your mental exercise on your sales performance:
- Number of sales calls made.
- Conversion rate from call to sale.
- Client feedback and satisfaction.
- Overall revenue growth.
By monitoring these indicators, you can get a clear picture of your progress and make adjustments to your strategy as needed. Remember, the goal is not just to work harder, but to work smarter.
With these practices in place, the 15-minute mental exercise becomes more than just a morning routine—it becomes a catalyst for sustained sales excellence.
Gauging Improvement in Sales Interactions and Outcomes
Improvement in sales is not just about the numbers. It’s about the quality of interactions you have with clients, the confidence with which you present your products or services, and the strategies you employ to close deals. Paying attention to these qualitative measures can provide insights into the effectiveness of your 15-minute mental exercise.
Reflect on your interactions before and after adopting this mental strategy. Are you more composed under pressure? Do you handle objections more effectively? These are signs that your mental exercise is paying off.
Therefore, it’s not only about tracking KPIs but also about observing the subtle shifts in your approach to sales. These changes often precede the more evident improvements in sales outcomes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Incorporating this mental exercise into a busy schedule can be as simple as waking up 15 minutes earlier or reallocating time spent on less productive activities. The key is to prioritize this exercise as you would any important meeting or client call. Remember, this is an investment in your sales performance and overall well-being.
Absolutely. Whether you’re just starting out or you’re a seasoned sales veteran, this mental exercise is beneficial. It’s designed to be flexible and adaptable to your specific goals and challenges. Plus, it’s a great way to ensure that you’re continuously improving your sales skills.
When you’re leading a team, it’s crucial that you are able to sell your ideas to others so that they are fully committed to making it work, especially if you are moving in new directions. Even when you contribute to a meeting, the person who has a clear and compelling vision is the one most likely to capture the interest and buy-in of colleagues.
Yes, this mental exercise can be adapted for team settings. Teams can perform the exercise together during a morning huddle or separately before starting their day. It’s a great way to align on goals, boost morale, and foster a culture of positive mindset within the team.
Moreover, sharing experiences and insights gained from the exercise can further enhance its benefits and promote a sense of camaraderie.
If you don’t see immediate results, don’t be discouraged. Like any skill, cultivating a resilient sales mindset takes time and practice. Stay consistent with the exercise, and be open to tweaking your approach as you learn what works best for you. Remember, progress in sales is often incremental, and small improvements can lead to significant results over time.
For optimal results, perform this exercise daily. It’s about creating a habit that sets the tone for your day. Over time, you’ll find that the mental clarity and focus gained from the exercise become integral to your daily routine and overall sales strategy.
Consistency is the key to unlocking the full benefits of this mental exercise. Make it a non-negotiable part of your day, and watch as your sales performance transforms.
- Integrate the 15-minute mental exercise into your daily routine.
- Utilize visualisation and controlled breathing to enhance focus and reduce stress.
- Adopt and maintain daily and weekly sales rituals for ongoing excellence.
- Track KPIs and qualitative improvements to gauge the exercise’s impact.
- Stay consistent and be patient for the best results.
By following these steps and incorporating the 15-minute mental exercise into your daily routine, you’re not just improving your sales performance for one day; you’re setting the foundation for a more successful and fulfilling sales career. It’s about small, consistent efforts that lead to big changes. So, take that quarter of an hour each day—it could very well be the most valuable investment you make in yourself and your sales success.
If you’d like to learn more about Life Puzzle’s pioneering work in amplifying your influence and improving your sales, check out Ready. Set. Sell. https://3sales.me/rss our 30-day guided sales program or book a call with one of our team to discuss in-house leadership and sales trainings for you and your team https://calendly.com/cc90/discovery-call.
Competitive Markets Call for Greater Sales Skills
In today’s competitive market, service businesses in Australia face new challenges in differentiating themselves while consistently exceeding customer expectations. We are faced with a global market, so customers have more choice than ever before, and the economic uncertainty makes prospects more likely to hesitate before committing to a purchase.
There are plenty of opportunities around in every industry, but you need to develop new sales skills and mindset to make the most of them because the old mindsets around sales won’t serve you any longer. Whether you have the “if I push hard enough they’ll buy eventually,” or the more recent “if they need my service they’ll find me again,” mindset you’ll struggle to find qualified prospects and make consistent, profitable sales without a resilience mindset and appropriate systems to facilitate meaningful conversations and follow-up.
Delivering personalised customer experiences – at every point of contact including after the deal is done; improving lead conversion rates, effective objection handling, building trust, and enhancing team collaboration are vital aspects for achieving remarkable growth in this economy.
If you are a growth-oriented business owner in this industry, striving to stand out from the crowd and multiply your results, you need a personalised and collaborative sales training program that is designed to help you develop a resilient sales mindset like the ones that Life Puzzle offers. In this blog, we will explore the key reasons why talking to Life Puzzle about training options can be a game-changer for your business.
Deeper Customer Connections & Personalized Experiences:
In today’s customer-centric era, developing deeper connections and delivering personalized experiences is essential to long-term success. You can’t just think about the first sale. Your strategy needs to include future sales as well. Life Puzzle provides specialised training programs that empower your team to connect with customers on a deeper level, understand their pain points, and offer tailored solutions. By honing their communication skills, your team will learn to build trust and engage in meaningful conversations that go beyond transactional interactions. Implementing our strategies will enable you to create loyal, satisfied customers who will advocate for your business.
We also offer multi-faceted Leadership Training that takes the whole aspect of building connections beyond the sales team into every customer-facing interaction with receptionists, help-desks, and service and delivery staff.
Improved Lead Qualification & Conversion Rates:
Converting leads into customers is the ultimate goal for any business. However, it can be challenging to identify high-quality leads and effectively convert them. Life Puzzle’s sales training equips your team with practical insights, effective questions, and actionable steps to improve lead qualification and conversion rates. Our experienced trainers will share proven techniques to identify ideal prospects, ask the right questions, and understand their needs. By focusing on lead quality rather than quantity, your team will experience a significant boost in sales productivity and revenue growth.
We also offer a dashboard that helps you keep an eye on your sales pipeline, renewal rates, and customer qualifications.
Effective Objection Handling & Negotiation:
Objections and negotiations are inevitable in the sales process. However, many businesses struggle to handle objections effectively or negotiate favourable deals. Life Puzzle’s training offers comprehensive objection handling and negotiation strategies that empower your team to confidently address objections, overcome objections, and close deals without stress. In fact, we can even help you set up the sales process so that objections are rarely heard. Our trainers will teach your team how to reframe objections as opportunities, uncover the underlying concerns, and provide compelling solutions.
With improved objection handling and negotiation skills, your team will consistently win over prospects and secure more deals.
Enhanced Team Collaboration & Communication:
Team collaboration and communication play a vital role in achieving sales success. However, miscommunication, lack of coordination, and inefficient processes can hinder progress. Life Puzzle understands the unique challenges faced by service businesses, and our training programs are designed to address those challenges. We foster a collaborative environment where your team can learn from each other, share best practices, and build stronger interpersonal relationships. Through workshops, role-playing exercises, and ongoing feedback, your team will develop a unified and motivated sales force that drives exceptional results.
Building Trust & Customer Advocacy:
Building trust is a crucial element of successful sales. Customers are more likely to choose businesses they trust and are willing to recommend to others. Life Puzzle’s training programs emphasise building trust with potential and existing customers. We teach your team how to establish credibility, maintain transparency, and consistently deliver remarkable service. By prioritizing trust-building strategies, your business will gain loyal customers who become brand advocates, generating repeat business and referrals.
Your Mindset Matters: Sales is More Than Activity
Developing a resilient sales mindset is the key to thriving in this competitive market. Life Puzzle’s personalised and collaborative sales training programs provide growth-oriented service businesses in Australia with the tools, strategies, and techniques needed to not only accelerate sales growth, exceed customer expectations, and build a passionate and well-trained sales team, but also to empower people to become more influential and persuasive in every area of life. When you partner with Life Puzzle, in addition to developing a replicable sales system that multiplies your results, you’ll also transform your team into confident sales professionals who maintain fulfilling relationships in both their personal and professional life.
You’ll also deliver personalised customer experiences that set you apart from your competitors. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to revolutionise your sales strategies – contact Life Puzzle today to discover how we can help your business achieve remarkable growth.
What’s Unique About Sales Training in Australia?
Every country has its own unique culture, and Australia is no different in this. Popular sales training tools and techniques from the US and Europe don’t always work here – which is why Life Puzzle’s sales training focuses on developing people rather than teaching techniques.
Actually, the landscape of sales in Australia presents unique opportunities as well as challenges which means that when you understand the mindset and values of the companies you work with and the people within them you can deliver extraordinary results.
Let’s delve into why tailored sales training matters and how understanding the local market can set you on the path to success.
The Importance of Tailored Sales Training that Focuses on Personal Skills
In the vast and competitive field of sales, one size does not fit all—especially when it comes to sales. Natural sales people possess a keen instinct for what’s really going on inside the head of a prospective customer and the ability to ask questions that draw that out. However, these incredibly valuable natural skills can be learned by anyone who has the motivation and interest in doing so…
IF they have access to skilled trainers and the opportunity to
- Practice,
- Get feedback, and
- Reflect on their experience.
- Customised training programs that work with your team’s specific needs and develop their soft sales skills can not only transform their sales performance, but also impact team dynamics and leadership skills leading to greater likelihood of a long and successful partnership..
Core Components of Effective Sales Training
A well-rounded sales training program is the backbone of a successful sales team. So, what makes a training program effective and how transferable are those skills?
Here, are the essential components…
Product Knowledge Mastery
True mastery of the product or service you offer is non-negotiable. Your team must have in-depth knowledge of the problems you solve – and the ability to identify problems that your product or service can’t solve. That way they’ll confidently handle any customer queries and they’ll also know when to tell prospects that they should look elsewhere…
Developing Communication Skills
The art of persuasion and influence lies in communication. Training your team to communicate effectively can not only increase the rate of closed deals, it can also build trust. The prospect who feels that they were heard and understood is far more likely to buy – and to buy again.
Harnessing the Power of Digital Tools
In the digital age, understanding and using digital tools effectively can give your team a competitive edge. Life Puzzle’s customers have access to our customised sales system dashboards that make tracking progress and communicating with prospects and customers easy. This helps your team members to hit their objectives and provides clarity.
Strategies for Team Sales Support
“A cord of three strands is not easily broken.”
We take this principle seriously at Life Puzzle and concentrate on multi-strand operations that promote autonomy and performance. Just as our Leadership Program accelerates organisational culture building and performance, the same principles applied to our sales training significantly boost your team’s sales performance and boost integrity and authenticity.
Role-playing and Real-life Scenarios
Practice makes perfect and we use it to strengthen the myelin connections in every team member to develop their instinctive responses and hone their intuition. Like every other form of influence and persuasion, improving sales performance has as much to do with the rapid ability to assess the verbal and non-verbal communications you are receiving and respond appropriately. Role-playing and scenario-based training can prepare your team for real-life situations, helping them develop quick thinking and effective response strategies.
Tracking and Analysing Performance
Data-driven insights are invaluable. In addition to tracking and analysing your team’s performance to identify areas for improvement and celebrate successes, it’s important to help each member of the team be aware of their own metrics and conscious of how they can improve.
Of course, it’s not just the sales team that needs to understand these metrics – business owners need to understand the relationship between sales, profits, and other areas of the business.
Building and Sustaining Client Relationships
Long-term success is built on strong client relationships. An important part of sales training is learning the art of nurturing client relationships to ensure sustained business growth as they stay with you and refer others to you. That’s an important reason why we believe that sales activity cannot be separated from the delivery and client experience aspects of business.
Innovation in Sales Techniques
Your sales strategy needs to evolve with the world around you. Stay ahead by embracing innovation and encouraging your team to think outside the box in all areas of your sales process. In the post-Covid world, you’ll find that clients are responding to the personal human touch, and one of the challenges for growing businesses is to find ways to maintain that human touch and use automation behind the scenes to ensure that you take every opportunity to follow up with authenticity.
Integrating Local Cultural Nuances in Sales
Pretending that all Australian businesses share a uniform set of cultural preferences is foolish. They don’t. But they do share certain characteristics that some imported sales techniques overlook. To be honest, at Life Puzzle, we don’t teach scripts and templates – we develop people who can sell – who can communicate – and who can observe, learn, and adapt to individual situations.
We have streamlined the process for learning these tools and we hear from clients how our programs affect so much more than mere sales results, but if you’re looking for a cookie cutter 1, 2, 3, approach then we’re probably not for you because our focus is on developing people’s skills and helping them grow.
Upgrading Your Sales, Australian Style
In the ever-evolving world of sales, staying informed and adaptable is key and the best way to do this is to bolster the skills underlying your communication. Life Puzzle’s Australian-based sales training for business owners and teams is not just about learning techniques; it’s about embracing a continuous whole-person-focused learning mindset.
What we’ve discovered is that the businesses who develop the soft-skills of all their team members are the ones who have least difficulty recruiting new team members and retaining existing ones – both of which characteristics are key factors in your growth.
Equip your team with the right skills, nurture a collaborative environment, and keep innovating to stay ahead in the competitive Australian market.
“The ability to deal with people is as important as being able to read, write, and count.”
~ John D. Rockefeller
If you own a business – or if you are a professional and want your career to progress – the ability to communicate effectively and persuasively is a necessary skill. At Life Puzzle, when we say that Sales is the #1 Life Skill we’re not talking about bullying people into saying “Yes” to products, services, expenses, and ideas they don’t need to want – we’re talking about helping people discover whether they would actually benefit from your products and whether it would be an investment or an expense.
The truth is this skill will make every facet of your life better because instead of pushing people to do what you want them to do, you’ll be helping them discover for themselves whether or not a course of action will add value. It’s just as helpful to a parent motivating their children to do homework or practice the piano as it is to the manager motivating their team or the employee suggesting improved tools or practices to their boss – and it’s WAY more effective than hoping that ‘quiet quitting’ will get your point across.
The Importance of Soft Skills Training
I’ve lost count of the number of C-suite executives and team managers who tell me that they have people on their team with fantastic technical skills, but whose lack of confidence and ineffective communication skills are holding them back from promotions and (more importantly) hampering their effectiveness. It’s not that they don’t have the knowledge and skills needed to perform the job… It’s that they can’t motivate, support, and lead others towards a goal so their contributions get lost.
Sales is the heartbeat of any company or career at all times and in all places – but especially when the economy is uncertain. Whether you’re an employer looking for top-tier staff or an employee looking for a job that is both challenging and well-supported, your ability to sell yourself and your skills goes far beyond the traditional definition of ‘sales’.
Whether you are the business owner, department head, or an individual keen to make yourself more valuable, investing in soft skills training is the secret sauce to keep growing and thriving.
Communication Skills are Critical
Soft skills training – especially the art of reading people’s minds through active listening and appropriate conversation – is an essential skill for future managers and talent in service businesses. Soft skills are like the secret spices in your grandma’s famous recipe – they make everything taste better! These skills include communication, emotional intelligence, adaptability, teamwork, decision-making, and leadership – all the stuff that makes you a likable human being. These skills aren’t just good for making friends; they’re critical for building rock-solid customer relationships, crafting memorable customer experiences, closing sales, and developing trust and authority with your internal team.
Sometimes it seems like there’s not enough time to do this during meetings… colleagues, clients, and prospects are busy and so you respect their time and just stick with transactional communications. This keeps things efficient, but it fails to cement the relational bonds that create loyalty and trust and are just as important in leadership and team roles as in traditional sales roles.
Outstanding communication skills will not only help leaders motivate their teams more effectively and team members connect with each other, it will also help service and sales representatives connect with existing and potential customers and understand their needs so that every interaction strengthens your connection.
You Were Created to Communicate… Instantly
I’ve already mentioned the time issue. We’re all too busy to communicate so we fall into transactional mode.
But… What if you could cut to the heart of communication faster?
What if everyone could feel heard and cared for without hours of chatter?
What if you had an open environment where concerns and ideas were listened to, advice given, needs assessed, and new options were created faster?
Wouldn’t that change the atmosphere, enthusiasm, and energy in your workplace?
You know it would.
At Life Puzzle, we’ve spent more than 20 years working out ways to implement all that we know about authentic sales, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), emotional intelligence, and motivation so that you and your team can get results faster and with less effort.
Our coaching programs not only help you move past those pesky limiting beliefs and thought patterns that could be holding you back from greatness. They also help you build rapport almost instantly with colleagues, customers, and prospects; forge unbreakable relationships, and create positive experiences that customers crave.
How Soft Skill Training Changes Your Outcomes
Business is about results and outcomes. I don’t know any successful business that focuses on processes and doesn’t care about results… That conviction has shaped our approach to training – both for leadership and sales.
We’ve seen that a high performing sales team with ineffective business leadership is often a flash in the pan. They might get first time customers, but they don’t get renewals – because the trust and overall consistency isn’t there.
Just about everyone knows that people return from trainings excited and motivated, determined to change… But a couple of weeks later they’ve lost their edge and are back to business as usual, their enthusiasm chilled by the status quo. It gives training a bad name.
We set out to change that perception with our multi-level transformational programs that are most effective when applied over a whole organisation or department. Like our personal development programs for individuals our organisational training programs don’t just teach the theory, they turn theory into practical experience and positive feedback, and practical exercises into habits that will supercharge your ability to see, hear, feel, and process what others are telling you (both verbally and non-verbally) at record speed and respond appropriately and affirmingly, in ways that lead to the outcomes you want.
Chandell offers an array of programs like Ready Set Sell, Confident Conversion, and more. These programs help leaders sharpen their communication skills, boost emotional intelligence, and motivate others.
These programs can also be customized to suit your organisation’s specific needs and accelerate your progress toward your goals. If you’d like to learn more about what we can do for you, fill out the form below to schedule an appointment.
Head to https://3sales.me/programs for more and you can learn more about out programs HERE.
Part 1 of this series can be found HERE: Unleash Your Communication Superhero and Boost Your Sales Naturally
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
~ Maya Angelou
“Every effective sales person knows that a script will only take you so far. Every parent or boss knows that you can’t argue people into commitment. Every leader knows the power of conviction and authenticity.”
~ Chandell Labbozzetta
More than Words - The Secret of Convincing Others Every Time You Speak
Mindset has become the new sales buzz word for a reason: we now have the tools to measure the impact a person’s emotional state has on those around them and we can see what happens to participants when you walk into a sales meeting believing that you won’t make the sale.
In 2008, Alex Pentland published a book Honest Signals: How They Shape Our World based on his studies in non-verbal communications at MIT. While there have been other books on similar topics, this is the first publication to rely on brain technology and other tools to objectively measure these signals. He and his team measured the effect of that mysterious quality known as ‘charisma’ – a synthesis of mindset and comportment and discovered that they were able to make direct correlations between the depth and quality of the non-verbal signals people unconsciously emit and their results in:
- Closing sales
- Attracting grants and other funding
- Getting buy-in for plans and ideas from colleagues, connections, and crowds.
There are two incredibly exciting implications of this research that apply to anyone who thinks of themselves as a leader (for whom sales is the #1 skill) or a sales professional:
- Every human being who chooses to do so can learn to amplify and project the kind of positive energy (charisma) that creates sales; and
- AI cannot project emotion in ways that humans connect with – even if they mimic emotional intonations and use the right words.
Emotional Quotient - Charisma - Mindset… The Secret of Creating Powerful Personal Connection
I’m not a big fan of buzzwords. They carry too many loaded (and often inaccurate) connotations although they can also provide a useful shorthand for complex ideas. However, the first two of these words (Emotional Quotient – Charisma) are usually used as a statement of a fixed attribute: you either have them or you don’t. This means that they are used to assess candidates for leadership or sales as a threshold, rather than as a skill that can be learned and expanded.
That’s like saying, “I’m bad at maths so I’ll never learn to count.” Or “I’m not built to run a marathon.” I bet that even Mozart struggled to play a tune the first time he sat down at the piano.
In my book, Confident Closing: Sales secrets that grew a business by 400% in six months and how they can work for you! I tell the story about the sales team I was assigned to transform and how a diverse group of ‘sales failures’ learned to create powerful personal connections and deliver sensational results. What I don’t mention in the book is that the exercise wasn’t actually a last-ditch effort to salvage a failing team… it was a calculated plan to lay off those team members as non-performers and to return the business to the 1980’s style pressure sales techniques preferred by the Head of Sales. I knew before I took the role that these talented people struggled to connect, but I believed that I could solve their problem – and I proved my point.
Recognising Bad Vibes - Learn How to Use Humour, Assertiveness and Empathy to Direct Difficult Conversations
You can’t always predict when a conversation that should have been straightforward will become unexpectedly tense and difficult – and even when you know a conversation will be challenging you can’t accurately discern all the twists it may take in advance. That’s why you need to develop your ability to read the body language, energetic field, and tone changes of your companions as well as their words.
If you are following a script – or AI prompts, – you may avoid the awkward silence that comes when your offer is rejected or deflected and you don’t know what to say next, but you will also lose the opportunity to discover what is really happening in your prospect’s life. Not only will that leave people feeling neutral or negative towards you, but it also eliminates the ability to scope out opportunities and initiate future conversations. There is no denying that AI is powerful and that it has many valid applications – BUT the best way to future-proof your life and career is to focus on creativity, emotion, and the skills that make humans human.
The Power of Attention in a Distracted World - Whether You are Selling Ideas, Leadership, or Products & Services Human Response Can Save the Day
The day may come when machines take over the earth and nothing human has any further value, but that is still a long way off. For the foreseeable future, there is no substitute for skilled human connection. The problem is that the fascination and safety of our electronic devices and communications has done a great deal of damage to our ability to read and respond to other people. While the sales and communication skills we teach at Life Puzzle are based on Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), we are not merely teaching a system or a set of scripts. We equip our clients with the ability to amplify their human skills and to accurately observe and respond to prospects in ways that build trust, liking, and confidence based on authentic communication.
If you’d like to learn more about amplifying your human superpowers and becoming an expert in active listening skills, join our email list and get semi-weekly emails with communication skills as well as regular updates on upcoming courses and events so you can become a communication superhero.
*Remember to check out Part 1 of this series HERE: Unleash Your Communication Superhero and Boost Your Sales Naturally
“There is enough pain and difficulty in most people’s lives. When you offer them a pleasurable escape and then deliver what you promised you will have a customer for life… The second part of that statement is what builds your reputation and relationship.”
~ Chandell Labbozzetta
Are you ready to take your business and relationships to new heights?
If so, then you need to hone your communication and relationship-building skills so that you can have more effective conversations and make lasting connections. STOP making excuses about your ability to communicate, be memorable, and make sales. Everyone can learn these powerful communication skills that will not only make you more influential but will also enrich every area of your life.
WARNING: Don’t Promise What You Can’t Deliver!
Sales and salespeople have a lousy reputation.
What negative images and impressions do you have around sales?
What adjectives do you mentally associate with sales?
Common examples include: used car sales people, real estate agents, MLM recruiters. Common adjectives include: sleazy, pushy, lying, deceptive…
As a sales trainer and the founder of Life Puzzle, a sales and personal development company, I often hear these negative stereotypes offered as reasons why people don’t want to participate in sales training. “I want to be authentic and genuine,” people will say – or… “I don’t want to force people into a decision.”
I agree wholeheartedly.
IF… you don’t believe that your product or service can:
- Deliver what you promise,
- Solve the problem that is keeping your prospect in pain, and
- Offer a valuable return on their investment,
THEN… Find something that does. Don’t promise what you can’t deliver. Ever!
So… Now that I’ve delivered that warning, let’s talk about the key to effective sales and persuasion (which is the bigger context of sales) => Communication Skills
Discover Your Superpower - Identify Your Communication Strengths and Weaknesses
Good teachers start with an inventory of their students’ individual strengths and weaknesses even if they’re teaching a class. It doesn’t matter what skill you are talking about, this is a fundamental tool for helping your students make observable progress and it applies to communication skills as much as to anything else.
One of the things I look for in any trainers that I add to my team is an ongoing learning habit because that makes them better teachers. You see, habitual learners find creative ways to identify their own strengths and weaknesses and that enables them to identify them in others and give specific targeted feedback and analysis. This is especially important in communication because – for most people – their problem isn’t “communication” as a whole, it is specific parts of the communication process that they find challenging – for some it’s attention or focus; for others it might be body language or eye-contact skills; for others, it’s the words they choose.
Once you understand your own specific strengths and weaknesses in communication, you can take steps to enhance your strengths and overcome your weaknesses – and for most people that takes personal attention which is why people struggle to progress when they just buy a book or a course that doesn’t provide personalised feedback.
Put on Your Cape and Mask - Become an Expert in Body Language and Active Listening Skills
Just 7% of communication consists of the words used. The rest of your communication is non-verbal. That doesn’t make your choice of words UNimportant – but it doesn’t mean that you have more to work on than just your words if you want to enhance your communication skills.
I remember one student who couldn’t work out why people felt uncomfortable talking to him. Within minutes we identified the problem: he was making too much eye-contact and invariably people he talked to would break off the conversation as quickly as possible because it looked like he was trying to stare them out or hypnotise them. He had heard about making eye-contact and over-developed the habit. He didn’t break it at once, especially if he was interested and engaged in conversation, but as he became better at reading body language and active listening he was more attuned to his conversation partner and learned to read the signals.
Today, he uses eye contact appropriately to communicate focused attention, but he’s quick to perceive if others are feeling threatened and to adjust his technique appropriately.
Fundamentals of Communication SuperPowers
In Part 2, we’ll look at the communication strategies required to tackle difficult conversations, handle conflict, manage collaboration, and build strong durable relationships with colleagues and customers, but it all starts with a growing understanding of your communication strengths and weaknesses and your ability to read other people’s responses.
If sales is the #1 life skill, then confident and congruent communication is the heart of any successful sale – especially if it’s complex and your prospects might be confused about their options and alternatives.
One of the most frequent comments we get at Life Puzzle when we speak or conduct trainings is from people who think they are sales-allergic. We’ll hear things like, “I have never attended a course that had so many applications to my life outside work.” Especially during multi-day trainings we’ll hear accounts of the wonderful conversation they had with their spouse and how they resolved a long-standing dilemma (as well as the surprise sale they closed)… But my favourite story was the woman who arrived for Day 2 of her workplace training absolutely beaming: after five years of marriage, she had used her newfound skills to totally disarm her mother-in-law and get her to cook a delicious dinner rather than complaining about her daughter-in-law’s food.
Join our email list and get semi-weekly emails with communication skills as well as regular updates on upcoming courses and events so you can become a communication superhero.
“Quality is never an accident. It is always the result of intelligent effort.”
~ John Ruskin
The Quality of Your Sales Training Affects Your Bottom Line
I was talking to a regional sales manager a few weeks ago about our sales training program and he told me the following story…
Like most growing companies, we invest in our sales teams consistently because we know that when our sales representatives are encouraged and successful our whole company flourishes. Last year we hired a well-known sales training company to deliver a 12-month program for us. It was an expensive contract, but we anticipated at least a 3X gain. Three months into the contract we noticed that our sales numbers had slumped and morale was slipping. Things got worse from there! It turned out that this well-known sales training company was doing 5 things that nearly destroyed the sales team in a very short space of time.
Sales Training Killer #1: An Ineffective System (or No System At All)
A sales system doesn’t have to complex, but you do need a system and it must be effective. Your sales system has three main purposes:
- Guide activity and ensure that sales representatives focus on the key products and prospects;
- Easy to use so that your people don’t resist the system and follow their own ways instead;
- Show real time results so that sales representatives can see what is working (or not working) and get feedback and guidance to change outcomes.
You might think that this is a no-brainer and that every sales training program would teach an appropriate, workable system, but that’s (unfortunately) not true.
Sales Training Killer #2: No Feedback Loop or Negative Feedback Loop
Again, this should be a no-brainer: every coach gives a steady stream of targeted feedback designed to improve performance and acknowledge positive efforts and results and effective sales trainers use the same methods. Sadly, this is uncommon and so people leave training sessions without any clear indication of whether they are implementing their new skills properly or not.
Sometimes, you’ll hear people say, “that doesn’t work” when what they really mean is, “I never learned that right and discovered years later that I’d completely misunderstood the concept or tool.”
Sales Training Killer #3: Boring Basics
The fundamentals of sales are exactly that… Fundamental skills that enhance your results. A great sales training program helps every participant to go deeper into those fundamentals and should give individuals a sense of momentum. After all, every day, every sales encounter (whether it’s successful or not) is a chance to learn and grow.
Michael Jordan practiced free throws every single day, long after he could score a shot while looking in a completely different direction. He used to say that he was still learning more about himself ands body every day. Successful sales training demands the same level of focused awareness as you tune into what is happening in your mental, physical, and emotional state rather than mechanically going through the motions.
Sales Training Killer #4: Focusing on Irrelevant Details
Details matter in sales… Until they don’t. Some sales training programs will zoom in on situational details that may or may not be relevant rather than focusing on the principles that drive your thinking in different situations.
Contrary to popular belief there is no single presentation style or script that will work for every person. As a sales trainer, especially when delivering an in-house program, poor programs focus on irrelevant specifics which leave sales personnel insecure and poorly equipped to handle a change in the product, a new objection, or merely a client with a different personality.
Sales Training Killer #5: Assume the Sale
You must go into every sales encounter with curiosity about your prospect and a genuine desire to determine whether your product is a good fit in terms of outcomes and budget. Yes, you need a positive attitude, but you also need to be ready to acknowledge that you might not have the best solution for them.
When you always assume the sale, discovering that your product/service does not fit their needs feels like a failure and that is discouraging. Effective sales training inculcates a positive curiosity and openness that generally leaves both sides feeling positive even if no sale occurs.
Marks of Successful Sales Training Programs
Identify sales trainers who focus on creative sales training techniques and train the principles of self-awareness, authentic communication, and open curiosity as well as proven systems that are easy to use and appropriately designed.
Expect an effective custom-designed training program to be designed around a 12-month series of modules so there is time to build skills and understanding. I’ve seen three-month accelerator programs deliver great results and then the company says we’ve got what we wanted so we won’t sign up for the next phase – this is a false economy. Every time that has happened results have stalled.
So all I can say is…
REMEMBER: sales are the lifeblood of your company. Don’t skimp on your training but keep your sales force sharp.
“Actions speak louder than words!
As a sales person, your best metric of success is sales, not praise.”
~ Chandell Labbozzetta
How Do You Persuade in Sales?
Give People a Reason to Listen
One of the most important things any potential customer will be thinking when you approach them is whether they should give you the time of day or not. Giving them a reason why they should give you their hard-earned time is the first step because if you do not provide clarity on how your message connects with your potential customer, you will never get to tell them why they should invest those few seconds.
Show Them Why They Can Trust You
You’ve got to show them that you care about their needs first, and when you get their attention, showing them you care involves understanding them. In the sales process, you have to first listen and show the commonalities based on their pain points and how you can take them in the right direction. Once you show them you care, you’ve got to highlight your credibility and how you are an expert, because this will give your customers a reason to trust you.
Practice NLP Techniques
Using Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) techniques can be very helpful when trying to persuade people in sales. These techniques involve using verbal language and body language to influence the way someone perceives an offer or product. NLP can be used to increase the credibility of your message, as well as build rapport with a potential customer.
How Do You Talk in Sales?
When it comes to delivering a sales pitch, you need to get to grips with the matter of how you talk. If you’ve obtained their trust, now is when you have to focus on the process of the things you say and how you say them. When it comes to how you talk and deliver your amazing sales pitch, you must consider the following:
Do Not Just Think About the Words
You need to communicate enthusiasm and confidence, and this is down to how you present yourself. According to the 7-38-55 Rule, 7% of all communication is done through the words you speak, but the remainder comes from your body language and your facial expressions. This is why you must pay particular attention to how you say something. You should imagine that you are communicating with someone that doesn’t understand what you are saying, because this will give you an insight into those times when just your tone of voice and visual cues can stimulate a working relationship. Open and honest body language and tone of voice will make people want to listen.
Consider Your Mindset
One shortcut to appearing enthusiastic is to be enthusiastic. You may have seen sales reps or public speakers get into the zone by practising talking, standing up, or getting into a certain frame of mind. When they do this, it goes straight to the core of who they are, to the point where they are not playing a role but are instead embodying a certain behaviour. You need to put yourself in that emotional state before delivering your pitch. Some people do this by exercising, and others practice visualisation, but the reality is that you should do what works for you.
Prepare for Objections
Rather than following the natural ebb and flow of a conversation, you need to rehearse every possible permutation, including any form of objection. Selling to somebody is about providing helpful solutions to their problems, but if this individual prospect is putting up barriers throughout every part of the conversation, you need to prepare for the most common objections. These can include:
- Avoiding eye contact.
- Defensive body language.
- Cutting you off mid-sentence.
When you identify the most common objections and prepare solutions to them, you must rehearse them to the point that they become second nature.
How Do You Sound Convincing in Sales?
The notion of being convincing in sales is not about an “us versus them” approach. Rather than thinking that you need to go into battle, some of the most important psychological tricks include the following:
Mirroring the Tonality of the Prospects
When cold calling potential customers, mirroring is an excellent technique to overcome barriers, where you mimic the customer behaviour by adopting their body language, speech patterns, and attitude. It is something that humans do to connect with each subconsciously. If you become in tune with your language, pattern of speaking, and tone of voice, mirroring your prospects will help build rapport more quicker.
Use Specific Terms
We have talked about how you say things, but it’s also important that you understand the impact of specific words. There are commonly used words that are red flags in a sales pitch. For example, “should” and “would” point people towards “yes” and “no” answers. When you ask questions, you should start with who, what, where, when, why, or how, as this will open the conversation.
Avoid Complicated Language
You may attempt to stimulate the fear of missing out on your potential customer, which may persuade them to buy your product or service in fear of losing out on an opportunity. However, it can make the salesperson feel like they need to mythologise the product more and start using unnecessarily complicated terms. You should know your product inside and out, and while you may feel the temptation to describe a variety of technical features, this can make things too complex, resulting in a subconscious barrier. Keep the language simple to the point where you could explain it to a 5-year-old.
Be Genuine
Rather than thinking about the sales, if you convince yourself that you want to help the other person rather than yourself, this builds trust and stops you from being pushy, resulting in a greater sense of rapport, and will very likely result in more receptive follow-up calls.
Consider Sales Training, Courses, or Programs.
Sales training can provide you with additional techniques to help you learn how to convince people to buy in sales. The goal of these programs is to train or certify individuals on the basics of selling and persuading.
When it comes to the sales process, many people are of the opinion that to entice future prospects, you must be full of bluff and bluster. The reality is that even if you don’t think you are selling, you are still selling something, which is why these tactics can help provide a comprehensive framework, resulting in an amazing sales pitch that helps you build that all-important notion of customer trust with new or current customers.
“When it comes to making sales… The simple truth is that we do business with people we like. That’s why relationship building in sales is so important.”
~ Chandell Labbozzetta
When you’re trying to build your business and make sales, it can be difficult to come across as genuine and friendly. You don’t want to seem fake; you just want people to see the value in what you sell. That’s why I believe it’s important to work from the inside out and build relationships rather than rely on tricks and techniques. Your prospects have a BS antenna, just like you do. Luckily, there are plenty of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and communication tools to make building relationships in sales an integral part of your personality instead of a conscious facade. Read on for six simple ways you can work on building relationships to make more sales by being more self-assured and authentic.
Be a Confident Sales Person
Many people find it difficult to be confident salespeople or they don’t know how to convey confidence in themselves and their sales abilities to others. They can come across as over-assertive or pushy and that is never a good look.
The challenge is to communicate genuine confidence, not the fake kind. You can boost your confidence by thinking positively, doing a little exercise, and practicing to make yourself feel better.
The problem is that positive thinking takes will-power, and sometimes we’d rather just drift along. That’s where a specific NLP technique can get you back on track and keep you from getting down when things aren’t going your way, and it also helps you stay enthusiastic when things are going well. Even if you don’t understand NLP, here’s a habit that anyone can develop:
- Write down three things you are good at as a sales person – (your notes app on your phone is a great place to do this)
- Also write down three things you are not so good at.
Every time negative thoughts start to pop into your head, add to both these lists by writing down another three things you are good at and three things you are not so good at.
Over time, you’ll collect a robust list in both of these areas. That way, instead of worrying about the things you cannot control, you’ll be focused on the things you can control. Here are a few more tips that can help boost your sales:
Speak from Your Core Values
If you want to make meaningful connections with people, you have to speak from your core values. When you do this, people feel a stronger connection with you, are more likely to value your products and services, and want to get to know you.
A great way to boost the number of people who understand and appreciate your core values, is to start by telling your story in a more personal way. This doesn’t mean that you spend hours talking about yourself, though – that will just make people think that you are self-absorbed. Instead, find a simple way to connect your story to your core values using metaphors and analogies.
Your team members should also speak about their core values – and hopefully they share your esteem for the business you all work in. It’s ok to acknowledge that your product or service doesn’t suit everyone – in fact, that’s a great way to frame your questions and dig deeply for information about the person you are talking to. If you ask the right questions, just about everyone (except for undercover ASIO agents) likes talking about themselves.
Show Yourself and Your Team in Real Life
One of the best ways to convey your core values and build relationships in sales is through non-business-life examples.
We all know that people have a life outside their work, and when you can communicate that you often find unexpected links and connections with your prospects. I’m a keen golfer and as long as I don’t talk about it too much with people who have no interest in golf, it’s a great way of developing a relationship with people who share my interest.
It’s the same for your team members. Encourage them to engage with prospects appropriately and build rapport via non-business interests in pets, hobbies, etc. You should always remember that everyone has a human side no matter what their role in the company.
Stay Flexible and Adaptable
One of the core principles of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) is that “The person with the most flexibility controls the conversation.” In sales, it’s your responsibility to make adjustments to the conversation and offer so that you highlight the factor that whoever you’re speaking to is most concerned about.
It’s important that you don’t let these adjustments lead to you losing control of the sale and letting your prospect dictate the terms of the sales and delivery. If you aren’t getting the results you want, you and your team should gather information and discuss it carefully. Businesses need to adapt to market conditions, competitors, and prospects’ needs and you should be prepared for this kind of adjustment.
This is also true when you’re having a conversation. Just because you’d planned to spend more time discussing a particular benefit of your product, if you realise that your prospect has not interest, then move on and find the point of pain where they are really interested. If the point you wanted to make was critical to their buying decision, you can circle back to it later using a lateral chunk.
Help People Feel Good About Themselves
If you want to build lasting relationships in sales with prospects and clients so that you keep doors open for further deals, then you’ll need to make a concerted effort to boost the amount of time you spend helping others get what they want. Zig Ziglar used to say, “You can get anything you want in life if you spend enough time helping others get what they want.”
That is an important principle to keep in mind. Figure out what your prospect wants and find a way to position your product or service so that it helps them achieve that. It doesn’t have to take a lot of time, but it will not only help others, but it also helps you feel good about yourself.
NLP Can Help You Build Better Relationships in Sales
There’s probably a reason why NLP didn’t become a formal discipline until the 1950s. It’s most likely connected to the fact that up until the early twentieth century people lived a lot closer to each other and were far less mobile.
That meant that you already knew most of the things you had in common with the people you did business with, and you didn’t need to work so hard to build trust. The chances are that others already knew you from school, family, and church settings, and that you had had plenty of opportunities to develop your communication and conversation skills over time.
It’s different now, which is why people who want to excel try to enhance their understanding of how people think, act, and react… And why NLP tools and techniques are important to help us build relationships in sales.
At Life Puzzle, we are proud to offer the best NLP courses in Australia. Our courses are guaranteed to improve your or your team’s sales skills as we offer a mix of both theoretical and practical NLP sales training. Our NLP courses are designed to provide you with all the tools and techniques you need to be a successful salesperson.
We cover everything from understanding the psychology behind why people buy, to learning how to build rapport and connect with people in a practical way. Our NLP courses are suitable for both beginners and experienced salespeople as we offer a range of courses that cater to all levels. If you are looking for NLP training in Australia, then contact us today to find out more about our NLP courses.
Through expert sales training, NLP coaching, and business development consulting, we’ve helped professionals refine their communications, accelerate their sales and supercharge their personal satisfaction and confidence. Do you want to be one of our success stories?
