Key Takeaways
- A successful elevator pitch succinctly conveys your business idea or proposal within a short timeframe.
- It should be engaging, persuasive, and tailored to your audience’s interests and needs.
- Key elements include a clear value proposition, a compelling hook, and a call to action.
- Practicing your pitch ensures confidence and the ability to deliver it effectively in any situation.
- Real-life success stories demonstrate the power of a well-crafted elevator pitch.
What Makes an Elevator Pitch Successful?
An elevator pitch is like a first impression—you only get one shot at it, so it had better be good. But what does ‘good’ look like? Imagine you step into an elevator and find yourself face to face with someone who could change the game for your business. You’ve got just a few floors to make an impact. This is where your pitch comes in. A successful elevator pitch is concise, clear, and compelling. It’s not just about what you say, but how you say it. You need to be memorable.
Your pitch should answer three key questions: What do you do? Why does it matter? And what do you want the listener to do next? Nail this, and you’re on your way to making that impactful first impression.
If you think the ‘elevator’ concept is outdated, this story may change your mind. Recently, I went to the US and Mexico on holiday. On my way home I ended up in a hotel elevator with a group of Salesforce executives who were at their annual conference. They asked the question: “What do you do?” – and my answer impressed them so much that we ended up exchanging business cards because they’re interested in having me train their sales team. That’s a powerful elevator pitch!
Core Elements of a Captivating Elevator Pitch
So, what are the ingredients for that perfect pitch? Think of your elevator pitch as a mini-advertisement for your idea or business. It should include:
- A clear value proposition: What problem are you solving? How does your solution stand out?
- A compelling hook: Start with a statement or question that grabs attention.
- A brief explanation: Give just enough detail to pique interest without overwhelming.
- A call to action: What do you want your listener to do after hearing your pitch?
Remember, the goal is to engage your listener, not to close a deal on the spot. You’re opening the door to a conversation, not trying to barge through it.
Understanding the Audience for Maximum Impact
Before you even start crafting your pitch, you need to know who you’re talking to. Tailoring your message to your audience is crucial. A pitch to a potential investor should highlight different aspects than one to a prospective customer or partner. Ask yourself: What’s important to them? What are their pain points? How does my idea fit into their world?
This means you need to research your audience. The more you know about them, the more you can personalise your pitch to resonate with their specific interests and needs. This isn’t just about being polite; it’s strategic. It shows you’ve done your homework, and it demonstrates respect for their time and expertise.
Let’s break this down with an example:
Imagine pitching a new health app. If you’re talking to an investor, you might emphasise the market opportunity and revenue potential. But if you’re speaking to a doctor, you might focus on the app’s ability to improve patient outcomes. Same product, different angles.
Create Your Winning Elevator Pitch
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s dive into creating your pitch. This is where you turn your idea into a compelling story that will stick in people’s minds long after the elevator ride is over.
Step-by-Step Guide to Crafting a Pitch
First, grab a pen and paper, or open up a new document on your computer. You’re going to want to write this down. Follow these steps to build your pitch from the ground up:
- Identify your goal: What’s the desired outcome of your pitch? Be specific.
- Define your audience: Who are they, and what do they care about?
- Outline your value proposition: Make it clear why your idea is worth their time.
- Develop your hook: This is your opening line, make it catchy.
- Explain the essentials: Cover the what, how, and why succinctly.
- End with a call to action: Tell them what you want them to do next.
Once you’ve got the bones of your pitch, it’s time to practice, practice, practice. Say it out loud. Time it. Make sure it’s under two minutes. The more natural it feels, the better you’ll deliver it when it counts.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid in Elevator Pitches
Besides that, there are some common traps many fall into when delivering their elevator pitch. Let’s make sure you sidestep these:
- Being too vague: If they can’t grasp what you’re offering, they won’t bite.
- Overloading with jargon: Keep it simple so anyone can understand.
- Speaking too fast: Nerves can make you rush. Breathe, and pace yourself.
- Forgetting to listen: A pitch is a two-way street. Engage with your audience.
Remember, an elevator pitch is not a monologue. It’s the start of a dialogue. You’re not just talking at someone; you’re inviting them into a conversation about your idea.
Balancing Brevity and Persuasiveness
Brevity is your friend in an elevator pitch, but so is persuasiveness. It’s a delicate balance to strike. You’ve got to be quick, but you also need to make a strong case for your idea. This is where every word counts. You want to distil your message down to the essentials without losing the punch. It’s like a poet crafting a haiku; the constraints force you to be more creative and impactful.
For example, instead of saying “We’re developing a multifaceted platform that leverages user-generated content to drive engagement,” you could say, “We’re building a community where everyone’s voice can be heard, and that’s driving our explosive growth.” The second is not only shorter but also packs more of an emotional punch.
Incorporating Storytelling to Engage Listeners
Humans are wired for stories. They’re how we make sense of the world. So, when you’re crafting your pitch, think about the story you’re telling. Who’s the hero? What’s the challenge they’re facing? How does your idea help them overcome that challenge? A good story makes your pitch not just heard but remembered. It can be as simple as: “Imagine Sarah, who’s juggling a career and a family. Our app helps her find ten extra hours a week by streamlining her tasks.” That’s a story that sticks.
Refining Your Elevator Pitch for Different Scenarios
One size does not fit all when it comes to elevator pitches. You need to tweak your message depending on the scenario. Whether you’re at a networking event, in a meeting with potential partners, or deliberate a presentation to potential customers, your pitch needs to adapt. The core message remains the same, but the emphasis shifts based on what your audience cares about most and how long you can hold their attention.
Let’s break it down further. When you’re at a networking event, your pitch might be more casual and focused on building a relationship. In a formal meeting, you’ll want to be more detailed and data-driven. And when you’re talking to potential customers, it’s all about the numbers and the potential for return on investment.
Adapting Your Pitch for Networking Events
At networking events, your pitch should be like a friendly handshake – warm, inviting, and not too forceful. You’re there to connect, not to sell. So, focus on what’s interesting about your idea or business. Make it conversational. You might start with a question or a surprising fact that leads naturally into your pitch. And always be ready to listen and adjust your message based on the response you get.
Tailoring Your Pitch to Potential Customers
When you’re pitching to potential customers, it’s a whole different ball game. They’re listening with their wallets, not just their ears. They want to know about the opportunity. So, while you still need to be brief, your pitch should be packed with solid facts and figures that show you’ve done your homework and that your business knows what it’s doing.
Elevating Your Public Speaking Skills
No matter how good your pitch is on paper, it’s your delivery that will seal the deal. Public speaking can be nerve-wracking, but it’s a skill that can be honed with practice. Your confidence, clarity, and charisma can make all the difference in how your message is received. So, take every opportunity to practice your pitch: in front of the mirror, to friends, or at local pitch events. The more comfortable you are with your pitch, the more naturally it will come across.
Mastering Non-Verbal Communication
What you say is important, but how you say it is just as critical. Non-verbal cues like eye contact, gestures, and posture all play a part in how your message is perceived. For instance, maintaining eye contact shows confidence and helps establish a connection with your listener. And a firm stance conveys that you’re grounded and believe in what you’re saying.
Voice Control and Projection Techniques
- Stand up straight and use your diaphragm to project your voice.
- Practice varying your tone to keep your listener engaged.
- Use pauses effectively to emphasise key points.
These techniques not only help ensure you’re heard but also that you’re delivering your message with the passion and enthusiasm it deserves. Remember, it’s not just the words you choose, but your voice that carries them to your audience.
And let’s not forget about the power of the pause. A well-timed pause can create suspense, highlight a point, or simply give the listener a moment to absorb what you’ve said. It’s a powerful tool in your public speaking arsenal.
By combining a well-crafted message with polished delivery skills, you’ll be able to make the most of those precious few minutes in the elevator—or anywhere else the opportunity arises.
FAQ
Now, you might have some questions. Let’s tackle a few common ones to give you an even clearer picture of what makes for a winning elevator pitch.
Ideally, it should be no longer than 60-90 seconds. That’s enough time to intrigue and inform without overloading your listener.
Absolutely! Anytime you need to explain an idea quickly and effectively, an elevator pitch can come in handy.
Focus on your unique value proposition, the problem you’re solving, and why your solution is the best choice. And don’t forget the call to action.
Use a brief, relatable anecdote that illustrates the problem your idea solves. Make it personal and evocative.
As often as possible. The more you practice, the more natural it will feel, and the better you’ll be able to adapt it on the fly.
Armed with these tips and techniques, you’re now ready to craft an elevator pitch that’s not just good, but great—one that opens doors and takes your idea to the next level. Remember, it’s not just about getting it right; it’s about making a connection that could lead to your next big break. So, go ahead, step into that elevator with confidence and watch as your pitch takes you to the top floor.
Need Personalised Instruction or a Second Set of Ears?
Knowing what to do is just one piece of the puzzle. The real challenge is actually doing it. Life Puzzle has been working with clients to develop and refine their elevator pitches and Sell From Stage qualities for many years. Our students have sold tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of services and products using the techniques we teach.
Our free Elevator Pitch Tool Kit is a great starting point as it guides you through the thinking behind a successful pitch. In our Confident Conversion Course you can get feedback on your pitch and personalised instruction about how to make it more effective.
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.
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.
“Your prospects and clients have their BS detector on high alert these days.
The old adage, ‘people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care’ has been heightened
by the growing fear that you might not even be talking to a human being.
The service businesses thriving right now are the ones who are
unquestionably human – even if that comes at the cost of perfection.”
~ Chandell Labbozzetta
In today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, artificial intelligence (AI) has become an integral part of our lives. From voice assistants to autonomous vehicles, the influence of AI can be felt in almost every industry. However, a certain amount of suspicion has crept in alongside this transformation and your customers are asking…
What do I REALLY want?
Often, their answer is: a human being to talk to.
The Role of Human Communication
Human communication is the foundation of human society. It’s the basis of relationships and that indefinable sense of connection and communion. Today’s AI is pretty amazing, but neuroscientists have tested some of the most sophisticated models against a 10-month old baby… And the baby wins.
Of course, the baby can’t articulate everything that it absorbs from the humans around it, but unlike an AI artefact, it can learn and react without being trained. This is a crucial reality to keep in mind when it comes to the role of human-to-human communication in your business… An AI assistant will be more consistent, less likely to make mistakes (when properly trained), and more economical than a human, but if you don’t have humans available (warts and all) your customer service and long-term relationships with clients will go downhill.
AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement
Once you see AI merely as a tool rather than as a substitute for human interaction you are in a great position to make wise decisions about your sales and customer processes. AI can deliver output (the quality of which is dependent on the inputs it is given), but human communication goes far beyond the exchange of information; it encompasses empathy, emotional intelligence, and the capacity to understand complex ideas and evaluate intricate situations while relating to others. These qualities are essential for creating a motivated, productive workplace with a healthy culture and are the reason why in-person meetings, phone calls, and video calls are more effective than texts and emails in certain situations.
Amplifying Influence and Leadership Skills
As an NLP Master Trainer specialising in corporate training, I have witnessed firsthand the transformative effects of effective human communication in the workplace. By harnessing the power of personal communication, leaders can amplify their influence and inspire their teams in ways that are far more effective than the most persuasive email.
Here are the Three Facets of In-Person Communication:
- Active Listening: Leaders who actively listen to their employees create an environment of trust and mutual understanding. By genuinely hearing concerns and ideas, leaders can foster a culture of innovation and collaboration.
- Non-Verbal Communication: Body language, facial expressions, and gestures play a significant role in how our messages are perceived. A skilled communicator understands the importance of non-verbal cues and uses them to convey empathy and build rapport as well as to identify disapproval and resistance.
- Verbal Persuasion: Leaders don’t just listen and observe, they also need to proactively influence others to embrace their vision and goals. Effective persuasion involves understanding the needs and motivations of your audience and tailoring your message accordingly.
Embracing the Union of Technology and Human Connection
AI technology is an exciting tool, but it’s just that. It is up to us to use this technology in a way that enhances human connection and supports our long-term goals. I’m noticing two distinct bands of response to AI:
- Those people who embrace it with excitement and want to deploy it at every possible point. I equate these people to the handyman who gets a new tool and wants to use it for every job – even the ones for which he already has a great tool;
- Those who avoid AI like the plague and see it as a danger to humanity’s ongoing existence. AI has its dangers – like therapeutic drugs – but rejecting all applications of AI out of fear risks missing out on its substantial benefits.
I believe we need to deliberately embrace a balanced approach which uses AI and yet maintains a distance. This is particularly true when you are leading an organisation and shaping the response of your team to innovation and future-thinking. Ask the questions you would ask for any other investment or new program or hire that you were about to make.
As you venture into the world of AI, make sure that you prioritise the development of your team’s communication skills and emotional intelligence because those are the characteristics that will set your organisation apart from competitors who leaned too far into jungle of robots and lost connection with their customers and staff.
Don’t Get Distracted by AI
In an AI-focused world, it is easy to become mesmerised by the capabilities of technology and dive down the rabbit-hole of possibilities that it offers. It’s definitely worth exploring these things and implementing them in your business. At the same time, unless your goal is to build a commodity business, you should always ensure that you are strengthening the human element of your business and prioritising efforts that inspire, motivate, and bring out the best in your colleagues and clients.
As creative leaders and effective managers, our goal is never merely to maximise efficiency. It is always to create a harmonious and prosperous workplace where people can flourish, grow, contribute, and make the world a happier and healthier place.
“Did you know that the #1 reason people don’t ask for a sale is not because they don’t think the product or service, they are selling is valuable?
… It’s because they are afraid their prospect doesn’t like them enough to buy.”
~ Chandell Labbozzetta
Liking Really DOES Matter in Business
One of my early sales mentors and models used to remind the team at every single meeting that emotion and personality were just as important in Business-to-Business sales as they are in Business-to-Consumer sales – in some ways they are even more important. Closing a sale is almost never simply about features, benefits, and logic.
I often tell the story of Bob, the Photocopier man in my sales trainings – for context here’s the short version…
Some years ago, I was preparing for a conference and the department decided they needed to print some additional materials. We had a problem with our existing copier, and I had authorisation to purchase a new one. I was trying to distinguish between two copiers that looked identical from a brand that we knew and liked, and they sent their sales representative to talk to me.
Time was short and a couple of my colleagues were out sick, so I just wanted to clarify the features and order the new photocopier as quickly as possible. I explained this to Bob when he arrived, but he wasn’t listening and jumped straight to the start of his presentation. 90-minutes later I ushered him out the door without the sale and called the competing company.
When we’re talking about this situation during training people sometimes think this is an example of “Just get to the point, answer the question, and take the sale when you’re talking to a business.” It’s not – in fact, it’s the opposite.
You see, when Bob walked into our office the only thing that stood between him and a $45,000 closed sale was his ability to read the customer and answer my burning questions. He failed to do that… And he lost the sale to his competitor. In fact, he cost his company hundreds of thousands of dollars because before long all our photocopiers came from the competitor.
So, here are the 5 secrets that will get people to like you and give you the sale…
Secret of Liking #1: Listen Carefully
If you’re selling anything you need to know the product or service you are selling inside out. By all means, have your scripts and presentations ready and study the FAQs, but the real secret to creating trust and likely is your ability to discover what they really need to know before they buy – and to determine the questions they are not asking.
Secret of Liking #2: Discover Your Prospect’s Primary Communication Style
We all have one or two senses that are more highly developed than others. Identifying (and using) the language that resonates most effectively with the person you are talking to is an incredibly effective way of building trust and liking with others. It has the added benefit of demonstrating that you are really listening (See Secret #1).
Discover your own primary communication style by taking this short quiz.
Secret of Liking #3: Enter Their World
In the world of advertising, you’ll often hear people say that you need to ‘enter the conversation people are already having in their own heads.’ That’s a powerful truth for increasing engagement, but it’s also a wise strategy for creating and growing the emotional connection between two people. It’s hard not to like someone who demonstrates both by their questions and their responses to your answers that they have made the effort to understand your world and to feel your pain and that opens people up to listen when you offer a solution.
Secret of Liking #4: Pay Attention to Details Specifics sell.
Generalisations may capture the imagination and intrigue, but without details to back up the lofty promises and glorious vision they can lead to suspicion. In one-to-one conversations (in person, on the phone, or via Zoom), use the information you have gathered from applying secrets #1-3 to zero in on the details that you know will interest the other person. Save the ‘laundry list’ for large group communications and sales letters where you are speaking to a wider group.
Secret of Liking #5: Give Them Space
Humans are designed to pursue that which runs away and flee from that which pursues. The needy salesperson rarely makes a sale because prospects sense their desperation and instinctively step back. Your likability index measurably increases when you give others space to explore other options while knowing that you are still there. There’s a fine, fine line between persistence and space and so it’s essential to expand your communication and people-reading skills.
At LifePuzzle Sales is the #1 Life Skill
We believe that this is true because sales is also a fundamental HUMAN skill – one of the few skills that doesn’t just apply to one aspect of your life, but which translates across cultures, languages, environments, and specialties.
As we run trainings in corporate environments, as well as public trainings we constantly hear back that the communication and persuasion skills our clients learn are transforming their teams, homes, marriages, parenting, and friendships (even though we don’t actually conduct marriage or parenting training). I think that it is a sad reflection on our society that it puts ‘sales’ in the icky pile (you wouldn’t believe how many people recoil from the idea of sales training) because I think that has two critical consequences (quite apart from the actual $$ value of a sale):
- Without well-developed sales (persuasion, influence, and communication) skills no-one is able to share their excellent ideas persuasively and the world misses out on opportunities for growth, change, and productive discussion;
- Anyone who is not well-equipped to sell their own ideas and products and to influence others is vulnerable to leaders, managers, and others who possess those skills… Which can lead to dangerously authoritarian situations.
If you would like to learn more about LifePuzzle’s sales and communication programs and their role in business development, take a look HERE.
“The greatest sales people in the world respect their buyers and leave them feeling confident that they have just made a fantastic decision that will help them achieve their goals more easily.”
~ Chandell Labbozzetta
The Impact of AI on YOUR Sales Numbers and Influence
AI is actually something of a red herring.
The truth is that we’ve all been using AI in the background for years without ever thinking much about it, but now it seems as though people are worried that it will take their jobs, their clients, and their business away. For some people that may be a real threat, but here’s the good news… It’s up to you whether AI is the promise of abundance or the threat of scarcity. That outcome is something you CAN control!
I’m working with sales professionals and leaders in many different fields who are using AI to accelerate and empower their sales results. For example, Jenny is using AI to locate ideal clients and research their background so that she can direct her conversations and focus on their highest goals. It has enabled her to get to a 91.3% close rate, more than doubling her sales value with less time spent and ensuring that she has a waiting list of highly qualified clients. Anna is using AI to motivate her team and help them track their performance more actively – as a result, individuals have discovered new strengths as well as ways to overcome weaknesses and plug the holes in their system. For both of them, AI has been the tool they never realised they were missing that enables them to fully use the human potential in themselves and their collaborators.
How is that possible?
It simply requires that you recognise what AI is good at and use it to help you track and perform those actions, while also letting your human side shine. AI is like your calendar or your PA on steroids – helping you plan and organise more effectively so that you have more time and energy to do the things you do best.
What Does it Mean to be Authentically Human in Sales & Leadership Anyway?
Scripts are powerful. They give us guidelines – rather like a rope in a cave – but when we depend on them too much, they turn human beings into tools and robots.
It doesn’t matter if you are delivering a formal sales presentation, having a phone conversation, or an in-person meeting… A script can be deadening or it can deliver results – depending on the other skills you bring to the conversation.
A recent example of this was shared during a session in which we played recordings of real conversations. It comes from a performance discussion:
Manager: How’s it going, Sally?
Sally: I’m having a terrible week, my cat had to be put down on Sunday.
Manager: Oh. (Brief pause) Well, how do you feel that’s going to affect your numbers this week?
Sally: (sounding disinterested) They’ll stay about the same.
Manager: Are you sure? I’d hate to see you lose your bonus.
…
I mean!!! Here you have two people face-to-face in the same room and all the manager can say is, “Oh!” before continuing on with the planned conversation. I’d have to say he deserves to feel threatened by AI because that was about as scripted and inhuman as you can get.
If Sally had been talking with a chat bot it might have at least been programmed to offer a response to her news about her cat.
As it happens, this manager has been passed over for promotion several times because he has not worked on his listening and conversational skills. He feels like he’s good at his job, organised, and cares about the company so he deserves a promotion. He doesn’t understand that leadership isn’t about competence as much as it is about influence which comes from being human and relatable.
I could have told you some equivalent examples from sales calls and presentations where the individual ignored the cues from his audience and pressed on with his prepared message. You can probably think of some yourself.
Effective sales people (and leaders) can tune into their audience, they know how to listen and pick out the key phrases or emotions others need to hear, and they can respond appropriately to other people and then return to their presentation or script gracefully, leaving the other person feeling they have been heard… And, therefore, open to listen in turn to what you are saying.
What is the Difference between Authentically Human Sales and Traditional Sales Strategies
“The person with the most flexibility controls the situation.”
Traditional Sales Strategies can be a little like the manager I quoted above – so focused on the script and the message that they can’t manage to deal with any variations. Really effective sales people may use the same strategies and scripts as others, but they have the ability to pay close attention to the person in front of them, to listen closely, and to make adjustments to their language, mannerisms, and the way the present the facts.
In a thriving economy, scripts and systems are incredibly effective, but when things get tough, it is the connection and relationship that dictates the outcome. That means that you need the flexibility of authentic humanity and the more powerfully you can project that, the more effectively you will be able to sell you product, service, or idea to others.
The era of heavily scripted and automated sales is over. If that is your preferred (or only) method of selling it’s time to expand your range… Or you really will be an AI casualty.
Leadership and Sales - the Power Couple!
If you think that your ‘Sales Team’ are the only ones who need to know how to sell your products and services then it’s time to reevaluate your approach. When I tell people that Sales is the #1 Life Skill, I often get pushback and a request to explain why I say that because it seems to me that when it comes to things people fear, if Public Speaking is the top contender and Death is second, then Sales is in third place. I get that… If you’re thinking of the pushy, sleazy sales tactics that are often associated with used cars and real estate…
BUT – the truth is that we are all selling
- Ideas
- Behaviours & Habits
- Products & Services
- Choices
… Unless we stand back and take the approach which lets other people dig their own grave if they don’t immediately resonate with the advice we offer.
Natural consequences are great teachers – yet, as parents, friends, colleagues – and certainly as leaders – there are many lessons we’d all prefer to have our children or others learn from advice rather than experience.
That is why leaders in every context need to hone their sales skills and their ability to choose the right examples, present them appropriately with language and images suitable for the person listening to them… So that you can deliberately and purposefully lead others to examine their options critically, choose wisely, and follow through diligently.
How to Accelerate Your Sales Skills in a Changing World
As I’ve mentioned previously, sales skills aren’t just about selling products and making money – and they’re certainly not about manipulating others for your benefit at their expense. If the idea of ‘sales’ leaves a nasty taste in your mouth then you probably need to make a determined and decisive effort to reevaluate your position.
If you aren’t averse to ‘sales’ but recognise that your current skills aren’t sufficient for the future challenges you anticipate then you probably already know that I’m going to suggest that you improve your ability to:
- Listen actively
- Ask probing and powerful questions
- Accurately observe others’ behaviour
- Use appropriate language
- Build strong connections
- Create powerful visions of the future
Your question is probably:
“How can I take my existing knowledge to the next level?”
My answer:
“Knowledge is not enough. You also need to practice, experiment, and get feedback.”
Which is why I’m excited that we can once again hold in-person events!
My Leadership Sales Summit is designed to guide you through this way of selling in an authentically human fashion so that both parties feel valued and end with a sense of satisfaction and a stronger relationship. This is not ‘merely theory’ it’s 2 days of solid practice and learning with the goal of enhancing your skills.
Click HERE to email the team and register for Early Admission and join us for this powerful and transformational experience.
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.
“The way neuroscience and neuro-linguistic programming helps your sales is by allowing you to better understand your prospects’ thinking and their motivation to buy your product. This means more satisfied purchasers for your product.”
~ Chandell Labbozzetta
What is Neuro-Linguistic Programming?
Neuro-Linguistic Programming is the study of how the human brain receives and processes information. If you study the speeches and tools used by influential leaders from the earliest stages of recorded history, you’ll find the essence of NLP techniques and principles inside.
NLP is frequently studies to elevate communication skills, improve negotiation, and generally help people to understand others better. Since successful relationships are at the heart of human happiness, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) is a very powerful tool for everyone. It is an especially popular field of study for salespeople who want to understand their customers better and deal with the challenge of discovering whether what they are selling would serve them or not.
Neuro-Linguistic Programming can be broken down into three parts:
Part 1: The Neuroscience of Sales:
To understand the neuroscience of sales, we first have to look at the brain. The brain is an intricate network of neurons, or nerve cells. The neurons communicate with each other by firing electrical impulses through “synapses.” They also connect with other neurons in an area called the “cortex.” These connections are like pathways. They can be reinforced through habitual behaviour and altered by creating new behaviours or patterns.
Part 2: The Neurons:
The brain processes information through triggers, which is why Neuro-Linguistic Programming incorporates several techniques that enable you to auto-trigger new behaviours to replace existing ones. It also explains why you can have a visceral response to a person without any overt reason – it could be based on remembered associations and experience (positive or negative).
Part 3: The Linguistics:
Language is a complex system. Even though it is responsible for only around 7% of the information we receive, understanding how language works and the ability to interpret what others are really saying, as well as to grasp how they are hearing our words not only improves your relationships at home and work but also helps salespeople understand what their prospects are thinking and when they have made up their mind to say, “No,” but are too polite to actually articulate that.
Neuroscience and Neuro-Linguistic Programming in Sales and Why I Love Neuroscience!
The reason I love neuroscience and neuro-linguistic programming in sales is because it is so fascinating to watch different areas of the brain light up in response to stimuli and to recognise that just as you can re-program your own thoughts and responses, you can also use that knowledge to better connect with your prospects by understanding their emotions, feelings, and motivations.
Once you’re aware of this, you don’t need sophisticated brain monitoring equipment to gauge how prospects are responding to your sales call, you just need to use your eyes, ears, and intuition. You’ll quickly recognise the difference between genuine objections, and the excuses of a person who has already made a decision, and you’ll understand the best way to respond to help them choose wisely.
Unlike what you may have seen on TV or in movies, there is nothing in NLP that removes your prospect’s freewill and self-determination. Your skill in using NLP will only help you understand your prospect’s true concerns.
NLP Sales Techniques to Increase Your Sales
Here are 5 NLP sales techniques that you can use to increase your sales.
- Understand Buying Strategies – everyone has a specific ‘strategy’ for buying (as well as almost every other area of life). NLP helps you discover exactly what each of your prospect’s unique buying strategies is and how to use the knowledge appropriately. This is especially important for selling high-ticket items.
- Improve Your Timing – based on your understanding of each prospect or client’s buying strategy you can build a flexible sales system that enables you to meet their needs for information, alternatives, and spacing of calls. This way, your prospect always feels as though they are in control of the buying decision.
- Build Rapport – by showing genuine interest and enthusiasm for the person you are talking to and by reflecting their preferred communication style in your choice of language. Focus on being interested, rather than being interesting.
- Empathise – with customers by understanding their feelings and motivations. When you understand these – and demonstrate that understanding – you can better help them make a decision.
- Promote your sales – by reminding yourself and your customers why you sell. This can include using reminders, journaling, and imaging to keep the value of the product or service front and centre.
Understanding NLP & Neuroscience Gives You More Control in Sales
Zig Ziglar famously said, “Timid salespeople have skinny kids.” This is often misunderstood. It’s interpreted to mean that effective salespeople need to be pushy and sell people ‘stuff’ they don’t need and can’t afford… But that is certainly not what Zig intended. As much as anything, Zig’s point was about developing your communications skills so that you help the other person recognise what they really want and see their objections either as genuine reasons why they don’t need what you are offering or as an excuse that is preventing them from getting the outcome they desire.
The real advantage that honing your NLP skills offers salespeople is the ability to gain insight from the language and non-verbal communications of prospects about their real attitude. That enables them to tailor their presentation to the preferences of the prospect and meet their needs.
What Will You Do With This Information?
The internet has completed the democratisation of knowledge.
What you know has much less power than your ability to use that knowledge effectively: that is, having the skills and discernment to use your knowledge for good. As a Master Trainer of NLP and one of Australia’s most effective sales trainers, I know that transformation and skill development is about practice and habit-building… And sometimes removing old habits that no longer serve you. This is especially important in a tight economy where your prospects are more cautious about their investments and expenditures. That’s why NOW is the time to develop and hone the communication skills, of your salespeople and all those in leadership positions.
If you know you need some help, why not explore our Ready Set Sell Program which teaches you to build the habits and skills you need over 30 days? We promise you won’t regret it!
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?
