Anyone can follow a sales process, so why can’t everyone sell?
Scott Summers a Sales Presentation Specialist from IBM believes they can.
So far I've surveyed almost 200 business owners, startups and entrepreneurs. Only a small handful have said that selling is a skill that they feel confident about.
So, to help the thousands of business owners who aren’t natural sellers, I’ve identified the five core skills of a confident sales person.
Use them together and watch your sales increase.
1. An extract from:
The Confident Seller Programme
Unlock the 5 core skills of confident sales people
2. Scott Summers
!
Co-founder of The Skills Farm Ltd
!
Sales Presentation Specialist
!
Experienced trainer & coach:
!
IBM, Apple, Google, NHS
A bit about me…
3. 1. Why most business owners aren’t natural sales people
2. The Five C’s of Confident Selling
3. How you can become more confident when you sell
4. The Confident Seller Programme overview
What questions do you have? Email: getintouch@theskillsfarm.co.uk
4. Don’t sell
Can’t sell
Most business owners fall into two categories:
“Rejection of my solution hurts.”
“It feels like I’m being manipulative.”
“I’m not good at thinking on my feet.”
“My prospective customers don’t ‘get’ what I’m offering.”
“People seem interested at first, then they fizzle out.”
“I find closing the sale really uncomfortable.”
“I don’t have time to sell.”
“Now is not the right time for my business.”
“Sales has a bad reputation.”
“I don’t enjoy talking to people.”
“My solution should sell itself.”
“I’ve never learned to sell.”
“I freeze.”
5. Warning:
According to Bloomberg, almost 80%of startup businesses fail in the 12 - 36 months.
The majority blame their demise on lack of cash.
!
Forbes.com say that the top five reasons why so many startup business fail
are all sales & communicationrelated.
!
How many apply to you?
!
1. Too much time focussing on your product.
2. Not enough time in dialogue with your customers.
3. Inability to articulate the value proposition to your customers.
4. Avoidance of closing a sale.
5. Lack of sales means no cash flow and little chance of funding.
6. Our survey shows that most business owners
struggle when it comes to selling
Businessownerresponse
0
12.5
25
37.5
50
Level of confidence
Not at all confident Sometimes confident Fairly confident Very confident
9%
22%
49%
20%
Data source: The Skills Farm LtdBased on 183 business owners surveyed in 2013/2014
7. Three reasons why now is the right time to
develop your sales skills
1. The recovering economy means businesses and consumers
now have more money to buy your solution.
2. There are more startup businesses than ever before, meaning
that you have more competition in a noisy marketplace.
3. Todays customers are more informed than ever before, which
means that you need to cut through the noise, to be heard.
8. 1. Why most business owners aren’t natural sales people
2. The Five C’s of Confident Selling
3. How you can become more confident when you sell
4. The Confident Seller Programme overview
What questions do you have? Email: getintouch@theskillsfarm.co.uk
9. The Five C’s of Confident Selling
Once you have absolute CLARITY of your sales message, pitch or presentation
from your customers perspective, you’ll become equipped to articulate what
you offer, and able to adapt what you say to any sales situation.
1. CLARITY
10. 1. Clarity
Having it:
Allows you to get into the head of your
target customer
Helps you detach emotionally from
detail that you think is relevant
Provides you with clear options for
what to say and ask
“Feels like a lightbulb switching on!”
Not having it:
You might be clear about what you offer,
but that doesn’t mean your customer is
Confused, mystified or bored customers
will not buy from you
Too much information will overwhelm any
gut instinct to buy your solution
“Feels frustrating because they just don’t
‘get’ it.”
11. Test out your sales conversation with
someone you trust
Then ask for honest feedback:
Were you confused, even slightly, at any point?
Did you, at any point, wonder where this was going?
Did you understand every word I said?
Did you loose attention at any time when I was speaking?
Did I stop speaking soon enough for you?
Try
this
out!
12. The Five C’s of Confident Selling
Having the skills to fully grab the attention of your customers and keep that
CONNECTION throughout the entire sales discussion, means that your
customers remain completely focussed on you and the value your product or
service offers.
2. CONNECTION
13. 2. Connection
Having it:Not having it:
Customers get easily distracted and
loose focus on what you are saying
Your passion for your proposed solution
doesn’t excite them
They don’t feel that you are genuinely
interested in them
“Feels frustrating because their interest
fizzles out quickly and they don’t buy.”
Use positive voice tone, body language &
energy to keep your customers attention
Use techniques to grab their attention and
hold it over long periods
Allows you to pick up on verbal and non-
verbal signals ‘in the moment’
“Feels like I’ve unlocked the secret to
keeping people focussed!”
14. Techniques to grab attention
Some suggestions for ‘hooking’ in your customers:
Ask a relevant diagnosis question
Show something interesting & relevant
“Did you know…[relevant fact or statistic]?”
More than just introducing yourself…
Use your ‘clarity’ to link their responses to your ‘conversation’
Try
this
out!
15. The Five C’s of Confident Selling
Whether you are pitching, presenting or chatting informally, knowing exactly
what to say and ask during your sales CONVERSATION is the key to keeping
your customer engaged in an informative dialogue.
3. CONVERSATION
16. 3. Conversation
Having it:Not having it:
Your customer feels talked at and not
engaged with and listened to
Your customer dominates the conversation
What you say is over detailed or irrelevant
to your customer
“Feels frustrating because the conversation
goes nowhere and doesn’t lead to a sale.”
Allows you to balance the conversation by
keeping it informative and on track
Gives you the techniques to respond to
the signals you pick up on
Equips you with empathy and relationship
building skills
“Feels like I am engaged in a conversation
that’s really useful to us both.”
17. Responding to signals you pick up on
Ask yourself:
What would I ask if my target customer keeps looking at their phone?
How would I respond if they looked confused?
What would I say if their responses to my questions were vague?
What would I do if they got emotional?
How would I respond if I felt like they didn’t like me?
Try
this
out!
18. The Five C’s of Confident Selling
Having the ability to stay COMPOSED and know what to say and do when
things don’t go to plan means you’ll be ready to tackle any situation, as well as
handle your customers difficult questions, objections or concerns.
4. COMPOSURE
19. 4. Composure
Having it:Not having it:
You always feel pressurised to answer
every difficult question or challenge
You can’t think on your feet when things
go off track, or when you get objections
Thinking time, pausing and silence feel
nerve-wracking and uncomfortable
“Feels dangerous, stressful and my
customers notice that I am out of my depth.”
Provides you with tactics that give you
time to think clearly
Allows you to maintain your ‘state’;
grounded, energetic, trusted etc.
Free’s you up to respond calmly to
difficult questions & situations
“Feels like I am unflappable, even when
I’m challenged.”
20. Practice staying calm and handling these
objections
Ask someone to challenge you by saying:
“Oh yes, I already use your competitors product.”
“I’m really not sure if I need this right now.”
“I think you are wrong.”
“That’s very expensive for what it is, don’t you think?”
“What qualifies you to talk about this?”
Try
this
out!
21. The Five C’s of Confident Selling
When you feel at ease to be able to naturally move your sales discussion toward
a comfortable conclusion, you’ll have a positive impact over the outcome and
CLOSURE of the sale.
5. CLOSURE
22. 5.Closure
Having it:Not having it:
You generally leave it to the last minute
before you get any commitment to buy
You ramble when you respond to difficult
questions, objections or concerns
You avoid asking for the order because it
makes you feel very uncomfortable
“Feels unnatural, manipulative and I don’t
like rejection.”
Allows you to gain commitment
throughout your entire sales conversation
Equips you with a range of authentic
responses to different objections
Moves you naturally to the space where
its easier for you to ask for the sale
“Feels much more comfortable for me
and a positive experience for them.”
23. Naturally asking for the sale
Some suggestions for you to try:
So, how does sound to you?
Is there anything that you are still unsure of?
So, shall we get started on the paperwork today, while there is 15% off?
Would I be right in saying that you’d like to go ahead with the trial?
So, shall we go for Option A, with the extra widget or without?
Try
this
out!
24. Once you have absolute CLARITY of your sales message, pitch or presentation
from your customers perspective, you’ll become equipped to articulate what you
offer, and able to adapt what you say to any sales situation.
Having the skills to fully grab the attention of your customers and keep that
CONNECTION throughout the entire sales discussion, means that your customers
remain completely focussed on you and the value your product or service offers.
Whether you are pitching, presenting or chatting informally, knowing exactly what to
say and ask during your sales CONVERSATION is the key to keeping your customer
engaged in an informative dialogue.
Having the ability to stay COMPOSED and know what to say and do when things
don’t go to plan means you’ll be ready to tackle any situation, as well as handle
your customers difficult questions, objections or concerns.
When you feel at ease to be able to naturally move your sales discussion toward a
comfortable conclusion, you’ll have a positive impact over the outcome and
CLOSURE of the sale.
The Five C’s of Confident Selling
25. Where do most business owners struggle?
Data source: The Skills Farm LtdBased on 183 business owners surveyed in 2013/2014
Clarity
Connection
Conversation
Composure
Closure
Percentage
0 25 50 75 100
91%
83%
77%
62%
88%
26. Confused customers needed simplicity & clarity
Uninterested customers needed passion and connection
Unresponsive customers needed an empathetic, engaging conversation
Unsure customers wanted their questions answered with composure
All customers needed to give commitment and get closure
Case study
The five skills, when practiced and used together, will give you
the CONFIDENCE you need to sell your product or service.
27. 1. Why most business owners aren’t natural sales people
2. The Five C’s of Confident Selling
3. How you can become more confident when you sell
4. The Confident Seller Programme overview
What questions do you have? Email: getintouch@theskillsfarm.co.uk
28. Learn the skills to sell with confidence
The Confident Seller Programme
Skills building two day training workshop
Ideal Central London location
Places limited to 8 business owners
Only £770 +VAT
29. Training Workshop Overview
Two day training workshop at
the Institute of Directors
on Pall Mall in Central London
Build your confidence as you learn the right skills to sell
Plenty of practice with expert and peer-to-peer feedback
in a ‘safe environment’
Individual focus on increasing your sales for your
business using the Five C’s of Confident Selling
Only £770 +VAT
30. Useful information
Two day workshop’s run every month
Training manual & stationery provided
9:30am to 5:30pm both days
Only £770 +VAT
Refreshments and lunch included both days
31. To book your place:
Call: +44 (0) 20 8265 7279
Click: EventBright. Search:The Confident Seller Programme
Pay with:
Email: scottsummers@theskillsfarm.co.uk
Only £770 +VAT
Places are first come first served
Stop wishing for more sales. Learn the skills to make them happen.
32. Remember why now is the right time to
develop your sales skills
1. The economy is recovering
!
2. The marketplace is getting crowded and noisy
!
3. You need to cut through that noise to be heard
You and your business need to stand out from the crowd