Sales

These programs, all have various frameworks to help close a deal. My favourites are Dale Carnegie and SPIN.

Most of these frameworks focus on following a somewhat rigid path, with the end goal, getting what the sales person wants - I am distilling a little, it has a bit to do with the customer as well. However the reason I like SPIN and Dale Carnegie are because they encourage conversations, relationship building and flow.

• Have you asked enough questions to understand the organizations current situation?

• Based on the current situation do you understand the problem they are trying to solve?

• Do you as the sales person understand the implication this problem has on their business? (This is the hardest part to determine)

• What do they need to solve this problem?

• Being friendly and professional - not getting too personal just yet but being open and welcoming

• Building relationships and setting a strong foundation (This is the hardest part, sales people need to flex their skill to reading the person here)

  • If they are the quiet type - be slow and thorough

  • If they are a fast talker with lots of ideas - focus on the one that they are passionate about (read the person - body language, eyes, hands etc)

  • If they are laid back and business orientated - then how it happens wont matter, they are results driven with the end goal

  • If they are detail orientated/technical - Start at 30,000 foot level of how it all happens, and let them ask the questions/drive, if you present a super technical demo, then you are taking that control from them. These types of folks like to set their pace and have a bit of control.

• Identify what is a win-win situation

• Presenting a prospects problems and leading all presentations or conversation from this problem

• Clearly communicating how and if you can solve that problem