True Stories from the “Feat on the Street” Part I
Part I: Going Out on Sales Calls after Sales Training
You have just finished sales “training.”
It could be:
SPIN Selling
Value Selling
PSS Professional Selling Skills
Etc….
(You name it – I have been through them all!)
…and now is your chance to utilise these skills you have learned.
So you line up a series of calls. Prior to the call, you need to do call preparation so you take out your planning sheets…you think about the anticipated problems, your solutions, your products’ features/benefits, what ”open” and “closed” ended questions to ask, Etc.
Your boss is “required” to go in tow to support the million dollar+ investment the company just made by ensuring that you are applying the skills.
You sit face to face with the client*. She is a wise an seasoned veteran. You start your process. “Blah, blah, blah…” She starts to smile (a cunning smile at that) and to grin cheek to cheek.
Why? She has seen all of this before. The last sales person came in and did a similar series of gestures. Not only that she felt like she was being “trapped.”
She knew what was going on..
The questions were not natural. The situation was not authentic. It was not from the gut.
It was phoney.
..and you were not listening to the client. Not focusing on her. You were focusing on the process, the script.
How did the client feel? How well did the call go? I will let you answer that.
Don’t get me wrong. Some people fare well in a pre-processed situation. I believe it works best to learn a few skills and build your own personal program; a program that combines a sales process, product and technical training and program that builds a real relationship.
Carry on…
*This is a true story. It happened to me- and I was embarrassed as she asked me if I just finished sales training!
Trip Allen, Team Egyii, Singapore
