A Soft Sale:A Soft Sale:Using Proven Sales Using Proven Sales Strategies to Build Strategies to Build

Training CommitmentTraining Commitment

Susan Lowman-ThomasSusan Lowman-ThomasHuman Resource OfficerHuman Resource OfficerIdaho Division of Veterans ServicesIdaho Division of Veterans Services

August 2007August 2007

The Sales StepsThe Sales Steps QualifyQualify:: Gather data about prospect’s Gather data about prospect’s

needs and needs and resources resources EnvisionEnvision: Create compelling visions of : Create compelling visions of

desired outcomesdesired outcomes ProposePropose: : Identify steps needed for Identify steps needed for

attaining outcomesattaining outcomes PersuadePersuade: Demonstrate how proposal will : Demonstrate how proposal will

bring bring outcomes outcomes RespondRespond: : Encounter and defuse objections Encounter and defuse objections CloseClose: Use ongoing commitments to : Use ongoing commitments to

clinch the dealclinch the deal

The The PerfectPerfect Training Training ScenarioScenario

What does it What does it Look like?Look like? Sound like?Sound like? Feel like?Feel like? Smell like?Smell like? Taste like?Taste like?

A Sale vs. A A Sale vs. A ____________________________

Don’t focus on Don’t focus on ____ - __________ - ______ event event Focus on Focus on ____ - __________ - ______ relationship relationship Talk about Talk about ______________ Show the Show the __________________ of having a of having a

relationship with yourelationship with you Focus on what the Focus on what the __________________ wants wants

from you, not on what you want from from you, not on what you want from the personthe person

Ask “How can I best be of Ask “How can I best be of __________________ to to this person today?”this person today?”

Some BasicsSome Basics

Use a Use a ________________ (made up mostly (made up mostly of questions)of questions)

Get in an Get in an _________ _________ moodmood Converse (Converse (____ -____ -way)way) Be Be ______________________ Never Never ________________________ Most important …Most important …

Listen, Listen, ListenListen, Listen, Listen

People think based on People think based on ________________, but , but often act on often act on ________________

Find out what Find out what ________________ the person the person holds dearestholds dearest

Show how they’ll be Show how they’ll be ________ or or ________________ Listen with the purpose of Listen with the purpose of

__________________________, not creating a response, not creating a response You can’t You can’t ______________ while you’re talking while you’re talking

QualifyQualify

Gather data about prospect’s Gather data about prospect’s _____ _____ andand __________ __________

You don’t want to pursue a lead that You don’t want to pursue a lead that won’t result in won’t result in _____ ________________ ___________

You want to make sure this You want to make sure this _____ ___ _____ ___ ____________ for your involvement today for your involvement today

Types of ProspectsTypes of Prospects

Red:

Yellow:

Green:

Questions to QualifyQuestions to Qualify WhoWho… wants this done? …has approval … wants this done? …has approval

authority? ...will claim responsibility for authority? ...will claim responsibility for results?....will be champion?results?....will be champion?

WhatWhat… money is allocated? …other resources are … money is allocated? …other resources are available? …available? …

WhereWhere… will this be done? …… will this be done? … WhenWhen… will decision be made? …are results … will decision be made? …are results

expected? …will evaluation be done?expected? …will evaluation be done? WhyWhy… does management want something done? …… does management want something done? … HowHow… will this be evaluated? …… will this be evaluated? …

EnvisionEnvision

Create compelling Create compelling ________________ of of desired outcomesdesired outcomes

Connect Connect ____________/emotions//emotions/______________ Creative Creative ________________ uses uses __________

images and images and ______________ thinking to thinking to achieve achieve ______________..

Why use Why use creative visualizationcreative visualization? ? Because it works.Because it works.

What you see, you can achieve.What you see, you can achieve.

The vision should beThe vision should be Clear Clear DetailedDetailed Made up of multiple Made up of multiple

sensessenses FocusedFocused VividVivid Like a movieLike a movie

Everything happens to us twice: first on the inside then the Everything happens to us twice: first on the inside then the outside.outside.

Let’s EnvisionLet’s EnvisionPerson APerson A: Pretend you are a : Pretend you are a terrific terrific Green Light Manager.Green Light Manager.Person BPerson B: Ask the manager to : Ask the manager to describe a describe a perfect workplaceperfect workplace in in his/her unit.his/her unit.

What does itWhat does it Look like?Look like?Sound like?Sound like?Feel like?Feel like?Smell like?Smell like?Taste like?Taste like?

Help create an Help create an emotional emotional responseresponse to the scene to the scene

How does it make youHow does it make you ______ ______?? How does it affect your view of yourself as aHow does it affect your view of yourself as a

____________________?? How would you feel telling yourHow would you feel telling your ________ ________ about this?about this? How would you feel talking about this with yourHow would you feel talking about this with your

________________?? What would it be like reading about it in theWhat would it be like reading about it in the

______________??

Person BPerson B: Ask these questions of the : Ask these questions of the Green Light Green Light ManagerManagerPerson APerson A: Thinking about that perfect : Thinking about that perfect workplace, workplace, provide specific answersprovide specific answers

Echo the Echo the EmotionsEmotionsRestate the emotions cited above.Restate the emotions cited above.Person BPerson B: : Paraphrase and re-state the Paraphrase and re-state the

emotions you just heard described.emotions you just heard described.Person APerson A:: Give feedback. Give feedback.

LIST OF LIST OF EMOTIONSEMOTIONSAcceptance, Amusement, Anticipation, Awe, Calm, Acceptance, Amusement, Anticipation, Awe, Calm,

Comfort, Contentment, Confidence, Courage, Comfort, Contentment, Confidence, Courage, Desire, Delight, Elation, Euphoria, Ecstasy, Desire, Delight, Elation, Euphoria, Ecstasy,

Friendship, Friendship, Glee, Gladness, Gratitude, Happiness, Honor, Hope, Glee, Gladness, Gratitude, Happiness, Honor, Hope, Humility, Joy, Kindness, Love, Liveliness, Nostalgia, Humility, Joy, Kindness, Love, Liveliness, Nostalgia, Pride, Peace, Patience, Relief, Surprise, Yearning, Pride, Peace, Patience, Relief, Surprise, Yearning,

ZestZest

ProposePropose

Identify steps needed for reaching Identify steps needed for reaching perfect scene:perfect scene: Learning outcomesLearning outcomes Training methodsTraining methods PersonnelPersonnel Equipment / materialsEquipment / materials ScheduleSchedule Expenses, including travelExpenses, including travel

Exercise: The Property Tax Exercise: The Property Tax Commission’s Call CenterCommission’s Call Center

You’ve just worked through the You’ve just worked through the qualifying and envisioning portion of qualifying and envisioning portion of your “sale” with a supervisor of your “sale” with a supervisor of 23 23 frontline employeesfrontline employees in a call center in a call center associated with your county’s property associated with your county’s property tax office. These are citizens’ first tax office. These are citizens’ first contact with the agency when inquiring contact with the agency when inquiring about property taxes. Prompted by about property taxes. Prompted by your questions, she envisions her your questions, she envisions her perfect perfect workplace sceneworkplace scene..

Smiles, calls answered before 3Smiles, calls answered before 3rdrd ring ring Permission to put on hold; no hold > 30 Permission to put on hold; no hold > 30

secsec Approved response; genuine query; echoApproved response; genuine query; echo Empathetic response to upset callersEmpathetic response to upset callers Solutions followed by querySolutions followed by query Closure with thanks, name, #, invitation Closure with thanks, name, #, invitation

to callto call Proper documentationProper documentation Assigned work between callsAssigned work between calls Breaks with positive, respectful behaviorBreaks with positive, respectful behavior

Your task:Your task:Propose the steps needed to get to the Propose the steps needed to get to the

Perfect ScenePerfect Scene for t for the Property Tax he Property Tax Commission’s Call Center :Commission’s Call Center :

Who:Who: What:What: Where:Where: When:When: Why:Why: How:How: How Much:How Much:

PersuadePersuade

Demonstrate how proposal will bring Demonstrate how proposal will bring outcomesoutcomes

Guide person toward adopting your Guide person toward adopting your proposalproposal

Tie benefits directly to visionTie benefits directly to vision

Your task:Your task:

Provide specific justifications how Provide specific justifications how each step in your proposal will each step in your proposal will bring the desired outcomes. bring the desired outcomes. Always return to the visionAlways return to the vision of of the perfect workplace. the perfect workplace.

RespondRespond

Obstacles are those terrible things you Obstacles are those terrible things you see when you take your eyes off the see when you take your eyes off the goal. goal. Hannah Arendt, political theorist Hannah Arendt, political theorist

Objections = signs of Objections = signs of _______ _______ Objections help you Objections help you ______________ buyer in buyer in

solutions.solutions. Objections give you chance to show how Objections give you chance to show how

____________ they are in relation to they are in relation to __________________..

Questions for Questions for RespondingResponding

Why do you feel that way?Why do you feel that way? What would make you satisfied?What would make you satisfied? What can we do to overcome that?What can we do to overcome that? Can you help me understand how Can you help me understand how

that matters in light of the results?that matters in light of the results?

Always return to the visionAlways return to the vision

Some ResponsesSome Responses

Always return to the visionAlways return to the vision You appear to be very committed to creating You appear to be very committed to creating

the perfect call center. Am I now hearing the perfect call center. Am I now hearing that there are things more important than that there are things more important than that goal?that goal?

I guess I’m confused. You said earlier that I guess I’m confused. You said earlier that your lifelong dream was to lead a polished your lifelong dream was to lead a polished group of professionals to setting new group of professionals to setting new standards in customer care. Are you now standards in customer care. Are you now saying that this dream is not something you saying that this dream is not something you want to vigorously pursue?want to vigorously pursue?

Your task:Your task:

Build a list of Build a list of possible objectionspossible objections the the supervisor might come up with. supervisor might come up with. Then build a Then build a list of possible list of possible responsesresponses, which return the , which return the supervisor to the vision of the supervisor to the vision of the perfect workplace. perfect workplace.

Always return to the visionAlways return to the vision

CloseClose

Closing is the chance to use Closing is the chance to use ongoing ongoing __________________________ to “clinch” to “clinch” the deal.the deal.

Closing is the chance for the Closing is the chance for the prospect to prospect to ________ on his / her on his / her dreams and for you to help make dreams and for you to help make them them __________________..

Closing QuestionsClosing Questions

Is it better to start right away or Is it better to start right away or wait till the first of the month?wait till the first of the month?

While I’m here, should I begin some While I’m here, should I begin some of the preliminary work today?of the preliminary work today?

May I allocate two days early next May I allocate two days early next week to start my interviews?week to start my interviews?

Can we proceed?Can we proceed?

The Sales StepsThe Sales Steps QualifyQualify:: Gather data about prospect’s Gather data about prospect’s

needs and needs and resources resources EnvisionEnvision: Create compelling visions of : Create compelling visions of

desired outcomesdesired outcomes ProposePropose: : Identify steps needed for Identify steps needed for

attaining outcomesattaining outcomes PersuadePersuade: Demonstrate how proposal will : Demonstrate how proposal will

bring bring outcomes outcomes RespondRespond: : Encounter and defuse objections Encounter and defuse objections CloseClose: Use ongoing commitments to : Use ongoing commitments to

clinch the dealclinch the deal

Your task:Your task:

Please identify Please identify three (3)three (3) things from things from this presentation that you’ll share this presentation that you’ll share with your colleagues.with your colleagues.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much.Thank you very much.