Author: Sienna Anderson

3 Ways to Help Your Sales People to Overcome Their Sales Fears

Posted on | by Sienna Anderson

As a Sales Manager we face many challenges on a daily basis, and none of them are more important than helping our sales people hit their targets and KPIs.

So, when you think of your sales team:

  • Are they winning enough NEW business?
  • Are they reluctant to pick up the telephone to call people they don’t know?
  • Do they struggle to make appointments with senior decision makers?
  • Are they unable to get past ‘the gatekeeper’ or overcome objections?

A core component of Sales Management Training and Coaching is helping Manager to drive the correct QDQ of their sales people’s activity –

  • The Quantity of sales meetings as if your sales people are not speaking with enough new customers and prospects, chances are that they have not learned to overcome their sales fears;
  • Their Direction of activity including ‘fishing in the right ponds’ and in the right market segments, industries and levels of Decision Making contacts;
  • The Quality of their conversations, and being able to discuss the customer’s’ business, not just their own products, problems and prices
Image courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

They are different common sales fear that all successful salespeople must overcome – the fear of rejection, the fear of not making quota, the fear of being humiliated or embarrassed; call reluctance; imposter syndrome; positional or intellectual intimidation; or just a lack of knowledge, these are all real fears.

Just like any other type of fear, sales fear can be uncomfortable, crippling and limiting.

So as Sales Managers we need to be able to recognize when our sales people are exhibiting fear triggered behaviours and help them overcome it.

Archaic attitudes like telling them to ‘HTFU’ or “I was thrown in at the deep end and it didn’t hurt me” needs to be replaced with Sales Training and Coaching to help your people become successful

Sales people don’t have to wait to feel less afraid; they only need to learn how to work around it to their advantage. Successful people are not fearless people; they are people who have learned that courage is not the absence of fear but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear.

According to Neuropsychologist and brain-training expert, Theo Tsaousides, “being fearless doesn’t mean eliminating fear. Being fearless means knowing how to leverage fear.” Sometimes the object of our fear is unfounded that’s why someone once defined fear as False Evidence Appearing Real.

There are many ways to help your sales people overcome their sales fears and following are 3 proven tips that participants in KONA’s Australian Sales Training programs have found to help them overcome their sales fears:

Identify and acknowledge the fear

It’s the first step to dealing with every kind of fear. Being in denial about the fears that comes with a sales role will only impede the process of learning how to overcome it.

So have an open and honest conversation with your people and share your sales fears experiences because by doing so bringing their fears into the open are an excellent starting point to change

Demystify rejection 

One of Thomas Edison’s famous light bulb quotes reads: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” “…The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”

Rejection can be a great learning experience. The fear of rejection in sales almost always leads to cold call reluctance —when sales people come up with excuses to put off calling a prospect.

What sales people need to understand is that when a prospect says no, it has nothing to do with who they are as a person.

Instead, for every time they get a no, managers should help them to analyse their call method and think of what they could have done differently or better and apply that in their next call.

Build confidence through sales training and practise sessions 

Image courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

As a manager you can take note of the weaknesses and strengths of your team and ensure they are receiving customised Australian sales training that caters to them. This will ensure they are well-equipped with all the necessary tools and soft skills that can boost their confidence as they carry on with their sales activities.

With the right sales training your sales reps can develop confidence and conversational sales skills, overcome objections and ‘gatekeepers’, gain appointments, sales and commitments, and more.

The KONA Group is Australia’s Leading Sales and Sales Management Training and Coaching company and provide customised training programs that include: Sales Strategy, Sales Training & Coaching, Call Centre Training & Coaching, Negotiation Skills Training & Coaching, Motivational Speakers, and more.

So contact KONA today on 1300 611 288 or email: info@kona.com.au to discuss how we can help you to improve your business result.

Six Key Achievements of Planning

Posted on | by Sienna Anderson
KONA logo with two 'The art of war' books.

“The general who wins the battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. The general who loses makes but few calculations beforehand. Thus, do many calculations and lead to victory, and few calculations to defeat; how much more no calculation at all! It is by attention to this point that I can foresee who is likely to win or lose.”

– Sun Tzu

Sun Tzu was a Chinese general, military strategist, writer and philosopher who lived in the Eastern Zhou period of ancient China. Sun Tzu is traditionally credited as the author of The Art of War, an influential work of military strategy that has affected both Western and East Asian philosophy and military thinking.

Full name: Sun Tzu Born: 544 BC Died: 496 BC            

Every Business must have a Plan

Regardless of your working situation, COVID or not, every business must have a plan.

Does your team know what success looks like?

A PR report has found in the current situation we are facing, only 10% of communication executives have done extensive planning.

Recent research has found that approximately 80% of business fail within their first year of operation, while 25% do not have a business plan. It is no coincidence that these two facts are linked – proper planning, budgeting, and forecasting are all an essential part of success.

How can you create a successful business when you do not know where it is going?

Thinking about the future means learning to think differently. Change is everywhere and pops up at any time, as COVID has proven.

How do you combat change in a business environment?

Change challenges all our current practices whether we like it or not. Change challenges:

  • Mindset
  • Decisions
  • Policies
  • Products                         

Implementing the The Three Horizons (3H) Growth Model.

This process when taught to your leaders and team correctly and rolled out immediately, re-frames your team’s thinking to produce results and hit every KPI set.

Three horizons growth model.

The 3 Horizons Growth Model is a learned process that bridges today to tomorrow.

Why Train Your Team and Yourself in the Three Horizons 3H Growth Model?

By implementing the 3 Horizons Growth Model across your business you instantly address and benefit from the Six Key Achievements of Planning:

1. Measured Improvement

What can be measured, can always be improved. A 3H business plan gives you direction and focus in Sales, ensuring you and your team meet KPI. It is only through improvement and growth that a business and employee can maximise profitability.

2. Projected Growth

With a 3 Horizon’s plan in place, you can meet goals ahead of target, which then allows you to think about – what to do next? In other words – GROW. By consistently monitoring and improving your business plan you begin to set achievable goals for growth. When change occurs, you are then able to evolve with the challenges.

3. Progressive Mindset

When you and your team start operating under a 3 Horizons mentality you all begin to operate from the same manual. The entire organisation’s thinking becomes focused on the wider scope and the impact the team’s current day activity has on future results.

4. Team Cohesion and Drive

What is the business’ value proposition?

Does the team agree on a set definition?

Are you all uniform in the eyes of the customer?

A business plan with 3H in place ensures the company’s philosophy is not only front of mind but also actioned daily.

5. Customer-Centricity

Customers are actually more attracted to a bespoke offer that connects them, rather than a one-size-fits-all agreement. Does your team know how to profile a customer? You must have a customer centric plan in place to be able to help the customer that comes knocking.

How will the business operate without a plan? Most businesses fail because of poor Sales Management. Consider the activities the team is going to perform in order to generate revenue in a month, three months and six months. A plan is only the start of the process – but everything has a start or it goes nowhere. Do you have a plan on how to deliver your goods or services on time and to the standards required?

6. Education

Employee knowledge base is the most essential part of a business. What tailored training and education support do you have in place to maximise the intellectual power of your team? Their knowledge is your ROI.

Planning is a crucial part of business life – without a plan for results you are simply left with a plan to fail.

The 3 Horizons Growth Model is being rolled out globally by the KONA Group. DOES YOUR TEAM HAVE A PLAN?

The recent changes in work from home situations globally has seen access to our R.E.A.L Academy (Remote Education Active Learning) skyrocket, so we will continue to fill the learning spots on a first in first scheduled basis. Call 1300 611 288 or email info@kona.com.au to secure a spot.

Call 1300 611 288 or Email info@kona.com.au

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What Kind of Listener are You?

Posted on | by Sienna Anderson

Effective listening is the key to understanding customers and providing exceptional customer service.

Listening is a Skill

However effective listening doesn’t just “happen” when delivering customer service, it is a skill. 

And the skill of effective customer service listening must first be learned and then practiced as it requires a change in the way we think and act.

Most of us have experienced “mental wandering”, especially on the phone and if there is a lot of noise around. The reason is most people speak at a rate of 125 words per minute.

However the problem for listeners is that the brain is capable of handling almost five times that number, giving us ample time to fill the space with other activities.

Customer service agents will usually use one of five common listening styles and each can be used in its functional and dysfunctional forms.   Each style has a time and place, but the use of one style in isolation can become dysfunctional

So ask yourself, how well do you use these listening styles?

Listening Styles

Directing Listening

The listener directs the speaker by establishing the focus and direction of their behaviour.

Judgemental Listening

The listener introduces their own opinions and value judgements into the conversation often in the form of advice or prescribed right and wrong behaviour.

Probing Listening

The listener asks questions in an attempt to get to the heart of the matter.  In the process he/she tends to lead the conversation to satisfy other objectives.

Smoothing Listening

The listener tries to make light of the problem and this person believes that conflict should be avoided at all costs.

Reflective Listening

The listener works to develop an atmosphere in which the speaker can express his/her problem easily.  The listener feeds back neutral summaries of what they hear ensuring that understanding has occurred and allowing the speaker to keep talking.

Understand the Time and Place

The key to effective customer service listening is to understand the time and place when to use these styles to get the best outcome from any situation for the customer and your company

For more information on how Sales Training in Australia brings these listening styles to life with real life examples and hands-on practice please contact us or 1300 611 288.

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437 Reasons Why Cold Calling is Not Dead

Posted on | by Sienna Anderson
437 Reasons Why Cold Calling is Not Dead

I used to work with a Business Manager who in a previous life had been an officer in the Australian Military. In all senses of the word he is a tough man. He used to jump out of planes at 30,000 feet in the pitch black of night; swing in through windows on the end of a rope to free hostages; a master at non armed combat.

Then he got into the world of business and realised to survive in the commercial world one key skill he needed to have was – how to prospect, including how to cold call people he had never met.

After all of his past life or death experiences, this was the greatest fear he had ever had to overcome. It resulted in him procrastinating and finding other things to do, other than picking up the phone to build his business.

Most people dread cold calling a prospect even though it could lead to a sale.

In our experience in running Power Hour training, the 3 biggest mistakes that many people make is that:

  1. They don’t plan enough contacts beforehand so never get on a ‘verbal roll’;
  2. They don’t practise what they are going to say and therefore get tongue tied;
  3. They actually try to gain a commitment on a cold call by talking about their products/services rather than what they can do for customers

The reality is people have never appreciated being interrupted at work to talk to a complete stranger and then having to make a commitment, unless there is going to be a real benefit to them.

Trying to sell a particular product or service the first time you talk to somebody is a huge mistake.

Here are 5 Easy Steps to Improve Your Team’s Prospecting

KONA include these five steps in many of our Sales Training and Power Hour Prospecting programs that have resulted in Participants achieve the following results:

  1. Making 437 appointments in ONE POWER HOUR!
  2. Another team made 361 appointments in ONE POWER HOUR
  3. A third team SOLD over $1,200,000 of stock in ONE POWER HOUR

Step 1. The first thing is make a list of 50+ target contacts, including names and numbers (preferably mobile).

Step 2. Then develop some sort of script. (You do not have to follow every single word but a script can help you avoid blunders that most people commit when under pressure).

Step 3. With a little bit of Research and Customer Insights you should know what are potentially some of the issues and problems your prospect might have in their business, either by position/role, industry/market segment or business environment that you can help overcome.

Step 4. Clearly develop a WIIFT – “What’s In It For Them” – benefit to with meet you

Step 5. Then ask for a time and date but don’t try to book it too soon. Aim for a couple of weeks away when people typically have more space in their diaries than this week.

Becoming Proficient at Cold Calling

With experience and the right mindset that you are helping prospects with a solution to their problems, you will gradually improve and become proficient at Cold Calling.

And the Business Manager I mentioned at the beginning? He is now highly successful and the driving force behind one of Australia’s most recognised brands

Note: KONA’s Power Hour and Sales Training programs are about results and appointments, NOT theory and promises. 

Therefore, as part of the training workshop we can actually have participants on the telephones calling real life customers and prospects so that you gain an immediate ROI!

So if your sales team needs to generate more sales and more clients, call KONA’s Power Hour Specialist today on 1300 611 288, or email info@KONA.com.au, or text 0425200883

The KONA Group is Australia’s Leading Sales and Sales Management Training and Coaching company and provide Customised Training programs that include:  Sales Training & Coaching, Key Account Management Training, Call Centre Training & coaching, Negotiation Skills Training & Coaching, Motivational Speakers, HR Consulting; and more.

To increase the effectiveness and results of your organisation, contact KONA today on 1300 611 288 or text 0425200883 or email info@kona.com.au to discuss how we can help you to improve your organisation’s results.

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ADAPTING TO CRISIS – Using DISC to Understand Behaviour

Posted on | by Sienna Anderson
disc logo gif kona training

As one of Australia’s largest corporate DISC Facilitators and DISC Profile suppliers, we wanted to learn more about how each behavioural style has been reacting to our current global COVID-19 pandemic to better understand our clients and their needs.

One of our senior corporate partners interviewed people in their network who fitted into the D, I, S, and C behavioural styles. Here are their reactions, actions, and results from their initial weeks of remote working in the wake of the current global pandemic.

 

D – Dominance

disc d style image kona training

 

Fast Paced, Task-Oriented, Results Driven

Initial Reaction: Fight or Flight

If you have a high D score, your initial reaction was probably one of stark realisation. This might have triggered you into a ‘fight or flight’ response, feeling like you needed to defend yourself and your loved ones, or flee.

Focused Reaction: Innovation

After the initial shock wore off, our High Ds made a plan. “We work with people,” they said. “We have some of the best tools to leverage how best to deal with people during this crisis, so let’s pull together a package that can appeal to the masses in being better able to lead their talent from a bad situation to a more positive outcome.”

Personal Practices

Our advice for high D scores? Slow down at home. Your housemates, loved ones and families probably have different scores than you, and they might be hesitating to react as quickly as you are inclined to. It’s ok to take a breath!

Rely on others who are more structured than you. Some of our Ds partners are a High S, and they are letting them take the lead on household procedures. They found themselves grateful for the structure in such an uncertain time.

Business Best Practices

If you have a high D score, you are a trailblazer and an innovator. That’s exactly what businesses need right now! “Innovation happens during interesting times,” said our High Ds. “This is certainly an interesting time that we plan to optimise and have a positive impact on our clients.”

Help your clients focus on a bigger picture for their business without emphasising the ‘doom and gloom’. Don’t be insensitive, but a lot of people are looking for inspiration right now, and you’re a natural leader.

Next Step for High Ds

What’s your next step? A great idea for High Ds is to connect with others and seek out their points of view. Your willingness to charge forward is a great strength, but make sure you have all the facts before you do.

 

I – Influence

disc i style image

 

Engaging, Flexible, Optimistic

Initial Reaction: Loss of Connection

The high Is were initially very concerned with how the pandemic would affect their connections with others. Since they are people-oriented and fuelled by interaction, they were concerned about social distancing and restriction.

Focused Reaction: People-First Support

People with high I scores are excellent influencers. They can use that talent in difficult times to help others come around to necessary changes. If you’re a high I, your great attitude and ability to talk through issues will be a huge benefit for you in this time.

Personal Practices

Our high Is where having a hard time adapting to our new social norms, so they are focusing on keeping spirits high. Inspirational content is a great source of comfort for them, so they are enjoying favourite quotes and seeking out inspiration on social media.

Try keeping a ‘victory file’: a collection of notes, cards and messages you’ve received over the years. That way, you can be reminded of the good you have done over time to get inspired for the good you will do!

Business Best Practices

You know putting people first is the best way forward. Do this by providing exceptional service to reduce waste and reserve profits. It might be hard to adapt without the in-person interaction that a high I prefer but make face-to-face time a priority with tools like Zoom and Teams. Your role in this time is one of support and guidance for your clients. That means you might not be in the spotlight where you thrive, but you can do a lot of good.

Next Step for High Is

Make sure you’re making future plans. Daydreaming about everything you want to do after the quarantine isn’t a bad idea — it can help you appreciate your loved ones and favourite activities.

 

S – Steadiness

disc s style image

 

Stability, Patience, Great Listening Skills

Initial Reaction: Awareness, Not Panic

Our High Ss took the changes in stride and noted that it didn’t really affect their day-to-day as much as it might have affected others. The Steadiness that is their hallmark trait became very useful in this confusing time.

Focused Reaction: Sustain Business, Don’t Grow It

This High Ss are already prepared to do business from anywhere, remote work included. Their goal is to continue to provide dependable, predictable service while they wait for changes in direction. This reliability is a great comfort to clients.

“Great things will come out of this and make all of us more aware of things,” they said. There was no evident sense of urgency when interviewing the Ss, just confident awareness that this too shall pass.

Personal Practices

While you might have the benefit of big picture thinking and a cool head, others are panicking. Their reactions are not less valid than yours, even if they are less logical. Work hard in this time to acknowledge others’ points of view and shift your own communication style to reflect their urgency when appropriate.

The Ss ran into a challenge when trying to express the seriousness of the situation to their offsprings. Since they were calm and prepared, their children weren’t fully understanding the gravity of sheltering in place and the importance of social distancing. Shifting communication to match his style helped the Ss break through.

Business Best Practices

While your levelness and approach of a process is crucially important to your clients, you need to be careful in this time not to withdraw. It can feel easy for you to carry on, business as usual, but if you aren’t working outside of your comfort zone, you might fall behind your competition.

Push yourself to try new challenges! Your patience and awareness are great tools as you pursue new goals.

Next Step for High Ss

Make sure you don’t withdraw! A challenge that High Ss often face is fear of conflict or challenging situations and working remotely presents lots of opportunities to shrink away from both. Make sure you’re setting goals outside of your comfort zone to keep up with your competition!

 

C – Compliance

disc c style image kona training

 

Data Driven, Methodical, Risk Averse

Initial Reaction: Social Distancing? No Problem!

Our High Cs started the conversation by noting that High Ds and High Is were probably already missing interaction, while they were welcoming the distance. Their task-oriented nature made the shift to virtual much easier than it had been for their peers.

Focused Reaction: New Opportunities for Engagement

High Cs are at risk of withdrawing, especially with an isolated environment. This High C recognized a need to engage deeper on new platforms and put in high amounts of effort to connect with others virtually. The risk of disconnect is high, but many businesses might stick with a virtual model when the pandemic is resolved. High Cs can help their clients adapt to new protocol and procedures, but the relationship needs to be there.

Personal Practices

Focus on what you can actually control. A global pandemic is an unprecedented situation, so you need to be kind to yourself and think hard about ways you can realistically improve your situation and acknowledge the ways you simply can’t.

Losing your in-person brainstorming in a team has a large effect on people with High C scores. It’s worth it to put in effort to over communicate, rather than under communicate with your team. While the dynamics are different, virtual meetings just to connect and bounce ideas off each other are still very valuable.

Business Best Practices

Your clear head as a High C is great for your customers right now— you are well positioned to help them figure out the logistics of working virtually. Help your clients focus on the positive aspects of working remotely, like saved money and resources, and help them re-evaluate their business structure to come out of this crisis in the best position possible for them.

Next Step for High Cs

You might not be used to helping others look on the bright side, but your ability to see the advantages of our current state of business is crucial right now. Use your reasoning skills to help others!

 

Move Forward with Awareness

The one thing that you can be certain of is that the state of the world and businesses are changing every day. Hopefully, you can become more aware of your own behaviour by learning from our high D, I, S, and Cs.

If you’re looking for a next step, try The Free Working from Home Report. This free assessment offers quick tips to communicate with every DISC style as well as personalised remote work options for you.

Here’s the link or click on the image. https://www.ttisi.com/wfh

Kona training free disc report

 

If you would like to explore DISC in more detail including our suite of Corporate DISC Profiles or have your team undertake one of our facilitated workshops by an accredited Behaviour Analyst (CPBA), please contact KONA Training today on 1300 833 574 or email info@kona.com.au to organise a free discovery session.

DISC Profiles available include – Sales, Management/Staff and Executive Profiles

HOW WILL YOUR BUSINESS SURVIVE POST COVID-19?

Posted on | by Sienna Anderson
 

Is Your Team Still Focused?

Feeling flat? You are not alone. By now we have accepted the buzz word uncertainty has become the other buzz phrase, new normal. But, if we have come to terms with uncertainty, why is there still a feeling of monotony? Well, because there is no end game. There is no finish timeline. No set closure date. During these unclear times, as a leader you need to be asking yourself these hard but crucial 10-Point Action Plan questions:
  1. As their boss, do you know how to drive a remote team?
  1. Do you have the time to get around to every person every day or as often as required?
  1. How are they positively impacting your customers in this time?
  1. Do they have an engagement plan for the next two months?
  1. Are your employees focused daily?
  1. Are they contributing daily to the business?
  1. Can you see daily results?
  1. Are they meeting the KPIs?
  1. Are you driving and supporting them?
  1. What will happen to YOU AND your business if you fail to get momentum during this COVID-19 crisis?
 

WHAT IS YOUR 10-POINT ACTION PLAN FOR COVID-19?

  The first step of coming out strong on the other side of COVID-19 is to sustain the focus of your staff and team. Here’s how:
  • DON’T FEEL GUILTY ABOUT BEING HAPPY: When there is death and illness overwhelming the world and the current mood is solemn, there is a sense of guilt if you are seen to be jovial for fear of being seen to be mocking misery. But in the real world, emotions are inherent. A strong leader doesn’t avoid them but arouses the positive ones. Show your team that in hard times optimism and action are the way forward.
  • PURPOSE: We all want to know that we make a difference in the world – that’s called a yearning purpose. Wise leaders will let their remote employee know what they are doing is meaningful and productive and cleverly refashion daily tasks to satisfy that yearning purpose, which will yield results.
  • DAILY ASSURANCE: Sounds exhausting, but if kept brief and consistent it will bring out quality work in employees rather than stocking-filler to-do lists. A strong leader will on a daily basis elevate the remote communication to remind their staff that their work matters.
  • UNCERTAIN TODAY, CERTAIN TOMORROW: Talk about the future of the business and that the company’s future direction involves them. This ensures your employee knows their value and reinforces their hard work whilst unseen in a remote environment, is contributing to the bigger company picture.
  • DAILY GOALS: Perhaps the most vital tool in your kit is “the action list”. Make sure each employee has a daily to-do list that they will action. Inform them of pressing tasks but also provide them with the opportunity to set their own goals – ask them “what are the five key things you want to achieve today?” This both generates motivation and accountability – a proven formula for results.

In uncertain times make action and positivity a certainty.

To go through YOUR 10-Point Action Plan contact KONA :

1300 611 288 | info@kona.com.au

SIX TIPS FOR SMASHING A VIRTUAL SALES MEETINGS

Posted on | by Sienna Anderson

PROSPECTING IN A PANDEMIC

man at laptop in background, foreground image mask and keys in a table
A third of the Australian economy is generated from New South Wales, so what happens when that state goes into lockdown? Add to that Victoria in lockdown, and that is a sizeable portion of the nation’s economy taking a hard hit. We are once again in a situation where we need to be creative about how we are going to function and keep producing results. Virtual Sales Meetings are indeed back and look to be settling in quite comfortably for at least a month. So, do we stop selling and wait or do we power through and get busy smashing Sales remotely?
Imagine if at the start of 2020 you were told you can double the number of leads you see a day? Virtual sales meetings looks to be settling in quite comfortably as the preferred procedure moving forward. And used correctly this new modus operandi can work wonders for you, enabling you to see up to 10 times more prospects during a day than if you had to commute.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WIN OR LOSE
Acquiring and retaining strong professional sales relationships remotely is not as daunting as it seems in this new – online only world we are living in. As a Leader, is your sales team virtually afloat and motivated or really sinking? Are you as a manager making the right leadership decisions during this time of change?

MS Teams ZOOM meetings sales training with Brickworks

The simple truth is effective virtual communication skills could be the difference between winning and losing a sales deal. Just like in-person meetings, there are protocols to a sales meeting to bring about results. DOES YOUR TEAM KNOW HOW TO SELL EFFECTIVELY VIRTUALLY?

Here is both the why – and the how – of effective virtual sales to skyrocket sales results remotely.

 
1. PREPARE FOR THE VIRTUAL SALES MEETING FIRST
  • Make an Appointment: make sure you email an invite to all the participants to accept it – include a link to the web-conference into the invite and make sure you point out that it is a video meeting, so it is no surprise for the client.
  • Inform your prospect about your agenda, the questions you are bringing to the table and the goal you are both pursuing.
  • Provide your prospect with leeway to decide on the time that is convenient for them.
2. CONTROL THE MEETING
  • Encourage everyone to identify themselves before each contribution, “This is Fred from…”
  • As host, repeat questions that are asked of you before answering. Some participants may not have heard the question.
  • Remind participants before and during the meeting to keep their microphones on mute when they are not speaking.
  • If you are bringing in additional material via screen sharing, such as PowerPoint presentations or product demos to make the conversation even more productive, send the documents to participants in advance.

3. MASTER THE ART OF NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION
Do your remote salespeople know how to listen to yield results?  Listening is key to selling. There, the secret is out. Active listening requires both ears and eyes. Ever watched a show on mute (no subtitles)? You get the idea of what is going on yes, but you miss key facts. Selling without listening is akin to watching tv with the volume down to zero.
Reading Non-verbal Behaviour
Most interpersonal communication (> 55%) is non-verbal. It may be a revealing facial expression, a particular style of body language, or the subtle yet telling flicker of an eye – these non-verbal communications are key to understanding the person in front of you and how to, in turn, effectively communicate with them. If more than half of what we communicate is non-verbal then more than half of what we are trying to say/sell is being missed if we cannot master our non-verbal styles.

4. ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS
Just because you are not in a person-to-person scenario does not mean you can be lax in your line of questioning. In fact, it is even more vital in video conferencing to ask the right questions in order to engage and hold attention in a remote set up.

The difference between you and your competitor lies in the questions you ask clients.

Do you and your salespeople possess Advanced Questioning skills?

Or does your competition question better than you?

5. OBJECTION HANDLING ONLINE
Humans are humans, their environment will change much faster than their mindset and behaviour, therefore being objectionable is a trait even the strongest virus won’t diminish. But to protect your sales armour against the inevitable objections that come in sales, even remotely – preparation is key. Do you know how to handle an objection on the spot during a video conference? Can your team handle the heat on their own when selling remotely?

6. BE EXCITING!
Video conferencing is the prime platform to show off your presentation skills. Everyone is video conferencing now, so you need to stand out – add some spark to your next sales meeting.

How will you build rapport?

How will you break the ice?

What presentation skills does your team have?

These remote SALES SKILLS are just the tip of the learning pyramid and make up part of your bespoke  REAL | Remote Education Active Learning Program* developed around your sales team and delivered remotely by the KONA Group. *The recent changes in work from home situations globally has seen access to our REAL Learning Program skyrocket, so we will continue to fill the learning spots on a first in first scheduled basis. Call 1300 611 288 or email info@kona.com.au to secure a spot.

CONTACT US: 1300 611 288

or

email info@kona.com.au