Tag: Australian Sales Training

5 Challenges Of Growth In Business

Posted on | by Sienna Anderson

When running any business there are always challenges that need to be overcome.

In a competitive market, businesses need to grow in order to survive, and the way a business is run needs to adapt and change as it grows.

  Here are 5 major challenges of growth in businesses.  

1. Uncertainty Of The Future

At times it can be hard for businesses to predict their performance due to unprecedented or constantly changing events. Businesses can face uncertainty around matters such as:
  • Entering new markets e.g. online or international
  • New technology
  • Economic uncertainty
 

2. Regulations And ComplianceBusinesses struggling with workplace relations compliance - Inside Small Business

Regulations help to protect your business. The need for Regulatory Compliance has increased with the expansion of technology. As businesses are using technology more frequently for their day-to-day operations, there is an increased chance of breaking regulations or not being able to keep up with standards.    

3. Finance And Business Resource Management

One of the main goals for most businesses is to ensure they are both successful and profitable. The purpose of finance and resource management is to support compliance and regulation adherence, maximise profits and overall company value. Challenges for businesses when it comes to finance and resource management include:
  • Technology replacing previously used accounting operations
  • The need to learn new skills
  • Cybersecurity concerns
 

4. Technology Advancement And ChangesWhile critical, IT leaders are struggling with application modernization | TechRepublic

Technology helps businesses create new products and improve their services. It comes with many benefits including:
  • Automating time-consuming tasks
  • Increasing productivity
  • Reducing business expenses
However, the advancement of technology also comes with it’s challenges. Many businesses find themselves struggling to keep up-to-date with the latest technology and increasing customer expectations.    

 5. Recruiting And Hiring The Right People

Having a high turn-over of staff or recruiting people who are unsuitable for the role can have a negative impact on business growth. Hiring the right employees ensures they grow with the business – this contributes to the business’ overall success. It also decreases the need to hire externally for each new position you may develop.  

Contact KONA today to discuss the changing needs of your growing business and find out how we can help you overcome these challenges.

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4 Benefits Of Using DISC Profiling In Sales Training

Posted on | by Sienna Anderson

DISC Helps You “blend” With Their Behavioural Style

Use DISC as an effective way to gain the commitment and cooperation of others. See the world from their perspective and “blend” with their behavioural style.

DISC Improves the Sales Force by:

  • Helping the salesperson recognize their natural approach to the sales process
  • Show them how to modify their approach to different prospects

Here are 4 key benefits of using DISC Profiling for your sales team:

 

1. DISC Will Help Your Team Understand Their Natural & Adapted Behaviour Styles

DISC Profiling will give you insight into your own behavioural style and allows you to see how you are perceived by others.

Your personal profile gives you a set of terms to discuss your behaviour and communication style in your personal life and in the workplace.

2. Enhance Communication Between Your Sales Team & Clients

Using DISC Profiling coupled with focused DISC facilitation can enhance communication between your sales team.

You can also profile clients, so communication styles are better understood for stronger, lasting relationships.

3. Allows Your Team To See Their Similarities & Differences

Team Reports provide a detailed breakdown of a team’s DISC data (up to 100 people) through a variety of:

  • Charts
  • Diagrams
  • Comparison pages.

This is a great tool to contrast the team’s similarities, differences, strengths and potential areas for conflict.

4. Identify If You Are A Hunter Or A Farmer – Know Your Sales Team & Understand What Works For Them And The Business


How You Work:

‘Hunters’ are characterised by ‘hyperfocus’.

There will be intense periods of activity where you stay focused single-mindedly on a task and may forget to have your meal.

Then there will be long periods of low or no activity. You will discover a preference for:

  • High risk-reward scenarios
  • Project work
  • Novelty
  • Clear goals
  • A system of measuring instant progress
  • The excitement of a crisis that requires immediate action and snap judgments

 (Typically a D profile)

How You Sell:

As a farmer you are trustworthy and dependable and that’s what you sell to build loyalty and repeat business with your customers.

You are sensitive to the customers’ happiness, concerned about failure of service, prefer to tackle one problem.
(Typically an S profile)

Building Your Team:

As a hunter, your goal is to get the best performers into your team.

You actively seek them out and then attract and retain them by showing the dream, culture and compensation that these stars seek.

As a farmer, your focus is on growing people irrespective of the talent and thus you give them opportunities, resources and learnings to succeed while removing those that spoil the environment.

A rare balance in the team leadership will do both — communicate a dream.

 

Learn how KONA Group can Leverage DISC for your business…

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Download our sample Sales DISC Profile or DISC Team Report:

6 Ways To Create A Positive Sales ‘HUNTING’ Culture

Posted on | by Sienna Anderson
 

To genuinely create a positive sales culture, you need a long-term strategy.

Consistency and purposeful support, partnered with the following strategies will help you achieve a driven and positive sales team.

   

1. Listen To Learn

Provide sales podcasts and books for your team to learn on the go. It is a good idea to have your team listen to motivational material on their way to and from appointments. Information on communication skills and product resources can also increase basic sales knowledge.  

2. Give Feedback

  Managers can join team members on sales calls and give feedback as soon as the meeting finishes. Providing immediate feedback reinforces what went well and what can be improved.  

3. Allow Time For Change

  Learning and applying new skills takes time. Allow your team adequate time to learn and change. Remember, it can be a slow process before you see results.   The Super Bowl of Sales - Hunters vs. Farmers  

4. Measure Results

Use your team’s self-identified goals to measure their progress. Hold them accountable for their sales goals. To really gauge how much of an impact training has made, track your team’s:
  • Lead generation
  • Sales calls
  • Up-sells
  • Closing rates
 

5. Provide Ongoing Training

Benefits of providing ongoing sales training for your team include:
  • Increasing employee engagement
  • Improving the skills of your team
  • Team members feeling valued
  • More success for your business
 

6. Allocate Time To Coaching

  Many managers make the mistake of spending an equal amount of time coaching each of their reps. But this simple time allocation methodology ignores the potential return on your time investment. You should spend most of your time coaching salespeople with medium skills. This will provide you with the highest return on your time investment. Reps with mid-range skills are average performers – they have room for improvement. Good coaching can help an average performer become a high achiever.  
A good rule of thumb is that you should spend:
  • 60% of your coaching time with your salespeople with medium skill levels,
  • 15% of your coaching time with your salespeople with low skill levels, and
  • 25% of your coaching time with your salespeople with high skill levels.
  Your sales team can benefit from a fun, interactive and customised training program that will help you win more customers.  

Contact KONA to discuss tailored training options for your team!

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4 Reasons Why Compassion Is More Effective In Leadership Than Empathy

Posted on | by Sienna Anderson

Empathy is important for good leadership, but too much can be an issue.

Rather than carrying the responsibility of empathy, leaders can learn to experience compassion.

 

Being compassionate can:

  • Change how leaders engage with their teams

  • Benefit all parties

  • Alleviate burden from leaders

    Here are 4 benefits of being a compassionate rather than empathetic leader.  

1. It Is Easier To Make Decisions Based On Compassion Rather Than Empathy

  Being empathetic means we take on the emotions of the other person and feel what they are feeling.   Other than making the other person feel less alone, empathy doesn’t offer any solution.   Empathy is considered impulsive- Compassion is considered deliberate and conscious.   When being compassionate we have the clarity of mind to reflect on the situation and make wise decisions.   You can ask the person ‘What do you need?’. This will better inform you on how you can help.  

2. Compassion Over Empathy Allows You To Put Emotions Aside When Making Decisions

Compassion allows you to:
  • Take an emotional step back
  • Act rationally, not impulsively
  • Think clearly and consciously
 

3. Empathy Lets Us Join The Suffering Of Others, But Compassion Allows Us To Help

Compassion is essentially recognising the suffering of others and then taking action.   When being compassionate, we take a step away from the emotion of empathy and ask ourselves ‘How can we help?’.  

4. Why You Need Compassion And Empathy As A Leader

  To be an effective leader it is important to connect with Empathy but to lead with Compassion. A leader needs to be empathetic in order to engage. But we can leverage our empathy to lead with compassion.       Putting empathy aside to lead with compassion doesn’t make a leader less kind, it allows you to better support your team through difficult times.  

Are your leadership team compassionate or empathetic?

 

Contact KONA to discuss how tailored Leadership Training can benefit the leaders in your business!

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5 Ways To Improve Your Sales Pitch

Posted on | by Sienna Anderson

A Sales Pitch is a personalised and well-constructed presentation.

Having access to a world of information at our fingertips means today’s buyers are more informed than ever.

So how can you improve your sales pitch and ensure you secure the sale?

 

Here are 5 tips to improve your sales pitch.

 

1. Do Your Research

Creating a great pitch requires you to understand your customer. Doing market research will help you get to know your customer’s needs.

 

You should look at your prospect’s website and utilise LinkedIn to gain knowledge of what they do and what their needs may be.

 

2. Know How To Overcome Objections 

Objection Handling Sales Skills - The Digital Sales Institute

Knowing how to handle objections will:

  • Help build relationships
  • Establishing yourself as being experienced
  • Helps the salesperson determine whether a real opportunity exists

 

3. Listen To Understand

Active listening will give your prospect confidence in your service.

Listening to understand saves time and frustration in the long-run as you will become aware of your prospect’s needs.

 

4. Think About The Value Your Product Or Service Brings

Professionals who can show the value of their product above price will stand out to their prospects.

People buy products or services for the value it will give them. So it’s best to educate your prospects about value rather than just focusing on features.

 

5. Connect With Your Prospect
Introduction to social media | Digital Ready

It is important to connect with your prospect personally and on social media.

Some benefits of connecting with your prospect include:

  • You are more likely to make the sale- people are more likely to conduct business with those they have positive rapport with
  • Shows your prospects a more personal side of you, not just business
  • Creates a better customer experience

 

Have you considered how your salespeople can improve their sales pitch?

 

Contact KONA to discuss tailored options to enhance the performance of your sales team!

 

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4 Selling Techniques For Social Media And Beyond

Posted on | by Sienna Anderson

Salespeople have been presented with a new landscape in the rapidly changing digital-age

The right way to approach social sales is one of the most valuable things today’s salespeople can learn.

Here you will find 4 effective selling techniques for social media and beyond.

 

 

1. Have A Marketing Approach

To be successful in sales, some of your practices should be marketing techniques.

Although there is a distinction between a marketer and a salesperson, it’s important for salespeople to incorporate marketing into their sales process.

 

2. Technology Has Shifted Sales Conversations

Sales conversations aren’t what they used to be. Nowadays prospects can:

  • Research your company
  • Research you
  • Know everything you have to offer

Now, the techniques formerly used to approach customers and start sales conversations have changed. And you need to know how to navigate this situation.

 

3. Connect Online And In Person With Your Customer


The ‘social’ aspect of selling is more about building relationships than selling a product or service.

You have to make a real connection with prospects, and not just make a transaction.

This approach is more time consuming, but is packed with benefits. It results in having trusting and loyal relationships with customers.

 

38 Social Selling Statistics You Need to Know for 2023

 

4. Face-To-Face Interaction Is Still Important


Making connections in a social media sense is important, but doesn’t outweigh the importance of having face-to-face meeting with your customer.

 Nowadays many salespeople make the mistake of thinking social media is all they need.

A face-to-face meeting will always create a more personal and trusting connection than an online connection.

Contact KONA today to discuss how you can make your sales process more personal & effective!
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4 Reasons Why Sales Persistence Pays Off

Posted on | by Sienna Anderson

When it comes to selling, the right amount of persistence is critical.

Statistics tell us – calling until you make the sale – works.

However! 90% of salespeople give up after just four calls.

This graph shows that 8% of the sales people are making 80% of the sales:

Here are 4 reasons why it is beneficial to be persistent as a salesperson.

1. It Makes You Stand Out From The Crowd

Most salespeople are not persistent.

Studies have found that almost 50% of salespeople give up after the first call.

Typically salespeople get caught up in active business, instead of following up prospective customers. Follow up your prospects with more calls than your competition, and you’re already ahead!

2. Increases Customer’s Confidence In You

Persistence will –

  • Increase the customer’s confidence in you.
  • Keep you at the top of their list when they are ready to buy.
  • Give your prospect an insight into your dedication and work ethic. However, you also need to be able to gauge when it is time to call it quits.

3. Demonstrates Dedication & Purpose

The right amount of persistence will show your prospects that you are dedicated, and truly passionate about the product or service you are offering.

Persistance assists with –

  • Building relationships, as prospective customers will see that you have purpose.
  • You can prevail through challenges.
  • It will give you a better understanding of what the customer needs.

4. Motivates You To Try Harder & Shows You The Value Of Success

Persistence helps you to discover that each failure is another learning experience. When you have a successful sale after being persistent, you quickly realise that the hard work does pay off.

The most difficult clients are the hardest to lose. Why? It takes discipline and persistence to gain their business. And 90% of salespeople don’t have it.

Sales persistence is not merely calling until you make a sale, it is knowing how to properly navigate the sales process from the beginning.

Persistence does not always come naturally, it’s a learned trait when mastered can be incredibly valuable.

Are your sales team persistent?

Contact KONA for customised Value Sales Training for your team and stay ahead of you competitors!

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4 Reasons Why Sales Training Should Be A Component Of Your Recruitment Strategy

Posted on | by Sienna Anderson
When recruiting new team members for your business, there are many considerable factors to ensure your offer is most appealing to your target recruit. Generally, companies will hire established salespeople with the assumption that they won’t need further training. In doing so, you could be missing out on the opportunity to grow and develop the next top salesperson.

Here are 4 reasons why you should implement an offer of sales training into your recruitment process:

1. You Are More Likely To Retain Staff When You Offer Ongoing Training


Offering ongoing training to employees will make them feel valued. It attracts the right type of person to the role, someone who is eager to enhance their skills and wants career progression. Going into a new job knowing you will have opportunities to learn and develop new skills naturally boosts enthusiasm. Not to mention your business’ recruitment costs will reduce when you have a high staff retention rate.

2. Be Proactive, Not Reactive


It is common for businesses to only consider training their sales team when there are problems emerging. A more effective strategy is to offer staff training regularly. This will prevent problems before they occur and ensures any issues are stamped out early on. Incorporating Sales Training into your recruitment process will ensure any new staff that come on board are trained in the same way as your current salespeople.

3. Attract A Quality Candidate To The Position


Proposing a training program in your employment offer is attractive to prospective employees as it eases tension related to taking on a new job. It opens the doors to people who may not have a lot of experience in the field, but they are eager to learn and with the right training, could be the next best salesperson on your team.

4. Promotes An Encouraging And Supportive Work Environment

Sales Training has a positive influence on staff enthusiasm, engagement, and fulfilment. Offering training opportunities at the recruitment stage promotes your business as being supportive. It shows you have intent for employee growth within the company. Offering sales training from the beginning of a salesperson’s career demonstrates that your company is willing to invest in their team.

You can achieve these benefits and more by offering effective training as part of your recruitment process.

Find out how you can incorporate Sales Training into your recruitment strategy by contacting KONA!

Phone 1300 611 288 or email info@kona.com.au

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Manifest success

“That Which You Manifest Is Before You.”

Posted on | by Sienna Anderson

This is one of the most profound statements I have ever heard.

It is in one of my favourite books – The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein.

Such a simple concept, yet so true: “That which we manifest is before us”; we are the creators of our own destiny.

Be it through intention or ignorance, our successes and our failures have been brought on by none other than ourselves.

I think this is wonderful … and yet scary at the same time.

So all my successes I created?  Fabulous!  But wait a minute – if I’m not as successful as I want to be, then I created that too?  Horrors!  And my absolute failures, I created those too?  That’s a worry.

But let’s look at the positive.  We can create our own future.  It’s like The Secret. “What you think about and thank about, you bring about.” And other smart sayings: “If it’s to be, it’s up to me.” And the classic Michael Jackson line “I’m starting with the man in the mirror…take a look at yourself, and then make a change.”

We all have that potential to be M.A.D. (to make a Difference).  It starts with deciding what you want, what will make you happy, what’s important to you – and then writing it down.

So that’s Step 1: Write it down, record it, post it, tell someone about your plans.  Commit your dreams to paper (or the world-wide web) and it will become reality.

Step 2: Create stepping stones to get you over the troubled waters and to the other side – break it down into bite-sized pieces, so that you can achieve (and celebrate) small goals along the way.  Measure the steps that you are taking.  I love To-Do lists where I can tick off the things that I have accomplished each day.

Step 3: Ensure that you make your dreams ARE achievable.  After all, you DO want to be able to applaud your effort and not finding that you are depressed by every little obstacle in the river of life that may come your way.

Step 4: Is it possible to be CEO of a company that you just started with within a year?  Probably not! (Although for some Gen Y and Gen Xs that’s exactly what they want … and expect.  But that’s another conversation altogether!) Be realistic about your wants and needs.

Step 5: Put a date on your dreams.  Goals are dreams with a timeline.

Hmmm, seems like I’ve just written down S.M.A.R.T. goal-setting.  Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely.

Well then, let’s start to manifest our destiny!

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Get Your Sales Team To Use Only Selling Techniques That Work! (Infographic)

Posted on | by Sienna Anderson
Sales training courses are a dime a dozen. For the most part, they’re good…conceptually. Its execution though, generally sucks. It’s at this stage that the kinks and the glitches almost inevitably appear due to either, the implementing guidelines are too complex and not too specific, or the sales reps aren’t motivated enough, or in some cases, simply don’t care. You can’t have a situation like this and stay in business for long. It’ll cost your company too much.  It’ll also cost you your job. What follows are 5 tried and tested selling techniques. They work. They work because they make sense and are easy to adopt. These are no-fuss, straight-to-the-point selling approaches every salesperson should have as an integral part of his selling arsenal. Get Your Sales Team To Use Only Selling Techniques That Work! (Infographic)