Course Outcomes

This introductory sales training course will:

  • Explore the role of the modern-day salesperson.
  • Introduce multiple sales models and help participants adopt a sales process specific to their business.
  • Review fundamentals of organization, planning, researching, questioning, and following up.
  • Suggest language for opening conversations.

Course Overview

“But I don’t like selling!” “I don’t want to turn into one of those pushy people.” “I’m not that comfortable with this.” Sound familiar? This introductory sales and selling skills workshop is designed for people new to the field and those for whom selling has recently become an additional workplace responsibility. The course aims to provide participants with basic knowledge about consultative selling and tools they can use back on the job. During the workshop, we will explore the salesperson’s role, sales models and methodologies, processes strong salespeople follow, and steps to build rapport and make conversations easier to start.

Program Objectives

At this program’s conclusion, participants should be able to:

  • Explain their role in sales.
  • Describe the features and benefits of their products and services.
  • Discuss the importance of a sales methodology.
  • Follow a sales model specific to their business.
  • Research their prospects or prospect segments.
  • Ask questions to gain information and a better understanding of their customers’ and clients’ needs.
  • Discuss best practices for staying organized and following up.
  • Build rapport.
  • Open a sales conversation comfortably.

The following outline highlights some of the course’s key learning points. As part of your training program, we will modify content as needed to meet your business objectives. Upon request, we will provide you with a copy of participant materials prior to the session(s).

Workshop Outline

Exploring the Ingredients: Essential Selling Skills

This program begins with a discussion about relationship management and the role of relationships in the selling process. In this opening part of the workshop, participants will identify the qualities they seek in a salesperson when they are on the buyer’s side of the equation, hesitations they have about selling and sales, and what they would like to learn to do better as a result of taking part in this course. We will use this information to confirm the agenda for the rest of the session.
 

Food for Thought: What’s Great About What You Have 

You can’t sell what you have if you don’t know what’s great about it and the needs or desires it satisfies. In this part of the course, we will look at the organization’s products, services, and their features and benefits. We will also discuss buyer segments and how each interacts with what the organization offers.
 

Following a Recipe: Learning the Model

Our next workshop segment introduces a range of sales models. We’ll explore why certain frameworks suit some industries better than others and the value of having a roadmap. Next, the group will work in teams to craft a sales model for their products and services. During this activity, they will sketch out the major milestones that should occur at each step and the questions to which they should gain the answers as they move through the funnel.
 

Preparation, Planning, Persistence, and More: More Ps Please

Lots of people lose sales, not because their products and services don’t meet the customer’s or client’s needs but because they’re disorganized, haven’t done their homework, or they fail to ask the right questions. In this part of the workshop, we will examine the habits of effective salespeople and why they work. Participants will discuss a range of actions salespeople should regularly take and then determine the specific habits they should adopt to ensure their approach to relationships is methodical, thorough, and well thought out.
 

Getting the Temperature Right: Setting the Tone

When you are new to it, one of the hardest parts about selling is knowing how to start the conversation. In this final seminar segment, we will look at conversation starters and rapport-building language. Participants will develop a personalized list of phrases and approaches they can use when back on the job. 
 

By the end of this training session, participants should have a clear idea of how they can sharpen their sales skills and succeed back in the workplace.