23 Professional Selling Skills (PSS) courses in Sheffield

4and20Million run Sustainable Excellence, a course designed to help people unlock their productivity, without resorting to longer hours and unnecessary stress. For full details, further information and learning more about how to boost your career prospects, please contact: dan@4and20million.com alex@4and20million.com

OVERVIEW -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The modern buyer is more knowledgeable and savvier than ever before. By taking a collaborative approach with the buyer and developing solutions, instead of relying on outdated sales tactics, professional sellers can create real value for clients and subsequently close more deals. Learn the solution selling method, and find out how to shift the emphasis from product features to the customer. By understanding how to implement the solution-selling methodology, you can create natural and pressure-less sales interactions that accelerate revenue growth and improve customer loyalty

This is a multidisciplinary interactive workshop providing staff with essential skills and techniques to deliver a professional service.

The market for professional services is becoming increasingly competitive, with some firms and individuals becoming very effective at winning new work, leaving others lagging way behind. Given the choice between spending time on client work and business development work, we all tend to choose that which we feel to be easier, more attractive and more aligned with our image of ourselves. We stay within our comfort zones, we focus on client work, and we only resort to business development work when we have to, which can also lead to 'feast or famine' syndrome. The programme will help participants: * Understand the professional business development approach and the style that is appropriate for their business and their clients * Follow a process to guide their conversations and business development meetings * Prepare thoroughly for a business development meeting/contact with a client to ensure they use their time efficiently and maximise results * Create a great first impression and professional opening to a conversation * Ask open questions and listen effectively in order to spot opportunities, understand needs and progress the opportunity * Identify and understand buying and decision-making processes and criteria * Skilfully and confidently handle questions and objections * Sell the benefits of their services and approach over those of their competitors * Progress the sale by agreeing next steps and gaining commitment appropriately 1 INTRODUCTION * Aims and objectives of the programme * Personal introductions and objectives * Workshop overview 2 AN INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND SELLING FOR PROFESSIONALS * What is selling? * Who are you selling to? * The buying experience * What clients want * The four-step business development process * The business development cycle and pipeline management * Upselling and cross-selling as well as winning new clients 3 NETWORKING AND GENERATING LEADS * What is networking? * Networking objectives * It's not what you know but who you know * Asking for referrals and introductions * Making appointments from networking activity 4 OPENING THE SALES RELATIONSHIP/SALES MEETING * What potential customers are thinking * Judging first impressions * Creating positive first impressions * Building rapport and creating interest and impact * Earning the right 5 CORE COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR PROFESSIONAL SELLING * Overcoming barriers to listening * The art of listening * Questioning refresher * Types of questions * Questioning funnel 6 UNDERSTANDING AND IDENTIFYING NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES * Identifying the questions to ask to identify needs and opportunities * Questions to move us through the buying and selling process * Understanding their buying processes * Asking questions that position you as a 'trusted adviser' * The questions that give you a competitive advantage * Knowing when you have asked enough questions 7 INTRODUCING SOLUTIONS * Tailoring your 'pitch' to the client * Speaking the client's language * Using features and benefits * Applying the benefit cycle 8 HANDLING OBJECTIONS AND CONCERNS * Identifying the typical objections and concerns * Understanding why clients raise objections and concerns * Following a structure for handling objections * Handling the price objection 9 GAINING COMMITMENT * Knowing when to close * The art of checking * Recognising buying signals * Small c and big C 10 PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER * Personal learning summary and action plans

Telephone selling can be a challenge. It can be a pressured environment and sales professionals need to be able to maintain peak performance in order to meet - and preferably exceed - their targets. This programme will help make it easier for them. The expert trainer covers the whole process, to help participants see it from their customer's perspective. The focus is on how to use a practical understanding of sales psychology, and of the nature of the telephone sales conversation, to help make it easier for customers to buy. This programme will give your team the skills to: This course will help participants: * Understand why people buy - and how that makes it easier to sell * Manage the sales process better * Steer their sales calls to a more positive outcome * Recognise - and respond to - customer buying signals * Meet and overcome objections * Choose the most appropriate techniques for closing with confidence * Enhance their resilience * Improve their communication skills on the telephone 1 INTRODUCTION * Aims and objectives * Overview * Self-appraisal of current skills and development areas 2 THE SALES APPROACH * What selling means * Why selling is like nature 3 THE TELEPHONE AS AN INSTRUMENT OF COMMUNICATION * Qualities of the telephone * How telephone communication differs from face-to-face * Advantages and drawbacks of the telephone * How to optimise selling over the telephone * Communication techniques to help you stand out from the crowd 4 CREATING A RELATIONSHIP * Professional telephone etiquette * Building a rapport * Connecting with the customer so that they feel you are on the same wavelength 5 THE STRUCTURE OF A SALES CALL * Opening the call - creating a positive first impression * Effective questioning to gather information and establish need * Identifying and presenting the features and benefits of the product or service * Matching the benefits to customers' needs * Recognising and responding to buying signals * Anticipating, meeting and overcoming objections * Closing the sale and asking for the order - different closing techniques * The importance of testimonials - how to obtain them and when to use them 6 LISTENING SKILLS * The challenges of accurate listening * How to enhance listening skills * Ensuring the customer feels heard and understood through empathetic listening 7 SHAPING AND USING A SCRIPT * Developing a script to increase levels of confidence * Leaving the door open 8 MANAGING THE CAMPAIGN * Organisation and call planning * Identifying your target market group * Planning who and when to call * Logging constructive information 9 PERSONAL MANAGEMENT * The importance of persistence * Is there a time to back off? * Stamina - optimising energy levels * Bouncing back 10 PRACTISING THE NEW INFORMATION * Pulling the details together * Practising in a supportive environment 11 ACTION PLANNING * Personal learning summary and action plan

If you're looking to move to the next level in your career in sales, then understanding how to maximise your sales results, using a consultative and structured approach, will be key to your success. In order to develop the competitive advantage that enables you to stand out from the crowd, it is important to understand the tools and techniques to take your selling to new heights and build the confidence to apply them in work-based scenarios. We have developed this programme to be practical, fun and interactive. Learners will gain a range of practical skills that they can take back and apply to the workplace straight away, that will have a positive impact on sales and customer satisfaction. This course will help participants: * Develop a structured and client-focused approach to creating high quality sales opportunities and account growth * Learn persuasion and influencing skills to better define needs and develop opportunities * Understand how to have better sales conversations, presentations, and proposals - leading to higher order value and increased sales * Develop advanced sales questioning skills and techniques; understand the importance of listening * Understand how to add value at all stages; plus gaining competitive advantage * Develop proven ways to overcome and reduce price pressure * Know when to use options and upselling when presenting products and solutions * Develop techniques and skills for improved negotiation and closing 1 ADVANCED SELLING - HOW TO INCREASE YOUR SALES RESULTS * Review of pre-course data and questionnaire * The AVC model of increasing your sales results * Creating a sales growth plan to achieve higher sales targets * Mapping the accounts and products for targeted growth 2 THE FOUR CS TO STRUCTURE A SALES CALL * Research before the meeting or call; setting objectives, planning and preparation * How to gain instant rapport and taking control - including online meetings * Qualifying and initial questioning skills * Creating an agenda and first-meeting structure: Four Cs * Planning and practice sessions 3 BUILDING BIGGER AND BETTER SALES OPPORTUNITIES * How to use questions to 'build' more opportunities * Learning and using high-impact and third-level questions * Advanced sales questioning techniques: five questioning techniques * Qualifying and gaining commitment to the next stage * Planning and practice sessions - advanced questioning skills 4 PRESENTATION AND PERSUADING SKILLS BEST PRACTICE * Compelling benefits and reducing perceived risk - key messages to deliver * Helping the customer choose your proposition by using options * Professional and effective presentation skills * Writing compelling sales proposals that improve your conversion rate * Planning and practice session - presenting your solution 5 OVERCOMING CONCERNS AND CLIENT QUESTIONS * Proven techniques for answering client objections and concerns * How to isolate, prioritise and answer objections, including price * Overcoming delay and procrastination * Planning and practice session - answering client concerns 6 GAINING COMMITMENT AND CLOSING THE SALE * Knowing when to close for commitment * How to ask for commitment professionally and effectively * Key negotiation skills around the closing process - getting to 'yes' * Checklist of closing and negotiation skills * Practice session

Increasing sales is the core of objective for all salespeople and it is vital they are given the tools and techniques to thrive in this highly competitive environment. The landscape within which salespeople operate is ever shifting, and now more than ever it is recognised that the key to successful selling is understanding the customer's needs and working collaboratively with them to achieve their objectives. This highly practical programme has been developed to support salespeople to develop their all-round sales skills using a customer-focused approach. The course will be fun and informal, using practical exercises to help new and experienced salespeople ensure they are equipped to deal with the challenges of selling. This course will help participants: * Develop core sales skills such as building rapport, questioning and presenting benefits * Identify the roles and goals of key contacts and recognize the importance of consultative selling * Understand how to achieve sales by uncovering needs, matching benefits and promoting value * Understand how to structure and control a customer interaction and set clear objectives for each account * Develop techniques for handling objections, questions and staying positive * Master the art of closing a sale and gaining agreement * Understand tactical selling and how to build multiple contacts and relationships * Develop skill and confidence in selling to both new prospects and existing customers 1 CONSULTATIVE SELLING - KEY PRINCIPLES FOR SUCCESS * Recognise the importance of consultative selling and being client-focused * Build the right processes to achieving sales targets - questions before features * Assess your core sales skills; building rapport, asking questions, presenting features and benefits, closing 2 CONSULTATIVE SALES CALL SKILLS * How best to structure and control a customer meeting or call to be client-centric: Four Cs * The importance of setting clear objectives for each call and account * Setting the agenda and pre-call preparation * Planning sessions 3 YOUR MISSION, MESSAGE AND MEANING - COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE * Defining sales messages and USPs; positioning value and quality not price * Knowing your target product and services and their value to the customer * Understanding your customers buying role and qualifying the opportunity 4 AN EFFECTIVE SALES MEETING - PART 1 * Opening the sales interview - and building rapport * Gaining and retaining the full attention of the customer * Probing and identifying real needs using effective sales questions * Planning and practice sessions for consultative selling 5 AN EFFECTIVE SALES MEETING - PART 2 * Matching customer needs and wants to products and services available * Presenting your product or service using features, advantages, and benefits * Recognising and responding to buying signals and other sales opportunities * Planning and practice sessions 6 CLOSING THE SALE SUCCESSFULLY * Anticipating objections and seeing them as positives, including price objections * Handling objections using proven methods and models * How and when to ask for the sale professionally * Follow up and follow-through * Planning and practice sessions

Do you hear yourself saying the same thing over and over again? Do you want to bring some new skills to your role? If you have been in a sales role for some time it is easy to fall into a comfortable pattern. This workshop will help you incorporate advanced techniques drawn from NLP, behavioural science and social psychology into your existing skills. This course will help you: * Use the consultative sales process to achieve more cross-sales * Employ advanced rapport-building skills * Assess the buying preferences of a customer * Articulate the link between customer goals and needs * Identify your customer's needs and wants * Use advanced questioning techniques to gather information * Resist the temptation to tell when it would be better to ask * Identify communication preferences * Given various scenarios, present a product to the explicit need of a customer * Appreciate the impact of the language used during this stage of the sale and decide what language is appropriate with a variety of customers * Handle objections positively * Close the sale or gain commitment to further action 1 INTRODUCTION * Aims and objectives of the training * Personal introductions and objectives * Self-assessment of existing sales skills * Overview of content 2 UNDERSTANDING YOURSELF AND YOUR CUSTOMERS * Personal communication style and what this means in a sales situation * Wants versus needs * What motivates people to buy * Using social media tools such as LinkedIn * Managing your portfolio to maximise sales * Preparing to sell 3 THE SALES PROCESS * Overview of the consultative sales process * Review personal strengths and weaknesses as a salesperson * Habits of top-performing sales people * Common pitfalls * Articulate sales goals 4 BUILDING RAPPORT * 11 decisions that customers make in the first 9 seconds * Spotting buyer communication preferences * Building rapport with a wide variety of customers * Dealing with emotions * Keeping control 5 QUESTIONING AND LISTENING * Assumptions and how they trip us up * Structured questioning * Looking for cross-sales * Honing your listening skills * Identifying buyers' motivation * Using summaries to move the customer forward 6 PRESENTING PRODUCTS AND SERVICES TO CUSTOMERS * Choosing the right time to present * Using features, advantages and benefits * Tailoring your presentation of products and services to match buyer preferences and motivations 7 GAINING COMMITMENT * When to close * Dealing with difficult customers * 5 things to avoid when handling a customer objection 8 MANAGING YOUR BUSINESS * The link between service and sales * Using customer surveys * Winning back lost business 9 PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER * Skills practice * Personal learning summary and action plans

This course has a simple objective: to help gain appointments with potential clients. In most consultative selling situations clients won't commit to purchases over the telephone. This means setting up a meeting to discuss the options with them face-to-face. But getting 'face time' can be tricky. This practical workshop can help. Participants will acquire essential tools, skills and methods; discuss specific organisational issues; and identify areas for improvement. They will discover how to: * Increase their effectiveness through proper preparation * Construct attention-grabbing opening statements * Help potential clients feel comfortable agreeing to a meeting * Develop tactics for responding to difficult excuses and objections * Stress the benefits of a face-to-face consultation * Develop and enhance their questioning and listening skills * Prevent customers cancelling booked appointments 1 INTRODUCTION TO APPOINTMENT SETTING * Key trends that have changed the way people buy today - and will buy tomorrow * Why many sales people avoid picking up the phone * The difference that makes a difference - what makes a good appointment-maker? 2 BEFORE YOU PICK UP THE TELEPHONE * It all starts with a plan... * Who and what to focus our attention * How much research should we undertake and why? * Setting primary and secondary objectives 3 MAKING YOUR APPROACH * Key considerations * Every call is an opportunity - creating a positive mind-set * Using a structured approach * Using partnership language 4 GAINING AN INSIGHT INTO THE CUSTOMER'S NEEDS * How to quickly 'tune in' to your customers, so that you can serve them more easily * Developing speech patterns that put customers at their ease * Using effective questioning and listening skills * Finding and building pain points 5 DEALING WITH EXCUSES AND OBJECTIONS * Pre-empting potential excuses * Developing techniques for responding to client objections * Keeping the door open for future contact 6 SECURING THE APPOINTMENT * Selling the benefits of a consultancy meeting * Techniques for avoiding cancelled appointments * Gaining commitment 7 ACTION PLANS * Course summary and presentation of action plans

When staff are new to sales it can seem daunting, especially when they have targets to meet. If the staff you need to promote your products and services get it wrong then it can knock their confidence and negatively impact how your customers see you as an organisation. This programme provides staff with the basic skills they need to sell. This course will help participants: * Profile customers * Research and identify potential new customers * Use the consultative sales process * Build effective rapport with customers * Identify customer needs through effective questioning and listening * Position products and services effectively * Close the sale or gain commitment to further action * Manage their customer portfolio to maximise sales 1 INTRODUCTION * Aims and objectives of the training * Personal introductions and objectives * Self-assessment of existing sales skills * Overview of content 2 KNOWING YOUR CUSTOMERS * Who are your customers, and what do they want from you? * What are your strengths, compared to your competitors? * Who are your new potential customers? * How do you communicate with new customers? * What do you need to know about your customers before you start to sell? * Making the initial approach * Planning your pipeline - keeping the customers coming 3 THE FOUR-STEP SALES PROCESS * Overview of the consultative sales process * Key benefits of using the consultative sales process * Focusing on behaviours not targets * The behaviours of a good salesperson * Common pitfalls and mistakes * Personal strengths and weaknesses 4 BUILDING RAPPORT * First impressions - Mehrabian theory of communication * Short cuts to building rapport * Looking out for clues as to how the customer is thinking * Looping back to keep the conversation flowing * Acknowledging past communication * Dealing with emotions such as anger * Setting the agenda to keep control * Getting past gatekeepers 5 QUESTIONING AND LISTENING * How to ask open questions to uncover information * Left brain questions * When closed question can be useful * What stops us listening? * The four levels of listening * How to develop your listening skills 6 PRESENTING PRODUCTS AND SERVICES TO CUSTOMERS * When to present * Using benefits not features * Making it personal * Using reciprocity * The tendency towards the middle * Using consistency 7 GAINING COMMITMENT * Testing the water * Dealing with objections using ACLEO * Asking for the business * Getting referrals * Ending with a personalised close * Following-up 8 MANAGING YOUR CUSTOMER PIPELINE * Spotting opportunities for cross-sales * Managing your portfolio * Maximising sales proactively * Review meetings * Customer satisfaction measures and surveys * Mystery shopping 9 PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER * Skills practice * Personal learning summary and action plans