The document focuses on developing effective selling skills through a needs-based selling process, emphasizing the importance of building rapport, identifying customer needs, and presenting tailored solutions. It highlights the significance of attitude, effective communication, and the use of various questioning techniques for understanding customer needs and overcoming objections. Closing techniques, customer reassurances, and the necessity for self-assessment in sales practices are also discussed to enhance overall sales effectiveness.

1. SELLING SKILLS Welcome to… Selling Skills: A Needs-Based Selling Process

2. The Process Building Rapport Identifying Needs Presenting a Solution Product or Service Feature (s) Personalized Benefits Overcoming Objections Closing SELLING SKILLS

3. Selling Skills: Overview H= Human Mode B= Business Mode

4. Human Mode Definition: Any communication with the intent of identifying commonality and creating a connection with the customer Selling Skills - Rapport

5. Business Mode Definition: Any communication designed to effectuate the transaction with the customer Selling Skills - Rapport

6. Building Rapport MUST include both Human and Business Modes to maximize effectiveness. Often, sales people error on the side of too much Human Mode or too much Business Mode. Recognizing the balance is the key to efficiently and effectively communicating with customers. Selling Skills - Rapport

7. Selling Skills - Rapport Communication Facts 7% of spoken communication is comprehended from the words that are actually spoken. 38% is comprehended in the way in which the words are spoken (tone of voice). 55% is comprehended from one’s facial expressions and body language.

8. Attitude – The Most Important Element to Successful Sales Attitude is more important than knowledge, skill, or talent. A positive attitude with less knowledge, skill or talent will outperform someone with superior knowledge, skill, or talent and a negative attitude. Selling Skills - Rapport

9. How do you prepare for customers? Are you smiling? Outside AND Inside? Do you look forward to meeting someone new? Are you more interested in helping people solve problems than making money for yourself? If you answered “No” to any of these questions, then STOP reading now. You will likely never be successful in sales until you change your attitude about customers. Selling Skills - Rapport

10. How do you demonstrate your listening ability? Does the customer feel you listening to them? (No, you don’t have to touch them for them to feel you.) Do you use active listening skills? If you answered “No” to any of these questions, then STOP reading now. You will likely never be successful in sales until you start listening to your customers. Selling Skills - Rapport

11. Selling Skills - Rapport The three P’s are the first things customer’s notice about you: Professional Presence – How does your surroundings, attire & attitude affect how your professionalism is perceived? Proactive Approach - What you say? How you begin the conversation? Who is in control of your sales conversations today? Personalized Communications - Be sure you are making the contact personal. “I will be happy to review your options to ensure I make the best recommendation possible.”

12. Selling Skills: Rapport Why Build Rapport? makes you a person allows you to establish a relationship allows you to make personalized recommendations

13. Selling Skills: Rapport Building rapport can be summed up in one word: COMMONALITY

14. Uncovering Needs, like the overall Sales Process, should be a process. The steps begin with asking Human Mode questions, then Business Mode questions. The Human Mode questions allow you to transition into the business mode questions easily. This process helps you control the conversation and direct the conversation as appropriate. Selling Skills: Uncovering Needs

15. Transitioning from Human Mode to Business Mode when asking questions is most effective by using a transition. An effective transition should include: An existing reality (a fact) you discovered during Human Mode questioning A personalized benefit to continue the conversation Permission to continue the conversation Selling Skills: Uncovering Needs

16. Transitioning Example B2B Earlier you mentioned your sales team is really struggling finding new customers, I think I may have a solution for you which would increase your sales and reduce your costs, is it okay if I ask you a couple of questions to make sure I understand all the facts? Selling Skills: Uncovering Needs

17. Transitioning Example B2C Earlier you mentioned your daughter is really struggling in school, I have an idea which would help her improve her grades and reduce the burden on you, can I tell you about it? Selling Skills: Uncovering Needs

18. Selling Skills: Uncovering Needs Open-ended questions are most effective in identifying large quantities of information in a single question. Examples of open-ended questions begin with “What…” “When…” “How…” “Where…”

19. Selling Skills: Uncovering Needs Use open-ended questions to: identify customer needs allow a customer to express their views, share ideas, air complaints, or provide information discover any agendas, issues, or information that a customer may not be mentioning encourage dialog

20. Open-ended questions are particularly useful to: uncover the wants and needs of the customer clarify facts and improve understanding of a situation reveal possible alternatives and choices remove roadblocks to enable progress toward solving the problem Selling Skills: Uncovering Needs

21. Statement questions are used similar to open-ended questions and can be particularly effective to gain information without asking a traditional interviewing question. An example of a statement question is “That sounds interesting, tell me more about it.” Selling Skills: Uncovering Needs

22. Closed-ended questions are appropriate when you need to control the conversation or you are seeking a “YES” answer. The use of closed-ended questions will limit the conversation flow and should be used sparingly. Examples of close-ended questions are “Do you…” “Have you…” Selling Skills: Uncovering Needs

23. Selling Skills: Uncovering Needs in the Human Mode Human Mode Questions Usually focused on 3 F’s: Finance WHY do they do what they do? Family Who is in the household? Fun What does the customer do for entertainment?

24. Selling Skills: Uncovering Needs in the Business Mode Business Mode Questions Usually specific for an industry. For more information about identifying specific questions for your sales team, please contact us. See slide 36.

25. Selling Skills: Uncovering Needs in the Business Mode In order to help you transition from Uncovering Needs to Presenting a Solution, ASK this question… “Other than the things we have already talked about, is there anything else you think I need to know, in order to present the best recommendation possible?”

26. Selling Skills: Solutions & Needs Products or Services As you are identifying needs, in either the Human or Business Mode, you should be listening for clues on how your product or service will meet the customer’s needs. This is the first step in Presenting a Solution.

27. Selling Skills: Solutions & Needs Feature Once you have identified your product or service which best meets the customer’s needs, you should listen for clues about which feature of the product or service will benefit the customer most effectively. Remember to limit the options when presenting your solution to avoid customer confusion or overselling the solution.

28. Selling Skills: Solutions & Needs Benefits When a product and feature have been selected, the final, and MOST critical step to success is identifying a “personalized benefit” for the customer. Reciting the general benefits of a product or service and feature is not sufficient. Personalized benefits are the most effective method to successful sales.

29. Selling Skills: Solutions Present a Total Solution which includes a Personalized Benefit for each part of the solution. N ote the need E xplain the Feature and T alk Personalized Benefits

30. Selling Skills: Objections Types of Objections Misunderstanding Usually caused by too little or too much information Doubt The customer doesn’t believe in the product, service, company, or sales person Drawback A fact or belief that another option is more valuable than the solution being offered

31. Selling Skills: Objections Methods to Overcome Objections Misunderstanding Clarify the information. Provide more details to help them understand your solution. Doubt Reassure the customer. In order to overcome this objection, present third-party proof. Drawback Determine if the drawback is real or perceived. Present alternatives to outweigh the current value and demonstrate more value with your solution.

32. Selling Skills: Close Direct Now that we’ve talked about everything, are you ready to place your order today? Assumptive What date do you want that installed? Contingency If I could get you _____, would you be interested in signing up today?

33. Selling Skills: Close Urgency The promotion is only available for a limited time. In order to ensure you get the promotion, would you like to get started today? Choice I could get the installer to you Friday or Monday. Which works best for you? Why is all this so important? 9 out of 10 sales people won’t ask for the sale 8 out of 10 customers won’t buy unless you ask

34. Selling Skills: Close Human Mode of Closing Complete a comprehensive RECAP What did the customer purchase? Who will install it? When will it be installed? How will it be billed? When will it be billed? What steps does the customer need to take for the rebate or other reimbursements? Reassure the customer about the decision Ask the customer if they were completely satisfied with the experience? Ask for referrals – not references, real referrals Thank the customer for their business and BRAND all the products they purchased

35. Selling Skills: A Final Thought Self-Assessments Until sales managers have the ability to observe every customer interaction, sales leadership teams will need to rely on sales people completing honest self-assessments about their ability to follow the sales process. To receive a FREE copy of the Observation Form which accompanies this presentation, see the next slide and CONTACT US.

36. Contact US Contact IPS for more information about the observation form or to schedule a presentation for your Sales Team. You may reach us at: [email_address] [email_address]