| In today's economy sales professionals need to | | | | has opened up with you. When they get to the |
| be equipped with the appropriate selling skills, | | | | point where they can't stop talking, you know |
| following a proven selling system or sales process, | | | | you got the rapport selling skill that would allow |
| in order to succeed and meet their sales targets. | | | | you to move onto the next step in the selling |
| They can no longer afford to carry on with | | | | system, or sales process. |
| traditional selling skills of doing dog and pony | | | | With rapport, trust and relationship starting, you |
| shows, feature and benefit dumps, or hit and run | | | | can then move from personal to business |
| closes. | | | | conversation, by simply interjecting another |
| Today's economy demands engaging selling skills, | | | | question - Bill, I really appreciate what you are |
| not telling selling skills. Engaging selling skills attract | | | | sharing with me, but how much time have you |
| and engage prospects into personal and business | | | | set aside for our meeting? |
| conversations - Personal conversations to build | | | | With the answer to this sales skill question, a new |
| rapport and trust; Business conversations to | | | | sort of business conversation starts. Your time |
| qualify opportunities to do business. | | | | allocated is either confirmed or extended, either |
| Engaging sales skills starts with a desire to create | | | | of which matter, as it is the next sales skill |
| relationships. Keep in mind that people buy from | | | | question that will make the difference. |
| people, people they like and they trust. Once trust | | | | "Bill, what is it that you would like to accomplish |
| is established, a relationship starts. That is the | | | | over the next X minutes?" |
| sales skill foundation to a sales transaction. | | | | Most sales people only think of their objective, |
| To build that rapport, or trust, requires | | | | and not that of the customers. It is the |
| conversational selling skills focused on the | | | | customer's objective that is most important, so |
| prospect, not on you, your company or your | | | | let's get it out of them first. Then we can add |
| products. The selling skill required here is to show | | | | our's into the scenario. |
| a genuine personal interest in the person in front | | | | For example, they could reply with, "I would like |
| of you. You do that by asking questions, | | | | to learn more about your company and it's |
| questions that they would like to respond to and | | | | products or services." |
| talk about. | | | | You can then reply with an inclusion of your |
| So, what do people like to talk about? | | | | objective. For example, "that's great Bill, as I too |
| People like to talk about themselves, their families, | | | | would like to learn more about your company to |
| hobbies, job, etc. These are more personal | | | | determine if there is an opportunity for us to do |
| conversations. The selling skills required here are | | | | business together or not. Is it ok if we ask each |
| asking questions, listening and using your body | | | | other questions? |
| language to show interest. | | | | Do you mind if I take some notes? |
| Your job is to get them to open up and to keep | | | | Getting permission to ask questions, and to take |
| talking. The more they talk, the more you listen, | | | | notes, is also an important selling skill. It shows |
| the more you learn and the more they like and | | | | interest, and makes the prospect feel important. |
| trust you. | | | | There are other parameters that can be set at |
| Mind you there are also other selling skill | | | | this stage, but what is most important is that |
| techniques to build rapport. One of the best | | | | each step in a sales process or selling system is a |
| rapport building sales skills comes from Nero | | | | selling skill. |
| Linguistic programming (NLP) where mirroring and | | | | The selling skill that is most required in today's |
| matching body language, tonality and words | | | | economy is to be asking questions, listening, |
| enhances rapport building quickly and magically. | | | | showing concern and taking the prospect through |
| You will know when your rapport selling skill has | | | | a self discovery qualifying process. |
| been established, just by the way the prospect | | | | |