2005 Sales Skills Webinars
These learning sessions focus on developing proficiency in the critical skills of the selling process
Each webinar is facilitated by CRK, Interactive, Inc. - publisher of our popular Sales Skills Online Courses
This page contains an outline of each webinar’s content
Each webinar:
· Is 90 minutes in length
· Begins at 11 AM Eastern (10 AM Central, 9 AM Mountain, 8 AM Pacific)
· Is $75.00 per person
· Online access information will be emailed to you two days prior to the event
Register in one of three ways:
1. Through the link on each title below
2. Email ALD
3. Call ALD directly at 208-762-1322 or 1-888-762-9699
Webinar Titles & Schedule - read below for the content details of each webinar; click on the webinar title to register
1.Creating Interest at Executive Levels
February 28 or March 1
2.Client Focused Sales Interviews -
Discovering Your Prospect’s Needs & Wants
March 28 or 29
3.Client Focused Presentations & Proposals
April 25
4.Overcoming Objections
May 23
5.Client Focused Sales Interviews -
Discovering Your Prospect’s Needs & Wants
May 24
6.Gaining Commitments To Action / Closing
June 27
7.Win-Win Negotiations
July 25
8.Dealing With Difficult People
August 29
8.Building Strong Client Relationships
September 26
10.Time & Priority Management
October 24
11.Territory & Account Management
November 28
12.Proving Your Value
December 19
1. Creating Interest at Executive Levels
February 28 OR March 1
Objective: To show participants how to increase their penetration at high potential accounts using a scientific method of prospecting. To teach participants how to prepare for each sales meeting in advance to create and maintain interest with top executives.
Anticipated Outcome/Benefits: This session will help participants increase their market share, sales volume, and income by showing how to prospect and plan for new business at target accounts.
The key elements of where to go, who to contact, what to say to create interest, and how to gain commitments to sell deeply into an organization at multiple levels will be thoroughly examined.
Overview: To make a business grow and increase productivity, high level prospecting at strategic accounts must become a daily habit. This session will teach participants how to develop existing clients into “Active References.”
They will understand how to leverage themselves and use the influence of their clients, business friends and associates. They will learn how to prospect for new business within existing accounts and what to say when first approaching top-level executives at strategic accounts to create and maintain interest.
The Sales Call Planning section of this session will teach participants the proper method for selling solutions. Each contact with top prospects should have an objective. Proper planning allows you to control the flow of each conversation. Instead of guessing about the prospect’s interests, participants will learn how they can influence the flow of the conversation with a little advanced planning. This helps the salesperson talk to the right person, be relevant, avoid surprises, anticipate questions, have answers ready, save time, and sound professional.
Teaching Method: This session will involve a discussion of the types of leads and their sources. The facilitator will provide a basic overview of how to classify the importance of some leads over another. The facilitator also will show participants how they can upgrade their lead sources and turn present customers into active references for them. There will be an exercise to practice techniques making initial approach calls at key accounts, and exercises to practice techniques that will maintain high interest levels of top executives. Coaching tips on how to improve each sales meeting will be discussed intended to show participants how to gain commitments to sell through additional levels within the organization.
The importance of sales call planning will be discussed. There will be a dialog with the class concerning the type of information needed by the salesperson before the sales call, and where to get this information. A Sales Call Planning format will be introduced and discussed.
An example of a sales call plan will be presented. Participants will complete a sales call planning exercise for one of their target accounts. As a follow on assignment, participants will submit an example of an initial benefit statement they will use to the instructors for review and coaching comments.
Session Outline:
A. Introduction
B. Objective/Benefit Statement
C. Overview
D. Lead Classification
E. Upgrading Leads
F. Skill Exercise - Determining useful customer information and where to get it
G. Skill Exercise - Creating an Initial Benefit Statement
H. Approaching Key Accounts
I. Warming up “Cold Calls”
J. Sales - Call Planning by the numbers
K. Setting Sales Call Objectives
L. What is important to my prospect?
M. Questions to ask
N. Objections to Anticipate - Responses
O. Rating My Effectiveness after the Call
P. Post-session Exercise – Initial Benefit Statement Reviewed by the Instructor
Q. Action Plan
2. Client Focused Sales Interviews -
Discovering Your Prospect’s Needs & Wants
March 28 OR 29
MAY 24
Objective: To show participants how to put together the various probing and questioning skills to discover the prospect’s important business needs, goals, priorities and their personal win. To teach participants a professional “interview process” to move the sales cycle forward.
Anticipated Outcome/Benefits: This session will structure competitive selling. It will show how to establish credibility, qualify faster, and to save time selling to a new account or increasing business at existing accounts.
Overview: Even experienced participants misread a prospect’s or client’s interests and needs. This session will teach participants how to identify at least three (3) major NEEDS and WANTS before making a Customer Focused sales presentation.
Organizational Dynamics and Key Areas of Client Interest will be examined. The “F.I.N.D. Interview System,” will be introduced and examined. F.I.N.D. stands for Facts, Important Issues, Needs and Dreams, and are critical to conducting a Customer Focused Interview. This session will allow participants to experiment with different questioning techniques to determine a prospect’s dominant buying motives and their compelling reason to buy.
Teaching Method: This session will examine the differences between Product-Focused or Technology Focused versus Customer-Focused Selling. The facilitator will show participants how to uncover the prospect’s needs, wants, and their personal win. The first exercise will present a list job titles that participants call on regularly. The class will develop the key interests important to each person.
The facilitator will then introduce the “F.I.N.D. Interview System.” There will be a discussion of the most effective open and closed-ended questions to use with this system. Participants will look at several examples of these questions and then add questions they would ask. Results will be shared with the entire class. The instructor will model the F.I.N.D. interview system for the group and will lead a debriefing session. Three interactive practice exercises will follow.
Session Outline:
A. Introduction
B. Objective/Benefit Statement
C. Overview
D. Organizational Dynamics - Areas of Interest for Different People
E. The F.I.N.D. Interview System - Conducting an Effective Sales Interview
F. Determining the Facts with Open/Closed Questions
G. Identifying - Ranking - Exploring 3 Important Areas of Interest
H. Determining Important Needs and Problem Areas
I. Finding The Prospect’s Dream (their Personal Win)
J. Four (4) Skill Building Practice Sessions
K. Tying it All Together
L. Three (3) Interactive Role-plays
M. Action Plan
3. Client Focused Presentations & Proposals
April 25
Objective: To show participants how to formulate the most convincing responses to a prospect’s or client’s needs and wants, and how to furnish proof. To teach participants how to properly make feature/benefit messages during their presentations.
Anticipated Outcome/Benefits: Participants will understand how to use customer focused benefit statements in all of their presentations and proposals.
Overview: A great sales presentation or proposal is one that moves the prospect to buy, not one that you consider great. This session shows participants how to best address the prospect’s needs, wants, goals, and priorities during a presentation.
Participants will learn how to read their prospect and why they should never make a presentation without first knowing what issues are most important to the prospect. Participants will understand there is an enormous difference between conducting a “general presentation” versus a Customer Focused Presentation.
Participants will understand how to present specific features and advantages of their services to satisfy the prospect’s most important needs, goals and priorities. This allows the prospect to see the real benefit of buying from you - How it will help them reach their goals.
Teaching Method: This session will define a feature, advantage and benefit. There will be a discussion on why a prospect should consider using your products and value added services, and what are the specific advantages they receive.
Participants will complete an exercise to explain why their products and services should be important to a prospect. They will complete an exercise listing the features and benefits that will be important to a current actual prospect they are trying to close.
This session will teach participants how to customize their presentations for each prospect. Participants will learn how to analyze the information gathered from their customer focused interview and organize key points for their proposals and presentations as part of an “Issues Cluster Matrix.”
The session includes a review of the Presentation Check List that allows participants to prepare and practice the skills learned in the session. The elements of sound selling proposal (as opposed to a pricing letter) will be examined in detail.
Session Outline:
A. Introduction
B. Objective/Benefit Statement
C. Overview
D. Feature - Advantage - Benefit Discussion and application
E. Why You and Your Company?
F. Constructing the Benefit Statement
G. The Customer Focused Presentation Planning Process
H. How to make your Advantage important to the prospect
I. Why the “FUD Factor” is important
J. The Issues Cluster Matrix - Identifying the important issues
K. 3 Skill Building Exercises
L. Conducting the Customer Focused Presentation
M. Adjusting Your Presentations to Match Each Prospect’s Buying Style
N. Gaining Your Prospect’s Agreement During and After the Presentation
O. Practice Session - Presenting the Solution
P. Elements of Excellent Proposals
Q. How Do Your Proposals Compare?
R. Action Plan
4. Overcoming Objections
May 23
Objective: To develop a repertoire of responses to a prospect’s complaints and objections so participants can continue to sell. To teach participants how to deal with all levels of resistance and reluctance by helping their prospect see issues from a new perspective.
Anticipated Outcome/Benefits: This session helps participants to develop resistance free techniques for changing their prospect’s and customer’s mind. To help their customer and prospect justify that buying from you is a sound business decision.
Overview: Participants will learn why challenging questions, stalls and objections are normal in the sales process and how to deal effectively with them. This session will present a method for dealing with different types of resistance. Participants will first learn how to “listen actively” to the objections they hear. They will list the objections they hear most often and learn a process to overcome all of them.
Teaching Method: The facilitators begin with a group discussion of why different types of objections that are normal to the sales process. They will present a list that shows different types of objections, their causes, and responses needed to overcome.
Participants will be asked to provide a list of the most difficult objections they hear. They will learn a simple six-step approach for dealing with objections, and practice these techniques in five skill-building exercises.
Participants will also learn two “reframing” techniques, The Analogy and The Big Picture, designed to change a prospect or client’s perspective. These techniques will be practiced with skill building exercises.
Participants will work on responses to several objections. They will practice the techniques discussed in the class to become comfortable with different methods.
Session Outline:
A. Introduction
B. Objective/Benefit Statement
C. Overview
D. Active Listening
E. Defusing the Objection - Their right to an Opinion
F. Chart of Objections
G. Six-Step System for Dealing with Objections
H. Practice Sessions
I. Reframing - Changing the Prospect’s Perspective
J. The Analogy Reframe
K. The Big Picture Reframe
L. Objection Handling Practice Session
M. Action Plan
5. Gaining Commitments To Action / Closing
June 27
Objective: To teach participants an arsenal of techniques for gaining commitment from a prospect/customer to advance the sale. This will include closing the sale, but will also focus on closing the “little sales” necessary to eventually get the order.
Benefits: To increase the ratio of closes to sales interviews for participants. To allow participants to get commitments faster from prospects and clients to make more sales. Participants will learn that asking for little commitments from the prospect will allow him/her to ask for the order when the time is right.
Overview: A person who cannot close may be great at making conversation, but he or she is not a salesperson. Closing a large opportunity requires people to make many little closes along the way. These are called client commitments and are a strong indication that the customer is interested in the solution being offered by you. Participants will learn types of closes, and when and how to close.
This session will also deal with low pressure vs. high pressure closing styles and will stress what to say and when to close the sale. The session will deal with how to handle objections during the close and will teach participants how to reduce tension when asking for the order.
Teaching Method: This session will involve a facilitator discussion of different types of closes. Buying signals and trail closes will be examined in detail. The facilitators will teach participants how to recognize when the prospect is sending a buying signal and how to best deal with this. The facilitators will also discuss how to recognize a danger signal and what to do to successfully deal with it.
Participants will learn different techniques to gain commitments to action from their prospect, and the best time to ask a closing question to get the order. This session will allow participants to practice different types of closes for different behavioral styles and to understand which approach is more comfortable to the prospect. Participants will learn how to handle objections during the close. There will be several practice exercises and a question and answer period.
Session Outline:
A. Introduction
B. Objective/Benefit Statement
C. Overview
D. Gaining Commitments to Action
E. When and How To Close the Sale
F. Client Buying Signals and Danger Signs
G. Applying “Just Enough” Pressure
H. Three Practice Sessions - Buying Signals - Trial Closes - Danger Signs
I. Different Types of Closes for Different Behavioral Styles
J. Handling Objections During The Final Close
K. Practice Session
L. Q & A
M. Action Plan
6. Win-Win Negotiations
July 25
Objective: To sharpen the negotiation skills of participants to produce stronger relationships and more equitable and profitable business interactions.
Anticipated Outcome/Benefits: Both sides must come out winners for a sales negotiation to be successful. Participants will learn why this is important and how to accomplish it through proven techniques.
Overview: The best negotiating technique is a Win/Win approach. It is called “collaboration” and refers to partnering with the customer, so that the end result is a satisfactory outcome (a win/win) for both sides. This session will provide the insight and skills necessary to reach this win/win end result for small or large negotiations.
Teaching Method: The facilitators will introduce the concept of Win/Win negotiations. Specific examples will be discussed. Collaboration, the importance of both sides coming out winners, will be reviewed as a technique. The facilitators ask participants to talk about sales negotiations that were not win/win, the problems that occurred and the end result.
The class will next complete an exercise called “Preparing to Negotiate.” This will demonstrate the importance of Pre-Negotiating Planning and provide a format for them to use after they return to the field. The facilitators will review the Sales Negotiation Check List, which will help participants identify their customer/prospect’s needs and motivation.
The facilitators will ask the class to provide a list of the worst Buyer Negotiation Tactics they encounter. This list will be addressed and defenses against these tactics will be introduced and practiced. A common negotiation problem; “I’d like to buy from you, but your price is too high,” will be examined and demonstrated by the facilitators. This will be followed by a debriefing session and questions from participants relating to their situations.
Session Outline:
A. Introduction
B. Objective/Benefit Statement
C. Overview
D. Why Everybody Wins in a Successful Negotiation
G. Preparing to Negotiate
E. Win-Win Negotiation Check List
F. Recognizing Their Needs and Motivation
H. Collaboration: The Ultimate Negotiation Technique
I. Defenses Against Buyer Negotiation Tactics
J. Successfully Dealing with Requests for Price Concessions
K. Facilitators Model a Negotiation for the Class
L. Negotiation Q & A
M. Action Plan
7. Dealing With Difficult People
August 29
Objectives: To identify several types of difficult people and understand their objectives. To teach participants how to effectively deal with all types of people.
Anticipated Outcome/Benefits: Participants will learn how to deal with different types of difficult people (internally and externally) thereby reducing stress in their lives and increasing their productivity.
Overview: No matter how even tempered you are, you probably know one or two people whose behavior put your good nature to the test. If these people happen to be colleagues, superiors, or subordinates or customers and clients with whom you must deal on a daily basis, your ability to handle them may be critical to your success.
Dealing with difficult people begins with identifying and naming the behaviors that trigger a strong reaction in you. The more you learn about difficult people, the better you understand and deal with them. Even if you don't end up liking a person, getting to know him or her can lessen the feelings of tension. Understanding where they're coming from and what makes them tick is an excellent way of dealing with difficult people. This session identifies some difficult types of people you may have to contend with, and describes tactics that may help you deal with them.
Session Outline:
A. Why are Some People so Difficult?
B. “Barry the Backstabber”
C. “Ken the Know-it-All”
D. “Mary the Martyr”
E. “Donna the Prima Donna”
F. “Mike the Mike the Manipulator”
G. “Ginny the Gossip”
H. “Ollie the Overseer”
I. Other Difficult People
J. Strategies for dealing with “Barry the Backstabber”
K. Strategies for dealing with “Ken the Know-it-All”
L. Strategies for dealing with “Mary the Martyr”
M. Strategies for dealing with “Donna the Prima Donna”
N. Strategies for dealing with “Mike the Mike the Manipulator”
O. Strategies for dealing with “Ginny the Gossip”
P. Strategies for dealing with “Ollie the Overseer”
Q. Dealing with Destructive People
R. The Art of Confrontation
S. The Constructive Confrontation
T. Action Plan
8. Building Strong Client Relationships
September 26
Objective:To assess existing relationships at key accounts, analyze who these relationships are with and determine if improvement is needed. To teach participants what to do to build stronger relationships with people at key accounts.
Anticipated Outcome/Benefits: Participants will determine where they have strong relationships and where relationships need to be improved to help solidify your position, increase sales volume, and keep out competition. Participants will review the key elements of who to call, what to say to create interest, and how to gain commitments so they can sell deeply into an organization at multiple levels.
Overview: There has never been a time when the value of a strong business relationship has meant more than it does today. Relationships always drive business results — it almost goes without saying that good relationships drive good results, bad relationships yield bad results.
This is especially important, as it relates to selling to large accounts. Everyone knows that strong relationships require hard work. Successful business relationships exhibit several common traits. The ability to provide “added value” as defined by the client tops this list. This means that sales professionals must know how to identify the things that their client considers valuable. As a result, you can focus on achieving common goals with the client’s help, another strong characteristic of successful business relationships.
Understanding your strengths, and the value you provide your clients to reach common goals will help strengthen your relationship, grow your business, and keep the competition from gaining a foothold.
Teaching Method: This session will begin with a review of the nine traits of solid business relationships. The facilitator will explore each of these traits with participants. Participants will complete a series of exercises designed to help them focus on their existing accounts and the strength of their various relationships.
The facilitator will pose a simple question to participants, “What is the most critical thing to remember about developing and maintaining high quality business relationships?” Their responses will be discussed and the facilitator will reference some independent thinking on this important question. Eight fundamentals of lasting business relationships will be explored. The session includes a discussion of expectations – what the client expects and what each participant expects from their clients.
Session Outline:
A. The Nine Traits of Strong Business Relationships
B. Assessing Your Relationships
C . Goals - Are they Common or with Separate Agendas
D. Results - Value Based or Commodity Based?
E. What is the Environment – Mutual Trust, Suspicious or Cynical?
F. Communications – Open and Honest or Guarded and Closed?
H. Understanding – Caring or Disinterest?
I. Problem Resolution – Win-Win or Win-Lose?
J. Behavior – Equal or Inferior/Superior?
K. Activities – Proactive or Reactive?
L. Contact Levels – Multiple or Isolated?
M. Exercise: How Do Your Relationships Compare?
N. Creating an Agreeable Atmosphere with Pacing
O. Action Plan
9. Time & Priority Management
October 24
Objective:To teach participants the importance of effective time management. To review each participants strengths and limitations and teach effective time management techniques to maximize productivity.
Anticipated Outcome/Benefits:Participants will analyze their current time management skills to uncover immediate areas of improvement. They will learn a proven method of time management that shows them what they can do to maximize their time.
Overview: We all have the same problem, too much to do each day and not enough time to get it done. This session will provide both seasoned veterans and those people new to sales with proven time management skills. Participants will learn how to place a value on their time and what they can do to increase their productivity in twelve key areas. Setting priorities, meeting deadlines, and doing the activities that help participants achieve their important goals will all be explored.
Teaching Method: This session begins with a brief discussion by the participants of their time management skills. Participants will see where they should be spending their time to increase productivity. There will be a “Plan you Work and Work your Plan” discussion to ensure participants understand the importance of maximizing their “opportunity costs.”
Participants will complete the Time Mastery Profile. This profile will identify the strengths and weaknesses of each person regarding time management. Participants will determine which areas are most important for them to improve. Time management tips for improving weak areas will be presented and discussed. Each participant will then create an action plan for improving an area that is critical to his or her success.
Session Outline:
A. Introduction
B. Objective/Benefit Statement
C. Overview
D. Plan your Work - Work Your Plan
E. Maximizing Your Time
F. Analyzing Your Strengths & Limitations
G. Managing Your Time
H. The Time Mastery Profile
I. Using Your Time Wisely - Avoid Wasting Time
J. What is Your Time Worth?
K. Time Management Checklist
L. Action Plan
10. Territory & Account Management
November 28
Objective: To teach participants the essentials of running a territory and managing their accounts. To review important territory and account management techniques and to understand how to maximize effectiveness.
Anticipated Outcome/Benefits:Participants will analyze their current territory management skills to uncover immediate areas of improvement. They will analyze which accounts are consuming their time, if these accounts are profitable, and if this is the best utilization of their time.
Overview: To effective run a business or territory, participants must understand how to best manage their accounts profitably. Participants must represent themselves in a manner that will maintain and protect established accounts, and build off their good reputation to gain new accounts. They need to turn past success into new business opportunities.
This session will provide participants of all levels with proven territory and account management skills. Participants will learn how to maximize their selling time each week, and how to become more productive when selling.
Teaching Method: Participants will see where they should be spending their time to increase productivity. The session includes a “Plan Your Work and Work Your Plan” discussion to ensure participants understand the importance of maximizing their “opportunity costs.”
Participants will analyze their territory and rank their accounts and their prospects into 3 groups, A-B-C. Criteria will be reviewed for each category. Participants will review the “Sales Funnel” to see where they should be spending their time to increase productivity. There will be a “Plan you Work and Work your Plan” discussion to ensure participants understand the importance of maximizing their selling time each day.
Session Outline:
A. Introduction
B. Objective/Benefit Statement
C. Overview
D. Analyzing Your Strengths & Limitations
E. Defining Your Territory
F. Ranking your Customers and Prospects
G. Working your Sales Funnel
H. Plan your Work - Work Your Plan
I. Territory Management Checklist
J. Using Your Selling Time Wisely - Don’t Waste Time Making
K. Poor Calls
L. Action Plan
11. Proving Your Value
December 19
Objective: To teach participants a proven method for getting testimonial letters that will turn clients into Internal Advocates and Active References. To help keep competition out of existing accounts so you can grow your business.
Anticipated Outcome/Benefits:Participants will learn how to prove the value of their products and services within their client case. They will learn how to create testimonial letters that will turn an internal advocate into an active reference that keeps out the competition and can help close new business.
Overview: Hopefully, each of us has experienced the pleasure of receiving an unsolicited testimonial letter from a satisfied customer or client. Unfortunately, this happens very infrequently. This session will teach participants how they can document the value of the products and services they provide to existing accounts. With this information in hand, they are in an excellent position to ask and receive a written testimonial that solidifies their position and can help generate new business. The power of a testimonial letter will be explained along with suggestions for putting them to best use.
Teaching Method: The facilitators will share their real world experiences for proving their value at key accounts. Participants will learn how they can quantify the value of the services and products they provide and how to leverage this into new business.
Examples of testimonial letters will be shared and participants will learn how these letters were created so they can do the same at their accounts.
Participants will also learn how they become even more valuable to their key accounts. The facilitators will provide several examples of value added benefits participants can easily provide their clients, at little or no cost.
Session Outline:
- Introduction
- Objective/Benefit Statement
- Overview
- Who Determines Value?
- The Power of a Testimonial Letter
- When and How to Ask for a Testimonial
- Sample Testimonial Letters
- Leveraging Your Success
- Creating Greater Value for Your Client
- Turning Internal Advocates into Active References
- Inexpensive Ways to Say Thank-You
- Action Plan
