Sales Skills – Specifically Questioning Techniques to Improve Your Social Life?  Come on.. Really??

Yes Really!

I recently attended a party where most of the participants had not previously met. It reminded me, to some extent, of a Business Networking function. I decided to spend a little time in this event observing conversations much like I do when coaching our sales teams.

What I noticed immediately was that there were two main sets of communicators, those that engaged their partner and those that disengaged and even alienated their new conversational partner.

Here are the differences I observed:

The communicators that spoke with many people and kept the conversation engaging were the people that asked open-ended questions. You know… those are the questions that begin with – who, what, where, when, why, how, tell, me more about that, etc., Selling Skills 101, right? Exactly!

These effective conversationalists not only asked good open-ended questions, they also interjected with their own experiences as a way to relate to what the other person was saying. But they kept the conversation on themselves only briefly as it related and/or they’d interject with a little story. These effective conversationalists took great care in turning the conversation back to the other person.

Those that struggled with interactive conversation had no idea what they were doing wrong. I typically refer to this conundrum as “can’t see the forest through the trees”

What were these struggling conversationalist doing to get in their own way? This group was engaged in asking close-ended questions – these are those questions that begin with, “Are, Is, Do,” etc. and in doing so, these conversations appeared strained, impersonal and interrogative in nature. To make matters worse, these ineffective communicators interjected with far too much “look at me” related experiences – keeping the focus on themselves for far too long.

My advice is simply this: PRACTICE – Practice at home, in the grocery store line and in social settings.

Get in to the habit of naturally – just asking open-ended questions and see how much more information you obtain and how much easier the conversation flows.

In sales, effective communication and questioning techniques help us gain the details we need to understand our client’s business needs. When we question and converse effectively we also gain credibility and in the long run this differentiates us and allows us to help our clients more thoroughly.

This is a skill that can be obtained – but only with deliberate Practice, Practice Practice!

PS. Those effective communicators had the best conversations and made more new friends.

We’d love to hear from you.. share your conversational experiences.

What are these traits and even if your sales teams consistently meet their sales quota, how do you know that what you are doing is contributing to that success? Here is one way to review your existing leadership style. Let’s assume that you hired well in the first place. Then ask yourself how your direct reports would answer the following questions.  Or better still ask those that report to you to answer the following questions – anonymously.

1. Do I know what is expected of me at work?

2. Do I have the right materials and tools to do my job?

3. At work, do I have an opportunity to do what I do best every day?

4. In the last 2 weeks have I received recognition or praise for good work?

5. Does my manager or someone at work, care about me as a person?

6. Is there someone at work who encourages my development?

7. At work, do my opinions seem to count?

8. Does the mission/purpose of my company make me feel as though my work is important?

9. Are my co-workers committed to doing quality work?

10. Do I have a best friend at work?

11. In the last 6 months have I spoken to someone about my progress?

12. At work, have I had opportunities to learn and grow?

13. Do I have autonomy in how the work gets done?

Where do you see gaps? The answers to these questions will provide you with a starting point. And for some a startling point but keep an open mind this will provide some level of insight.

We can group these questions into a few key categories of what motivates people intrinsically. Yes I said intrinsically because despite popular belief extrinsic motivation is less long-term than intrinsic motivation.

Those people that appear to be on auto pilot (we all know them) are those professionals that do what they do for themselves, for the sense of purpose/satisfaction, the respect, the growth, the balance, and for recognition.

That is not to say, extrinsic or money motivation is a bad thing, but without at least some of the other factors, money motivation alone is typically short-term. I’m compelled to state that fear, as a motivator, is another short-term strategy.

The intrinsic motivational categories are as follows:

Sense of Purpose, Belonging and Team:

3. At work, do I have an opportunity to do what I do best every day?

7. At work, do my opinions seem to count?

8. Does the mission/purpose of my company make me feel as though my work is important?

9. Are my co-workers committed to doing quality work?

Supervision/Guidance, Trust and Respect:

1. Do I know what is expected of me at work?

5. Does my manager or someone at work, care about me as a person?

13. Do I have autonomy in how the work gets done?

Work/Life Balance:

10. Do I have a best friend at work?

13. Do I have autonomy in how the work gets done?

Resources/Efficiency Enablers:

2. Do I have the tools to get the job done effectively/ efficiently (respect /best use of my time)

Recognition:

4. In the last 2 weeks have I received recognition or praise for good work?

Growth:

6. Is there someone at work who encourages my development?

11. In the last 6 months have I spoken to someone about my progress?

12. At work, have I had opportunities to learn and grow?

If anyone on your team answers negatively to any of these questions, again this is your starting point for leadership style re-engineering.

If you have a few favorite leadership traits best practices, questions or if you are simply looking for advice, start a discussion in our Forum section. We’d love to hear from you.

Someone on LinkedIn asked the question, “What are a few effective techniques people utilize when public speaking” I thought this was a good question and one worth talking about here.

Sales people, managers and leaders are prompted to speak publicly all the time. Whether asking or answering questions in a meeting, conducting internal meetings or preparing to present a proposal or solution to a potential client, speaking at one time or another is inevitable.

As a trainer I do this regularly so I thought I would share just a few ideas here on techniques that work for me.

Preparation is the obvious key to great public speaking. A few basic preparation steps are to understand your audience and to make time for practice. It is also important in practice to pay attention to voice projection, cadence, pace and inflection.

There is one thing we shouldn’t do in our preparation: If you write your speech word for word, that OK but don’t use those as your notes at the lectern. Doing so prompts the speaker to read which makes us sound… well… like we’re reading.  Reading your speech can also be a disaster if you lose your place.

One thing I’ve found to be truly helpful is to break your speech into three’s. Most people can remember sets of three without reading. Turn your written information into bullets I call these “food for the brain” If you memorize anything, memorize your transitions.

Impromptu speaking is not something we can typically prepare for. I have many colleagues who struggle tremendously with those impromptu moments. Their heart rate increases and so does their nervousness, leaving them to struggle with the formation of cohesive sentences. The key here is to relax. An increased in heart rate is common. The key is to think of that nervousness as the high energy that your body is trying to give you. Think of it as embracing the energy and moving it forward not inward.

I also digitally record myself so as to critique, polish and visualize the outcome I want.  Visualization techniques have always been effective in helping people attain important goals or outcomes.  Not only does visualization help the speaker’s delivery, it also has a calming effect.

Let us know what techniques work for you.

While conducting interviews last week, I encountered a wonderfully prepared resume which was followed by letters of recommendation and a good phone interview. Sadly this candidate chose the most inappropriate attire possible. Whatever you do when seeking a professional opportunity, don’t overlook the importance of appearance and first impressions.

I realize that how we dress is a matter of choice and personal preference and even cultural background.  And in fact, a wardrobe can easily be updated and the wearer coached.  But poor clothing choices can create poor first, last and lasting impressions.

For most professional positions in sales, it’s a safer bet to remain on the side of polished, conservative and professional.  Don’t assume that the interviewer wants to see your cleavage, tops of your thighs, flip flops or the top of your underwear. When an interviewer is faced with a significant dress code challenge, they consider all the other candidates they have and no matter how well you interview or look on paper, the challenges of coaching on attire can be viewed as a delicate, HR challenging topic.

Don’t assume that conservative professional attire will keep you from setting yourself apart from all the other candidates either. To set yourself apart, do your research on the company and on the people you’ll be interviewing with and have a clear plan on how you’ll bring benefit to that organization. I’ll provide additional interviewing and career search ideas in a later blog, but for now, back on the topic of attire.

No excuses not even budget. If you have minimal budget for business attire, start now in the discount stores like Filene’s Basement or Marshall’s to name a few. Even Target has great inexpensive choices.

Discount shopping may require a little searching and an eye for seeing how separates can come together to create a professional look.  So if you don’t feel comfortable, bring someone that dresses for success with you or take a picture with your phone and send it to a friend for advice before going to the check out.

Try things on and ask for opinions from people that care about your success on your clothing choices before an interview. The market place is competitive and it’s not enough to just be the best at what you do. Take the time to prepare all aspects of the interview process including attire. You have only moments to create that first, last and GOOD lasting impression. We’d love to hear about your ideas, suggestions or dress for success – success stories.

Think about how you feel when someone recognizes your abilities. Does it make you feel good? The answer to that question is typically, yes! People are more willing do things that help them feel good, appreciated and accepted.  Praise and recognition when sincere and specific encourage a tremendous amount more positive productivity than criticism does. That is not to say, we don’t correct bad behavior. We certainly must and we must do so mindfully.

It is important to be selective when coaching bad behavior as well. This goes without saying but I’ll say it anyway.  Don’t publically criticize and never humiliate!  Also consider that every time you see an area for improvement in an employee, this may NOT necessarily be the time for coaching to improve the behavior, unless of course the behavior is one that could cause serious damage or harm.

Sometimes – thirty minutes to an hour of focused coaching makes more sense where multiple areas can be discussed and positives can be reinforced.

The alternative to this is continuous spot-check corrections throughout the day or at every observation. When spot-check corrections are overdone it can be viewed as nit-picky perfectionism or worst yet as negative reinforcement or nagging.

Employees should also be able to feel as though they are making some of the choices (that they have a say in the things that impact them).  Over-powering a conversation or situation for instance does not promote acceptance from others.  It is certainly possible that by overpowering and controlling an individual or situation the perpetrator will get temporary compliance, but this is not a long-term agreement.  Nor does it promote creative conversational interaction, idea sharing or empowerment.

For an employee to be truly persuaded they must believe in what you are asking them to do and they must feel that they have the ability to accomplish the task(s) at hand. Let them take responsibility and they will also take pride in accomplishing the task.

My favorite mentor once told me, “If you expect the best they won’t surprise you and if you expect the worst they won’t surprise you” Plain and simple – People want to feel that they are making a difference.  A Micro-managed employee is less likely to believe in themselves and over time, they will seek opportunities where they can feel valued and competent.

Keep in mind that seasoned professionals typically prefer not to be micromanaged. These are the very same professionals you want to hire into your organization. They want direction and goals and then they just need for you to get out of their way so they can get it done.

A Coaches’ - Notes to Self: “Attitude and confidence are everything – Especially in sales.”

To those who are coaching:  Take the “I” word out of your vocabulary as it relates to the employee’s work.  As an example, “I want you doing this”  Is about “you” the coach.  That’s not to say you shouldn’t define your expectations. You should and must define them – clearly.  Try framing expectations around the benefit to the employee for better engagement and results.

As a coach you are there to serve the employee – the employee is your customer.  Just as you would ask a customer to take action – Think about the benefit to your customer? Use “we” words over “I” words as often as possible.

Share your comments, stories or thoughts!

As Paul “Bear” Bryant once said, “It’s not the will to win that matters, everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters.”

The link below provides my personal Sales Person’s Pre-Appointment Preparation Checklist. Feel free to print, hang at your desk and improve your success rate.  Good Selling! Prepare To Win – 13 Step Checklist 2010

As a coach to others whether you are coaching peers, children or as a leader in your company, pay close attention to your choice of words and your mental flexibility if you wish to invite open communication.
In a book called Practical Intelligence by Karl Albrecht, Karl references Jeff Foxworthy’s comedic phrase, “you might be a redneck if…” Karl’s revision of Foxworthy’s phrase is, “you might be mental redneck if, you take pride in having strong opinions and in stoutly defending them, and you have no patience for wimps that don’t.”

Strong opinions are great. It’s good to have beliefs as long as in conversation it doesn’t become a way of speaking as a performance – If the intent of your conversation is a way of showing off, to impress others about how smart you are and how well you can express yourself, you may be suffering from what Karl calls “Opinionitis.”
One way to stop performing is to be aware of your motives and truly consider them before you speak. Begin by changing your language from: MY OPINION and MY POSITION – To my VIEWPOINT, my CURRENT UNDERSTANDING, my IMPRESSION. And consider that we all come from vastly different environments and therefore we have different ways of learning, understanding and assimilating.

Once you let go of your need to be right about everything, you liberate your natural intelligence at all levels.  (Karl Albrecht, Practical Intelligence, The Art and Science of Common Sense.)
As a coach and as a parent, I’ve witnessed the impact of mental flexibility as it has helped time and time again to invite and maintain open communication rather than to deter it.

This week I observed a Regional Trainer named Hyla, swoop in from California to help manage the sales teams during the absence of their Leadership. The tricky part of swooping in during major change is to do so gently yet firmly. The ability to do this without overturning the sales teams ATTITUDE applecart is an important skill — that sadly, for many is not always intuitive.

Hyla initiated an open door needs analysis with each sales person. She then applied focused listening techniques.  Considering the needs of each person – Hyla outlined the structure and set expectations. These expectations were another change so based on what Hyla heard in the sales team discussions, she incorporated the Feature Advantage Benefit (FAB) sales technique to encourage early adoption of the changes.

As for the more tactical activities, a contest was developed to make preparation and prospecting fun. The sales teams in this district regained focus, momentum and attitude was on the upswing for most everyone on the team. This month the sales teams laughed, joked and focused while they sold one of the largest months ever.  Patience is a Virtue, Gentle Firmness is a Leadership Skill, Encouraging Early Adoption is a Sales Technique, and in sales-like sports – ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING.

We all like to feel that we are in control of the things around us. It is the lack of control that creates resistance. Sometimes just asking a person what they think about the changes coming and how they think the changes will impact them,  helps them feel as though they are respected enough to be included and can therefore plan ahead or can be coached to address the changing tides.

Without some consideration for those affected by change, many may feel as though they are being swept away by a strong current. Or worse yet that they are being swept over by a current because the tiny boat they’re in is insignificant.

Kudos to this Hyla for getting the people involved in the changes in a way that helped them maintain the right attitude and take ownership quickly.

We’d love to hear your thought or success stories.

The tried and tested method of leaving voicemails:

*Make sure they are under 30 seconds in length
*Be precise, state your name and why you are calling
*Give clear details of how to return your call
*Don’t give away too much information, entice the person to call you back.

But does this work? Why do the majority of messages fall by the wayside and go unreturned?

Does anyone have a better way of getting their calls returned on a regular basis?

There were many good answers – my answer is:

If you leave a voice mail: be brief, to the point and specific. And be certain the benefit to the person you are calling is stated in the first sentence. It must be a compelling WIIFM (what’s in it for me). In the end-repeat your phone number slowly and clearly twice.

” Russ, we met at XXX and as I am working with (recognizable name/same industry) on addressing the same concerns you are faced with in your industry, I wanted to to invite you to a joint meeting to see if we can help. Call me at ……………” again the number is…. Try it and track you stats. Then let me know how it works for you.

Happy Selling!

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about having reference material. But you might want to read it here for free – first.

During my direct selling days, I conducted seminars and invited C-levels from existing and potential target clients to attend. This was not a sales presentation.  Instead it was an opportunity for my target and existing clients to obtain new information that was pertinent and important in their industry.

It was also presented as an opportunity for them to meet and collaborate with other C-levels in their industry.  I always scheduled these free informational seminars on a Friday’s at 1:00 or 2:00 PM which gave my workaholic contacts an early – out of the office – on a Friday afternoon.

There is a little preparation involved and depending on what you are selling, there is also a way to have your partners/vendors pay for the facility and refreshments at your event. (Free details provided upon request)

To set this up you simple need to target your audience– selectively and carefully. Industry specific is the easiest route. Then you learn about the challenges in that industry and obtain the resources that can speak to those challenges. Remember – this isn’t about your products or services. It’s about an information exchange, helping your clients and target audience so that they will gain important insights. At the very same time these clients will also see you as someone that is resourceful, helpful and cares about their industry.

The first two or three industry challenges must be answered without bias to your products.  In general – these are the things your speakers/experts can provide credible advice on.  Two out of three challenges might very well be addressed by a solution you can provide, but your experts remain neutral. (There are a number of companies that provide these services/products, etc).  Your speakers may be instructed to engage the audience via open ended questions.  (further qualifying any immediate business needs.)

If you targeted well, the people in the room are qualified targets and / or great references or referrals that will keep your funnel full which of course can equate to ” No More Cold Calling”.

If you’d like more detail on how to pull this together:   make a comment, share a success, send me an email or just ask right here.