Communication Skills

Verbal communication skills for selling Your communication skills determine your chances of a sale - from your opening pitch to your closing statements. Developing your questioning, vocal and conversational skills will help you build on a strong first impression by gaining trust and establishing credibility

There are several types of questions that can help you in the Questioning skills Asking appropriate, purposeful questions can help you identify whether your customer is likely to buy your products, and move them through the selling process There are several types of questions that can help you in the Closed questions Closed questions require a simple 'yes' or 'no' answer. For example: 'Are you looking for a television today?' Closed questions are used to: find out facts limit or guide discussion gather basic information from the customer that you can use to generate an open question

Open questions Open questions require a customer to explain or elaborate. For example: 'What type of product are you looking for?' Open questions are used to: gather specific information so you can determine your customer's wants and needs build relationships with customers so that they are comfortable dealing with you.

Probing questions Probing questions are about a specific topic to uncover more information. For example: 'What type of television do you think would fit best on your wall?‘ Probing questions are used to: obtain more specific information in order to fully understand your customer's needs uncover and clarify your customer's perceptions and opinions

Confirming questions Confirming questions are designed to check that your customer understands what you've said. For example: 'Which of these features would benefit you most?‘ Confirming questions are used to check that you've successfully communicated information to your customer.

Summary confirmation questions Summary confirmation questions are designed to check that you understand what your customer has told you. For example: 'Are you saying you'd prefer to order the next model in our range?‘ Summary confirmation questions are used to: check that you understand your customer's needs check that the benefits you've outlined meet their needs

Conversational skills Good salespeople look for a way to make a connection with their customer, and build a conversation based on trust and understanding. Conversation skills include: asking non-confronting questions to show you genuinely care about your customer's needs

Conversational skills talking knowledgeably about your product or service displaying interest and warmth avoiding bias or stereotyping adjusting to your customer's verbal style telling the truth offering observations that show you understand accepting and acknowledging your customer's opinions refraining from interrupting or correcting unnecessarily watching for and responding to signs of discomfort or boredom being diplomatic making small talk - when it's called for and to an appropriate degree

Vocal skills Good communicators know that what they say is often less important than the way they say it. Use your voice to make an impact by: adjusting your pitch to suit the conversation adjusting your volume to ensure clarity, and suit your customer's comfort and hearing needs speaking in a steady tone of voice to show calm and confidence slowing the speed of your speech so it is calm and clear varying the inflection in your voice to suit your message - to show enthusiasm, common sense, interest, and gravity enunciating your words clearly varying the quality and intensity of your voice to hold interest conveying meaning using the sound of your voice to reinforce your messages

The sales process Good sales people are great communicators. High sales are achieved with credibility, understanding and persuasion. Successfully selling to customers is a process that involves: building relationships and trust uncovering customer needs matching products and services to those needs communicating the benefits of your products and services persuading your customer to purchase. In very basic terms, the more relationships you build, the more customers you have, and the more sales you make. So your business's sales process, matched with good product and service delivery, will determine your profits

Sales targets A sales target is the number of products you need to sell to make a desired profit. Sales teams thrive on well-defined sales targets. Sales targets allow you and your sales staff to: set clear goals pursue incentives and bonuses that motivate and reward keep measuring, challenging and improving your sales performance. Reliable sales targets also help you track your sales progress within each period, and adjust your sales goals to meet your market and business needs. You can set targets by market segment, by region and for each member of your sales team. Your sales targets are a part of your sales plan, and are used to achieve the performance goals you set in your marketing plan

The sales process Good sales people are great communicators. High sales are achieved with credibility, understanding and persuasion. Successfully selling to customers is a process that involves: building relationships and trust uncovering customer needs matching products and services to those needs communicating the benefits of your products and services persuading your customer to purchase. In very basic terms, the more relationships you build, the more customers you have, and the more sales you make. So your business's sales process, matched with good product and service delivery, will determine your profits. This guide explains the sales process and describes a successful model for presenting and making sales.

Create a Sales Plan A sales plan is a strategy that sets out sales targets and tactics for your business, and identifies the steps you will take to meet your targets. A sales plan will help you: define a set of sales targets for your business choose sales strategies that are suited to your target market identify sales tactics for your sales team

Create a Sales Plan activate, motivate and focus your sales team budget and clarify steps you'll take to achieve your targets review your goals periodically and improve your approaches to sales. A sales plan sits within, or alongside, a marketing plan to direct the efforts of your sales team. Most businesses develop or update sales plans periodically - every 6 or 12 months. Treat your sales plan as a 'living' document that you can revise regularly. This guide explains the importance of having a sales plan, and will help you develop, implement and review your business's sales plan.