Sales Communication Skills Training That Actually Lifts Close Rates (Four Behaviors Under Pressure)

Most sales communication training teaches scripts. Scripts are the opposite of what lifts close rates under real customer pressure. Four behaviors do — and none of them are in the script. Close rates move when a rep trades the prepared answer for a behavior the customer did not expect.

The four behaviors: (1) name the customer’s reservation out loud before they do (the unnamed doubt gets bigger; named it shrinks). (2) Ask what would need to be true for the customer to say yes, then listen without pitching against the answer. (3) Trade a concession for a piece of decision-relevant information, not for the deal (“I can get you 90-day terms — help me understand who signs at your end”). (4) End every call with one specific commitment on a specific date, yours not theirs. Each behavior breaks the rep’s script reflex; each moves close rates by measurable points.

Below is the mechanics of each behavior, why conventional sales communication training fails to install them, and how the Learn2 participant-driven sales format (reps practice the four behaviors on real pipeline, with peer observation and 30-day accountability) installs all four in 90 days.

Companies that are able to communicate between levels of management, employees, customers, clients, and partners are companies that are able to compete more effectively in their market. Communicating, however, does not always come easily to every person, meaning that working to improve communication in sales can be a great benefit to a business that suffers from mediocre numbers. What would be the advantages of choosing sales communication skills training for your workforce?

IMPORTANCE OF SALES COMMUNICATION SKILLS TRAINING

Being able to quickly and effectively explain a company’s product to a potential customer is the difference between an effective sales agent and a lackluster performance. While some people can easily and naturally gain a customer’s trust, many others need to be more effective at generating a rapport by creating a sense of presence. Being able to be comfortable in front of customers is a major advantage of any who takes sales communication training.

CARING ABOUT THE CUSTOMER

The most effective salespersons are those who identify the customer’s needs instead of their business’ needs. Any person will tell you that when they browse for a product to buy, whether it is a washer and dryer or a hammer, they are thinking more critically of how a product can solve their problems rather than the product themselves. A large part of any good sales pitch is how it can be used to handle their personal or professional concerns. By going through sales communication training, salesmen and women are more capable of resonating with customers and gaining the necessary trust to close a sale.

PREPARE AHEAD OF TIME

Some people are capable of generating a speech or sales pitch right off the cuff, giving a perfect delivery each time. For the rest of us, however, a major part of skills training for sales communication is writing down what you plan to say well ahead of time. By committing a sales pitch to words, it is possible to change up your style in order to appeal to different customers and demographics.

ELIMINATE FEARS

There is a natural component to fear of public speaking, since the focus of attention is not always a positive thing. Being able to shuck the trepidation and become a confident and credible salesperson is a major advantage of those who understand how best to communicate through skills training. By minimizing anxiety, a salesperson will not fail at a critical hour when they are under severe pressure in order to close a deal or create a customer.

Help Your Sales Team Communicate Naturally

If you would like to train your sales team on the importance of proper communication, we at learn2 can help you. Our Communicate Naturally program is aimed at ensuring your employees tailor their communications in a manner that is natural to each individual communication style.