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DIPLOMA IN SALES

Communication is quite a complicated process. Let’s break down the �ow of conversation:

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• The sender has something to say, so they encode their message, i.e. they pick the words they are going to use and how they will say them. They then decide on a channel to use, be it face to face, email etc. The message is then decoded by the receiver and perception is applied. The receiver will understand the message and formulate a response in the same way that the sender did. Note: a breakdown in communication can occur at any point here.

Barriers to Communication: Everyone is different and we all receive and send information in accordance with our own perceptions of how the world works.‘Noise’ is anything that may disrupt the conversation, for example if your mind were to wander or you happened to be feeling under the weather. Anything that has the potential to distract you from the present moment in time can be considered noise.Another barrier to communication is ‘distorted thinking’ or cognitive distortions. These are exaggerated or irrational tunnel patterns. We filter information through one of these distortions and give meaning to that information which is actually not there. By firstly being aware of which distortions we ourselves are guilty of, we can turn them into a tool to use in sales. If you can recognise these distortions in others, you can then change your approach accordingly.

There are 15 areas of distorted thinking but for the purposes of this course we will look at 7 of these in more detail.

1) FilteringThis happens when we experience something and filter out all of the positives leaving only the nega-tives. Focusing only on the things that were wrong gives an unbalanced assessment.

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2) Polarized thinkingTo someone who is thinking in a polarized way, there is no grey area. It is either right or wrong, good or bad.

3) Over-generalisationThis occurs when a person makes a hasty generalisation about something with insufficient evidence to back that generalisation up.

4) Mind ReadingThese people don’t need to check or get evidence for their conclusions because as far as they are concerned they are correct. They use projection. In other words, they presume that other people would feel the same way they do in a given situation and jump to the conclusion that what is true for them is true for others also.

5) CatastrophizingThe ‘what-ifs’. This person imagines the worst case scenario and then dwells on it.

6) PersonalisationThink of this from your own perspective and accept that there is no magic combination of words which will always get the sale. You are not responsible for things not going to plan and taking this personally each time it occurs is distorted thinking!

7) Control FallaciesThere are 2 ways this can go. You can point it internally and decide that you are responsible for the pain or happiness of everyone around you. Alternatively, you can be under the impression that you are externally controlled and feel that no matter what you do, you are a victim of fate and are helpless in the situation.

Cognitive Restructuring

This is how you can overcome the ways of distorted thinking. There are 4 steps:- Identify your automatic thoughts- Identify the distorted thoughts that go with them- Question why you had that thought: ‘what evidence do I have?’- Develop a counter-argument to the automatic thought.Note: Stop and think so that your thought-process is a fair reflection of reality.

The Power of Story-tellingThis is a powerful tool. It allows you to convey your authority and say something indirectly. 1) Simpli�esStory-telling simplifies complex ideas so that they can be better understood. A story can bridge the mental maps of 2 or more people and allows the information given to be broken down into more digestible pieces.

2) DepersonalizesIf there is something awkward to be discussed, making your point through the telling of a story can remove you and the customer from the direct impact of this. It allows both parties to remain outside of the issue.

3) Gets AttentionEveryone loves a good story It should be entertaining and to the point in order to grab the customers attention and create a vivid memory. Make the story multi-sensory, invoking sight, sound, feel etc.

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4) Generates EmotionThe story should trigger emotion in the customer (preferably a positive emotion). In a sales conversation, emotion means motivation!

5) Identifies Problems/Overcomes ResistanceStory-telling allows you to read a person’s reactions and determine any potential areas of resistance.

Tip: See structure in your story-telling using the below checklist.

Tip: Draw from real-life experiences like traveling to and from work, customer service or restaurant experi-ences you’ve had in your own life. When telling the story, let the customer fill in the blanks for themselves, allow them to draw the conclusions you want on their own!

The Importance of Remembering NamesMany people today simply accept that they are no good at remembering names but the truth is there are many techniques you can use to improve this. Our memories think in images, not words. If you want to remember someone’s name, you should do this through association and through imagination. The idea is that you use images to associate the person’s name with something or someone you already know very well, and use your imagination to create an image in your mind of this person doing something very unconventional. It is more likely that you will remember their name as you are using association and imagination to build on a pre-existing memory!

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Tip: Be ready to listen when meeting someone new and be prepared to take in the new information. When they introduce themselves, repeat their name back to them. Connect the new person’s name with some-one you already know of the same name. If you do not know anyone with the same name, make a connec-tion in your mind using what the name sounds like. Remember the example given: Susan- SUE’S ANTS. Finally, when leaving repeat the new acquaintance’s name: ‘David, it was nice to meet you!’

Remember: The left and right sides of the brain should both be balanced to create the new memory.

ReframingFraming is a process whereby we use patterns to organise the information we receive each day. It allows us to put things in order in our minds, but we can sometime get stuck on these frames. This is where refram-ing comes in. There are many different types of frame and using the right one at the right time is key.1) Outcome FrameOften, people get into arguments without any real concept of what it is they would actually like the outcome to be. You can diffuse a situation by asking the simple question: ‘What do you want?’2) As If FrameThis involves asking the customer how it would feel if a certain event had already occurred. This forces them to consider how it might look, sound, feel etc. were they to buy a given product.

3) Contrast FrameAsk the customer to assess how something compares as this makes them consider how Product X performs in terms of Product Y.

4) Agreement FrameThis ties in with pacing which we discussed earlier on in the course. Agree with what the customer is saying they need and use this as your reason for suggesting a certain product for their needs specifically.

5) Relevancy Challenge FrameIf you feel that a conversation is losing structure, you can employ this frame by questioning whether or not the issue relates to the desired outcome.

6) Feedback FrameThis helps to focus the conversation and also confirms for the audience that they are being listened to: ‘So, we have decided…’

Next week we will look at Module 6, and consider the importance of Asking Questions.