What’s the first step of every baking recipe? Preheat the oven. The same is true in selling.Begin by warming up the relationship. That means having the right mindset and being genuinely interested in the other person. People buy from people they know, like, and trust, so approach them with a warm smile, a disarming demeanor, and a sincere desire to serve them.
Research shows that two of the best ways to connect with people are finding something in common and offering something of value. In your initial conversation, look for commonalities. Do you live in the same town?Work out at the same gym? Have kids in the same school? Humans naturally gravitate toward those who share similarities, so discovering common ground strengthens our connections.
What can you offer of value? A free consultation?Booklet?Branded gift? Humans are hardwired to return favors. By doing something kind for them, you’re more likely to get a positive response to your proposal.
Many people think the key to selling is learning how to talk better. The opposite is true. The key to selling is learning how to listen better. Aristotle, the father of influence said,“Nothing is more affirming to the human spirit than being understood. Understanding is the key to influence.”Your goal with every conversation should be to let the person know you understand them. And that starts by asking good questions.
There are two types of questions—tactical and strategic. Tactical questions are narrow and focused, such as “What size? What brand? What’s your budget?” There is a time and a place for tactical questions, but you’ll be more successful if you begin by asking strategic questions. These question stap into a person’s emotional drivers, which is where true motivation lies. Ask questions such as, “If you could wave the magic wand and have the perfect vacation, what would it look like? What do you want to remember most?What are the things you’d like to avoid?”
The single biggest mistake salespeople make is skipping the first two steps—Connect and Understand.Instead, they dive straight into pitching. Pitch. Pitch. Pitch. This approach is a major turnoff and contributes to the negative reputation many salespeople have. When you invest time in the first two steps, however, your prospective customer will see you as a trusted advisor, not just someone pushing a product for a quick sale.
To ensure success, summarize the key points they shared and tailor your product offering accordingly.Most importantly, avoid using the same description each time.Instead, customize your description to align with the insights you gathered in theUnderstand phase.
So, if you want to have your cake and eat it too, follow the lead of the professionals—practice your craft. Hone, refine, and improve your skills.And remember, if you want to boost your sales, use this easy-to-remember recipe: Connect. Understand. Present. Master these steps, and selling will be a piece of cake.
Launching a new product takes a lot of energy—market analysis, product development, gaining approvals, and crafting the marketing plan. So, it’s no surprise that sales training, the final step, often gets overlooked or rushed.
Even if you know the content inside and out, an old PowerPoint likely isn’t tailored for a sales audience. Salespeople need training that speaks to their needs, challenges, and goals—not just a repurposed presentation for a non-sales crowd.
You’ve spent months—perhaps even years—developing the new product, and you’re eager to share it. But don’t assume the sales team feels the same way. For many, this may be their first exposure to the product, and it could disrupt their established way of selling. They may even resent the time spent in training if it feels like more of a chore than a benefit.
Product leaders often get excited about their new offering and want to share every detail with the sales team. But too much information can lead to overwhelm, confusion, and ultimately lost sales.
Telling isn’t training. Salespeople are results-driven and focused on high-impact activities, so their attention can quickly fade during training that doesn’t directly tie to their goals. Simply delivering information won’t build the skills or confidence needed to find prospects and close deals. Sales professionals thrive in training that’s practical, interactive, and grounded in real-world application.
By understanding and mastering the four distinct languages of influence, you’ll become more effective at connecting with others, gaining agreement, and ultimately achieving your goals. The acronym SOLD represents these four key communication styles:
Most of us naturally communicate in our own preferred style, which can feel comfortable and easy. However, the reality is that people with different styles may not respond well to the way we typically communicate. In fact, about 75% of the population may not share your communication preferences.
To truly influence others—whether in professional or personal settings—it’s essential to flex your communication style to match theirs. This doesn’t mean changing who you are, but adapting how you communicate to meet the needs and preferences of the person you’re engaging with. By doing so, you’ll improve relationships, build stronger connections, and increase your chances of gaining approval, influencing decisions, and closing deals.
A strong title creates a sense of mission that people can rally around—and remember.
Examples:
A strong phrase is short, punchy, and instantly conveys the core message, making it easier for people to remember and act on. Create a catchy slogan that drives the point home.
Examples:
Stories are the most powerful form of human communication.
From the earliest days of humanity, our ancestors etched stories on cave walls in pictures, passing down wisdom and experiences through storytelling. We’re hardwired to engage with stories, listening to them from beginning to end. In fact, more parts of the brain are activated when hearing a story than with any other form of communication.
Stories help bring concepts to life and tap into emotions, making them far more impactful than simply stating a message. A story with a clear moral or lesson sticks with people, driving home your point in a way facts alone can’t.
Painting a picture of a brighter tomorrow is a powerful way to inspire and motivate your audience—whether it’s your team, customers, or stakeholders. By showing them a future where challenges are overcome and success is achievable, you ignite hope and drive action. This approach helps your audience connect with the vision and motivates them to take the steps needed to bring it to life.
For example, you might say, “Imagine it’s a year from now—your garden is in full bloom, and the aroma is wafting through your window. You can rest at night knowing your family is secure.”
A strong visual can make your message unforgettable. Here are a few types of visuals that can reinforce your message and leave a lasting impact:
By incorporating these five strategies into your communication, you’ll create messages that resonate with your audience, leave a lasting impression, and drive action. Whether you’re delivering a presentation, launching a new product, or proposing an idea, making your message memorable is key to achieving the results you want. Start using these tactics today to elevate your communication and stand out in a crowded marketplace.
Avoid the mistake of repurposing a PowerPoint deck from your business plan or one used to engage your engineering team. Those were tailored for different audiences and won’t effectively meet your sales team’s needs. Your sales training curriculum must be designed to address the specific needs of your sales team, providing them with the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to achieve revenue targets.
A research study conducted by GrannisGroup, in partnership with the Social Research Lab at the University of Northern Colorado, identifies the key information salespeople need to be successful.
The prioritized list below represents one finding of the study, along with the percentages of respondents who identified each item as essential to their sales training needs. These percentages provide key insights into what salespeople consider most critical for success and indicate where you should focus your training efforts. The higher the percentage, the more vital that information is for ensuring your team is fully prepared to engage customers and close deals effectively.
By investing time now to create a dynamic, comprehensive sales training curriculum, you’ll not only arm your team with the right tools and knowledge but also motivate them to embrace your new offering. Start planning today to ensure your team is ready to hit the ground running, drive results, and meet your revenue targets from day one of the launch.
The solution? Make your SKO presentations interactive, engaging, and focused on the needs of your sales team. Instead of a one-way lecture, encourage two-way communication, use storytelling, incorporate visuals, and provide real-world applications.
Specifically, here are five ways to make your new product training interactive, keep your sales team engaged, and ensures the training sticks:
Divide your sales team into small groups to tackle real-world scenarios or sales simulations. Give them a challenge related to the new product, such as crafting an elevator pitch, writing probing questions, or brainstorming objections and how to overcome them.
Nothing beats real-life practice. Role-playing exercises give your sales team the opportunity to practice selling the new product in a low-risk environment, building confidence and competence.
Sharing success stories from your own sales team can be one of the most powerful tools for engaging the group and reinforcing the new product’s value. Sales reps are more likely to connect with real-life examples from their peers, especially if those stories reflect challenges they can relate to.
Panel discussions are a dynamic way to engage your sales team and dive deeper into the product’s features, selling strategies, and real-world applications. By bringing together key experts—whether from within your company, external subject-matter experts, or customers—you create a forum for open discussion, insight-sharing, and problem-solving.
Introduce elements of competition or rewards to make the learning process fun and engaging. Salespeople are motivated by goals, so creating challenges, quizzes, or competitions with incentives can drive participation and reinforce key concepts.
Training isn’t a one-and-done proposition. Instead, offer multiple sessions over time. Start with brief pre-work, like a short video or article, to introduce key concepts. Then, focus on the must-know content at the SKO, giving your sales team a chance to internalize and practice. After the event, reinforce learning with a job aid (e.g. cheat sheet, summary card), coaching, and opportunities for the team to share success stories and challenges.
By keeping new product training engaging, you’ll boost team motivation, enhance retention, and equip sellers with the confidence to drive conversations that lead to conversions.
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