The Luxury Of Choice - Sales Skills Podcast

In this episode, Steve and Pru discuss the topic of closing in sales. They define closing as the final step of the sales process where the customer agrees to place an order. However, they also emphasize that closing is not just about getting the order, but also about getting commitment to the next step in the sales process. They discuss the importance of always having a next step and continually seeking commitment from the customer. They also explore the reasons why salespeople sometimes fail to ask for the next step, such as fear of rejection or appearing too salesy. They provide tips for effective closing, including using a summary close and being authentic in your approach. They also caution against talking yourself out of a sale after the customer has already said yes. Overall, they stress the importance of clear communication and agreement on the next steps in the sales process.

• Closing the sale is the final step of the sales process where the customer agrees to place an order.
• Closing is not just about getting the order, but also about getting commitment to the next step in the sales process.
• Always have a next step and continually seek commitment from the customer.
• Fear of rejection or appearing too salesy can prevent salespeople from asking for the next step.
• Use a summary close to recap the customer's agreement and ask for their commitment.
• Be authentic in your approach and use your own words when closing.
• Avoid talking yourself out of a sale after the customer has already said yes.
• Clear communication and agreement on the next steps are crucial in the sales process

Steve Vaughan, Jonathan Cooper, Pru Layton, Christian Walter, Pascal le Floche,  Jayne Green  and Jonathan Slasinski are Sales Trainers from george james ltd.  You can email the show at:  [email protected]

 The trainers on LinkedIn:

 Steve Vaughan https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-vaughan-salestrainer/
Jonathan Cooper https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-cooper-18716b1/
Pru Layton https://www.linkedin.com/in/pru-layton-b46a3528/
Christian Walter https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-walter-a1857b1/
Jayne Green https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayne-green-salestrainer/
Pascal Le Floch-Riche https://www.linkedin.com/in/pascal-le-floch-220ba46/

Jonathan Slasinski https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-slasinski-449a655/

george james training website https://georgejames-training.com/

In this interview episode, Steve chats to Samuel Issacs. Sam is the Head of Marketing at Niox. He discusses the impact of digital marketing on the medical devices industry and the importance of internal marketing. He shares insights on marketing strategies, the role of passion in marketing, and the use of LinkedIn for marketing activities. The conversation covers the use of digital marketing, particularly on LinkedIn, for medical device companies. It explores the challenges and opportunities of marketing in a regulated industry, the importance of compliance, and the use of digital tools like augmented reality to enhance customer experience. The conversation also emphasizes the significance of website optimization and customer feedback in digital marketing strategies.

Takeaways

• The impact of digital marketing on the medical devices industry
• The importance of internal marketing and transparency in marketing decisions
• The role of passion in marketing and its impact on customer engagement
• The use of LinkedIn for marketing activities and compliance with medical device regulations Marketing in regulated industries like medical devices requires careful consideration of compliance and regulations.
• Digital tools like LinkedIn and augmented reality can be used to reach and engage target audiences effectively.
• Website optimization and customer feedback are crucial for successful digital marketing strategies.

Sam Isaacs on LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/samisaacscreative/

Steve Vaughan, Jonathan Cooper, Pru Layton, Christian Walter, Pascal le Floche,  Jayne Green  and Jonathan Slasinski are Sales Trainers from george james ltd.  You can email the show at:  [email protected]

 The trainers on LinkedIn:

 Steve Vaughan https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-vaughan-salestrainer/
Jonathan Cooper https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-cooper-18716b1/
Pru Layton https://www.linkedin.com/in/pru-layton-b46a3528/
Christian Walter https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-walter-a1857b1/
Jayne Green https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayne-green-salestrainer/
Pascal Le Floch-Riche https://www.linkedin.com/in/pascal-le-floch-220ba46/

Jonathan Slasinski https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-slasinski-449a655/

george james training website https://georgejames-training.com/

In this episode, Steve, Pru and Jonathan discuss customer objections in the sales process.  They define customer objections as concerns or disagreements raised by customers that can halt the sales process. They explore the reasons why customers raise objections, including misunderstandings, competitor influence, biased opinions, and the need for certainty before making a decision. The hosts emphasize the importance of clear communication and understanding customer perspectives. In this conversation, the team discuss the importance of understanding customer objections and concerns in the sales process. They emphasize that objections are actually good news because they indicate customer interest and provide an opportunity to address any doubts or uncertainties. They also highlight the distinction between real objections, which are genuine roadblocks, and false objections, which can be overcome or minimized. The hosts stress the need for salespeople to actively seek out objections early in the sales process and to ask probing questions to fully understand the customer's concerns. They also touch on the topic of price as a common false objection and the importance of handling objections with patience and empathy.

Takeaways

• Customer objections are concerns or disagreements raised by customers that can halt the sales process.
• Objections can arise due to misunderstandings, competitor influence, biased opinions, and the need for certainty before making a decision.
• Clear communication and understanding customer perspectives are crucial in addressing objections.
• Objections can be seen as opportunities and buying signals rather than obstacles. Objections are good news in the sales process as they indicate customer interest and provide an opportunity to address concerns.
• Salespeople should actively seek out objections early in the sales process and ask probing questions to fully understand the customer's concerns.
• There is a distinction between real objections, which are genuine roadblocks, and false objections, which can be overcome or minimized.
• Price is often a false objection, and salespeople should seek to understand the underlying reasons behind the objection.
• Handling objections requires patience, empathy, and a focus on seeking to understand the customer's perspective.

Steve Vaughan, Jonathan Cooper, Pru Layton, Christian Walter, Pascal le Floche,  Jayne Green  and Jonathan Slasinski are Sales Trainers from george james ltd.  You can email the show at:  [email protected]

 The trainers on LinkedIn:

 Steve Vaughan https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-vaughan-salestrainer/
Jonathan Cooper https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-cooper-18716b1/
Pru Layton https://www.linkedin.com/in/pru-layton-b46a3528/
Christian Walter https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-walter-a1857b1/
Jayne Green https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayne-green-salestrainer/
Pascal Le Floch-Riche https://www.linkedin.com/in/pascal-le-floch-220ba46/

Jonathan Slasinski https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-slasinski-449a655/

george james training website https://georgejames-training.com/

In this episode, Steve Vaughan interviews Joe Keeler, the Managing Director of Belbin Ltd. They discuss the concept of Belbin team roles and how they can help teams work better together. The Belbin team roles theory originated from research conducted at Henley Business School in the 1960s and has since been applied in various industries. The theory identifies nine distinct clusters of behavior that are crucial for team performance. Each team member has a preferred team role, and understanding these roles can help teams identify gaps and optimize their performance. Belbin is a tool that helps teams understand their strengths and weaknesses by identifying nine different team roles. These roles include the Resource Investigator, Team Worker, Coordinator, Shaper, Implementer, Completer Finisher, Plant, Monitor Evaluator, and Specialist. Each role has its own unique characteristics and contributions to the team. Belbin can be used in various contexts, including team building, recruitment, and sales. It helps individuals become more self-aware and understand their impact on others. The future of Belbin lies in promoting the importance of teamwork and celebrating diversity within teams.

Key Takeaways:

• Belbin team roles theory originated from research conducted at Henley Business School in the 1960s.
• There are nine distinct clusters of behavior that are crucial for team performance.
• Each team member has a preferred team role, and understanding these roles can help teams identify gaps and optimize their performance.
• Managers should be realistic and recognize the strengths of each team member to effectively manage and get the most out of their team. Belbin helps teams understand their strengths and weaknesses through nine different team roles.
• It promotes self-awareness and helps individuals understand their impact on others.
• Belbin can be used in team building, recruitment, and sales strategies.
• The future of Belbin lies in promoting the importance of teamwork and celebrating diversity within teams.

Steve Vaughan, Jonathan Cooper, Pru Layton, Christian Walter, Pascal le Floche,  Jayne Green  and Jonathan Slasinski are Sales Trainers from george james ltd.  You can email the show at:  [email protected]

 The trainers on LinkedIn:

 Steve Vaughan https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-vaughan-salestrainer/
Jonathan Cooper https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-cooper-18716b1/
Pru Layton https://www.linkedin.com/in/pru-layton-b46a3528/
Christian Walter https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-walter-a1857b1/
Jayne Green https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayne-green-salestrainer/
Pascal Le Floch-Riche https://www.linkedin.com/in/pascal-le-floch-220ba46/

Jonathan Slasinski https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-slasinski-449a655/

george james training website https://georgejames-training.com/

In this second of a two part series on effective negotiations, Steve, Pru and Jonathan discuss the practical aspects of negotiating with a professional purchaser.  They talk about how to achieve a win:win, how to effectively trade, seeking agreement, why you can enjoy a negotiation, why you shoudn't offer percentage discounts, and why the purchaser can be your best ally in the account! 

Steve Vaughan, Jonathan Cooper, Pru Layton, Christian Walter, Pascal le Floche,  Jayne Green  and Jonathan Slasinski are Sales Trainers from george james ltd.  You can email the show at:  [email protected]

 The trainers on LinkedIn:

 Steve Vaughan https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-vaughan-salestrainer/
Jonathan Cooper https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-cooper-18716b1/
Pru Layton https://www.linkedin.com/in/pru-layton-b46a3528/
Christian Walter https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-walter-a1857b1/
Jayne Green https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayne-green-salestrainer/
Pascal Le Floch-Riche https://www.linkedin.com/in/pascal-le-floch-220ba46/

Jonathan Slasinski https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-slasinski-449a655/

george james training website https://georgejames-training.com/

In this episode, Steve's guest is Manel Berga.  Manel is responsible for lead generation and lead management for Novonesis, with a particular focus on using LinkedIn to find, nurture and actively manage prospects using LinkedIn. Steve and Manel discuss how sales people can proactively identify and reach out to potential customers successfully and effectively using social selling, specifically LinkedIn

Manel Berga on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/manelberga/

Seth Godin book on Permissive Marketing here 

Steve Vaughan, Jonathan Cooper, Pru Layton, Christian Walter, Pascal le Floche,  Jayne Green  and Jonathan Slasinski are Sales Trainers from george james ltd.  You can email the show at:  [email protected]

 The trainers on LinkedIn:

 Steve Vaughan https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-vaughan-salestrainer/
Jonathan Cooper https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-cooper-18716b1/
Pru Layton https://www.linkedin.com/in/pru-layton-b46a3528/
Christian Walter https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-walter-a1857b1/
Jayne Green https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayne-green-salestrainer/
Pascal Le Floch-Riche https://www.linkedin.com/in/pascal-le-floch-220ba46/

Jonathan Slasinski https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-slasinski-449a655/

george james training website https://georgejames-training.com/

In this first of a two part series, Steve, Pru and Jonathan look at what are the key steps in planning and preparation for an effective negotiation. They discuss, amongst other topics: 

• What is a Win/Win
• Knowing your position before starting the negotiation
• Who should be on the team
• Should you take your boss
• Why you should look forward to a negotiation 

The 2nd part of this series will cover the actual negotiation on the day. 

Steve Vaughan, Jonathan Cooper, Pru Layton, Christian Walter, Pascal le Floche,  Jayne Green  and Jonathan Slasinski are Sales Trainers from george james ltd.  You can email the show at:  [email protected]

 The trainers on LinkedIn:

 Steve Vaughan https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-vaughan-salestrainer/
Jonathan Cooper https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-cooper-18716b1/
Pru Layton https://www.linkedin.com/in/pru-layton-b46a3528/
Christian Walter https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-walter-a1857b1/
Jayne Green https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayne-green-salestrainer/
Pascal Le Floch-Riche https://www.linkedin.com/in/pascal-le-floch-220ba46/

Jonathan Slasinski https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-slasinski-449a655/

george james training website https://georgejames-training.com/

In this Luxury of Choice interview episode, Steve meets Jiteen Ahmed. Jiteen is Head of Technical Services in the colleague of Health and Life Sciences at Aston University, UK. He is also chair of the Southern Universities Purchasing Consortium. In a wide ranging discussion, Jiteen and Steve discuss :

• Why suppliers to UK universities MUST have a sustainability policy
• The importance of framework agreements in scientific purchasing 
• Why salespeople should engage early with purchasing department when working on a new project
• The importance of understanding the various stakeholders when working on an opportunity at a university,  and why the technician is your best friend
• Why purchasing are not the enemy!

Jiteen Ahmed's LinkedIn page : https://www.linkedin.com/in/jiteenahmed/

Steve Vaughan, Jonathan Cooper, Pru Layton, Christian Walter, Pascal le Floche,  Jayne Green  and Jonathan Slasinski are Sales Trainers from george james ltd.  You can email the show at:  [email protected]

 The trainers on LinkedIn:

 Steve Vaughan https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-vaughan-salestrainer/
Jonathan Cooper https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-cooper-18716b1/
Pru Layton https://www.linkedin.com/in/pru-layton-b46a3528/
Christian Walter https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-walter-a1857b1/
Jayne Green https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayne-green-salestrainer/
Pascal Le Floch-Riche https://www.linkedin.com/in/pascal-le-floch-220ba46/

Jonathan Slasinski https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-slasinski-449a655/

george james training website https://georgejames-training.com/

In technical sales, at some stage in the sales process we have to engage with ultimate decision makers. Often senior people in the account, they are unlikely to want to have technical conversations; instead they will want to know about return on investment Investment, any pereceived risk,  and how any purchase would fit into the organisation's strategic goals.  In this episode Steve, Pru and Jonathan discuss:

• How to identify and make contact with key decision makers
• How to prepare for any meeting with them
• How to find our about the account's strategic direction
• Why you need a sponsor to help you reach key senior people
• Why we should always aim high in our customers organisation. 

Steve Vaughan, Jonathan Cooper, Pru Layton, Christian Walter, Pascal le Floche,  Jayne Green  and Jonathan Slasinski are Sales Trainers from george james ltd.  You can email the show at:  [email protected]

 The trainers on LinkedIn:

 Steve Vaughan https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-vaughan-salestrainer/
Jonathan Cooper https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-cooper-18716b1/
Pru Layton https://www.linkedin.com/in/pru-layton-b46a3528/
Christian Walter https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-walter-a1857b1/
Jayne Green https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayne-green-salestrainer/
Pascal Le Floch-Riche https://www.linkedin.com/in/pascal-le-floch-220ba46/

Jonathan Slasinski https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-slasinski-449a655/

george james training website https://georgejames-training.com/

In this Luxury of Choice Interview show, Steve talks to Anthony Stears, The Telephone Assassin. Anthony is a leading expert on Telephone Engagement, specialising in helping businesses to improve customer service and sales results via the telephone.  They discuss:

• How to get more appointments using the phone
• What are the " 3P's" of proactive telephone use
• The importance of preparation and research before picking up the phone
• How to handle voicemail. 
• What cold calling still can be effective

Anthony is based in Berkshire, UK, and delivers training to technical sales teams in markets such as pharma, software, banking and IT. He is also an accomplished public speaker. 
Anthony's website : https://www.anthonystears.co.uk/
Anthony's LinkedIn page : https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-stears/

Steve Vaughan, Jonathan Cooper, Pru Layton, Christian Walter, Pascal le Floche,  Jayne Green  and Jonathan Slasinski are Sales Trainers from george james ltd.  You can email the show at:  [email protected]

 The trainers on LinkedIn:

 Steve Vaughan https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-vaughan-salestrainer/
Jonathan Cooper https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-cooper-18716b1/
Pru Layton https://www.linkedin.com/in/pru-layton-b46a3528/
Christian Walter https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-walter-a1857b1/
Jayne Green https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayne-green-salestrainer/
Pascal Le Floch-Riche https://www.linkedin.com/in/pascal-le-floch-220ba46/

Jonathan Slasinski https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-slasinski-449a655/

george james training website https://georgejames-training.com/