Sells Steps for Educators
Simple guidelines for Educators who want to increase enrollment.
By Kordell Norton, copyright 2007, all rights reserved
If you are normal, you look forward to selling with as much anticipation as getting a root canal. You know your customers are turned off by most “sales” tactics. But because they are human, they respond to honest, sincere, authentic persuasion.
Since most of you have been teachers, you have a unique ability to persuade. Can you say . . . “Trust in the force Luke”
Step One: Get the buyer’s attention.
Begin with a simple greeting, customary pleasantries and a statement of purpose for your meeting. Don’t jump into a monolog of information. This is where you ask about the customer’s needs.
I was working with one school some weeks back and we were talking about the conversation nature of the sale. That there some subjects that naturally flow in the conversation. For example I suggested they ask the customer for their training planning spreadsheet.
“What is that?” came the reply.
“A lot of organizations have a spreadsheet that shows their employee groups and the training they have taken or training they want to put in place in the near future” I answered.
“You’re kidding” she said “and they just give it to you?”
“Well, not really. Most likely you will need to ask to see it. But if they don’t have one, I suggest you use that as an opportunity to work together creating one”.
Step Two: Get their interest
How do we get another’s interest? Talk about those things that are important to them. Disraeli said, “Talk to man about himself and he will talk for hours.” What results are they looking for? What are the emotional issues for them as an organization? Are there new initiatives that they are looking at? What has the attention of the executives? Dig for additional insights and information. It is not about you, it is about them.
Important point!!!!! Before you go to step 3 ask this question.
“What would be the value to the organization and to you, if we could solve this problem?”
Practices saying this question before you make the sales call. It gets to their emotional core. Remember it is emotions that move people to action, long before logic arrives.
Step Three: The solutions to their problems
Once you know where they are headed, you can start addressing their issues. They don’t care about the details of your offerings. They DO however care about the benefits that they will receive as a result of your offerings. One you know what their issues are you can then share your benefits with enthusiasm and conviction. They will feel the excitement that you have about being to help them.
Step Four: Call-to-action
Every great teacher or salesman has a great Call-to-action. The finish. At this point you want to get commitment out of them, whether it is to look at a proposal or even close the sale.
Selling is still a very personal thing. People still prefer to do business with friends. And friends do the very natural things that occur in these four steps. It is a process that all teachers have done many times before. Teaching and selling or both from the same world of persuasion.
About Kordell Norton - The Top Line Guy
Your organization has a strong interest in the "top line" for growth. As a consultant, speaker, author, Kordell Norton works with corporate, association, education and government organizations who want to focus on branding, sales, marketing, strategic planning/leadership, team building, and customer service.
Kordell was an executive with several multi-billion dollar corporations with executive suite positions in sales, HR, marketing and call centers. As a certified Graphic Facilitator, he uses highly visual processes, along with humor, and entertaining methods for powerful, high energy presentations.
Author of Throwing Gas on the Fire - creating drastic change in Sales and Marketing
He can be reached at (330) 405-1950 or at kordell@kordellnorton.com or at his website - www.KordellNorton.com