Tertiary Catalogue

Chapter 1: Ask Questions Ask open questions. Keep control of the interview. Chapter 2: Research The customer. The product. The relationship. Chapter 3: Set Objectives Prepare alternatives. Look for other customers for your products. Look for other products for your customer. Show Less

Chapter 1: Closing the Sale Watch for buying signals. Ask for the order. Then keep your mouth shut. Chapter 2: Explain the Benefits Sell the benefits, not features. Relate the product to the customer's needs. Chapter 3: Meet Objections Objections can be a good sign. Make objections specific. Put them into perspective and give compensating factors. Show Less

Chapter 1: The Dictator Dictators hold strong opinions that you’re not going to change. Encourage them to talk. Don’t interrupt – let them reveal their prejudices. Their vanity can be used to close a sale. Chapter 2: The Ditherer The key to the ditherer is mental laziness – not bothering to plan things or see them through. So organise them. Listen to objections and restate them as positive requirements by saying ‘so what you’re saying is…’. The ditherer will worry about extra effort, so take the effort away from them. Chapter 3: The Ducker Duckers are anxious. They don’t want to take responsibility for making a decision. So test their objections by side stepping them – it will help you uncover any real hidden objections. Use their anxiety and sell them on the risks of not buying. Show Less

Chapter 1: Being a Consultant When you’re selling a service rather than a product, it’s even more important to build confidence and trust with your client. Try to identify their uncertainties, and help remove them through information and advice. Chapter 2: Being a Problem Solver When things aren’t working out, take time and identify the client’s real problem. Then help solve it by providing the means and taking the right action. People always remember good advice, even if it doesn’t lead to an immediate sale. Chapter 3: Being a Business Partner When you’re developing a relationship with a client, identify the mutual benefits arising from the relationship. Look for opportunities to join the client in a long-term professional alliance. Show Less

Chapter 1: Keep Trying Know what you’re going to say when you close – prepare your closes. If your first close fails, use recovery lines to get back on track. Persist by chasing up opportunities, expanding offers and keep the door open to new business. Chapter 2: Think Bigger When closing, be a salesperson, not a collecting agent. Widen your horizons and look for the upsell opportunities. Think of all the positive reasons the client should say yes. Chapter 3: Ask for the Order Try for an early close. It could save your time or teach you more about the customer’s needs. Build an agreement staircase towards closing the deal. Then use silence – let the customer speak first. Show Less

Chapter 1: Three Charms; But Four Alarms. If you don’t have enough arguments to support your case you risk coming across as half-hearted. But too many arguments can actually undermine your success. Remember: three claims will charm, but four can alarm! Chapter 2: Admit Your Weakness Demonstrate trustworthiness by acknowledging a small weakness in your proposal. People are more likely to say ‘Yes’ to those they see as trustworthy and credible. So admit your weakness at the start of your pitch, not at the end. And immediately counter it with your strongest argument. Chapter 3: Get Introduced The way you’re introduced often matters more than the idea you are introducing.Ensure that the people you wish to influence know about your qualifications and experience. But avoid coming across like a boaster by asking a colleague or another customer to introduce you. Chapter 4: Always Ask..."Compared to What?" People rely on comparisons to determine how attractive an option is. What people experience first has an important influence over their evaluation of the next thing they see. Be sure to tell people about the alternatives that are not quite right for them, before making your recommendation. Show Less

Chapter 1: Highlight Similarities First People prefer to be persuaded by people who are like them and who do like them. People are much more likely to say ‘yes’ to people that they share similar backgrounds, experiences and values with. Look for genuine similarities that you share with someone before you attempt to influence them. Chapter 2: Influence through Others When people are unsure what to do they look to those around them to guide their decisions. Be sure to tell prospective customers and colleagues how other people like them have behaved. Have a range of testimonials and use the one that most closely matches the profile of your audience. Chapter 3: Use the Same Language Demonstrate greater understanding by using the same words that the person you want to influence uses. The technique is called ‘parrot-phrasing’ and it helps create feelings of similarity and understanding. Similarity and understanding increases liking and improves your subsequent influence attempts. Show Less

Chapter 1: The Home Team Advantage Negotiating in familiar surroundings can boost your confidence.But negotiating in unfamiliar surroundings (like your opponent’s office) can reduce it. One way to improve your negotiation outcomes is to suggest meeting in a neutral location. Or better still, ask people to come to you. Chapter 2: Turning 'No' into 'Yes' People are more likely to say ‘Yes’ to a smaller request immediately after they have said ‘No’ to a larger one. Make sure your first request is realistic. And make sure your subsequent request is made immediately after the rejection of your first. Chapter 3: Make the First Move All else being equal, those who make the opening offer in a negotiation end up with a better outcome than those who wait. An offer that is given first anchors a negotiation partner to that figure. When making an offer use precise rather than rounded numbers. It makes it seem like you have a strong justification for your offer. Compile a list of reasons why your ideal outcome is justified – in case your opponent beats you to the opening offer. Show Less

Chapter 1: See-Saws and Trade-Offs When you start your negotiation, pitch high. Don’t give anything away without gaining something in return – in other words, trade, don’t concede. When you’re hearing terms, don’t agree to separate parts. Chapter 2: When Things Go Wrong As negotiations come to fruition, avoid threats and ultimatums. Instead, ask what if questions to find alternatives. You’re not looking to win, you’re looking for a fair deal for both sides. Chapter 3: The Groundwork When you’re negotiating, don’t assume, ask. If you have a bottom line conflict, then look for variables. Avoid emotional negotiations – stay neutral, stick to the facts. Finally, before you make a proposal – get the whole list. Show Less

Chapter 1: The Rule of the Rare People want more of the things that seem less attainable. Focus on the features of your offer that are genuinely unique or rare. Limiting the number of options or availability signals scarcity and increases people’s motivation to take action. Chapter 2: Reduce Choice. Increase Influence. People can find the decision-making process too difficult and will often disengage if they are offered too many choices. Although it appears counter-intuitive, you can actually increase your influence by reducing rather than increasing the options you provide. When presenting to people who aren’t experts limit the choices you offer to three or four. Chapter 3: Use Loss Not Gain to Persuade Others People are generally more likely to take actions to avoid losses than they are to accrue gains. Most people find it far more painful to lose £50 than they find it pleasurable to find £50. Always communicate the benefits that your audience will potentially lose if they say no to your proposal – as much as what they stand to gain. Show Less

Chapter 1: Ask 'Who Can I Help?' People feel more obliged to give back to people who have given them something first. Before trying to influence someone ask, “How can I help this person?” You are most powerful after you are thanked for help you have provided. Avoid saying “It’s no big deal”. Instead say “I know you’d do the same for me”. Chapter 2: Ask for Help Requesters’ focus on the economic costs that people will incur if they do say ‘yes’ to them (such as their time and resources). ‘Helpers’ however are much more likely to focus on the social costs of saying ‘no’. As a result we underestimate the likelihood that people will say yes to our requests. Research shows that asking for help doesn’t weaken your power; it actually boosts it. Show Less

Chapter 1: Positive Labelling Research shows that assigning a trait, attitude, or other desirable label to a person can increase the chances they will behave in a way that is consistent with that label. The strategy is most effective if you label someone with a trait or skill that they do in fact have, or would aspire to have. Chapter 2: Be More Human People have a fundamental need to affiliate and connect with others. Increase your influence by using images or stories that individualise the people involved. When promoting new projects and initiatives talk about how they will affect specific people rather than a group. Chapter 3: Look for Likeable Features Consciously look for something you like about a person. Looking for genuinely likeable features and complimenting them can increase cooperation and break barriers. With more difficult people this can repair relationships and get stubborn colleagues onside. Show Less

Chapter 1: Use Ranges to Motivate People When pursuing goals people tend to focus on two things: achievability and challenge. Single number goals (e.g. open 3 new accounts this week) are either achievable, challenging or a compromise in-between. High-low range goals (e.g. open 2 – 4 new accounts this week) engage both achievability and challenge and lead to longer commitment. Chapter 2: People Live Up to What They Write Down It’s human nature to want to live up to the commitments we make, but it’s still hard! Commitments stand the best chance of being lived up to if they are action-orientated and made public. One way to do that is to get agreements in writing and, if possible, share them with others. Chapter 3: Focus on the Small Number People are more motivated to complete a task when they get feedback that focuses on small rather than large numbers. When persuading people to pursue a task or goal providing feedback on whatever is the smaller number – either progress made or effort remaining – is more motivating. For example, “we’re already 20% towards our target” is better than “we’ve 80% left to go.” Show Less

How people behave when dealing with customers or colleagues can determine the success or failure of any interaction. Although we seem capable of coping with considerable change in our domestic lives, at work we often display an inability to adjust to new demands and consequently suffer stress and anxiety. However, simple techniques can be used to help staff to analyse their own behaviour and reactions to change. Chapter 1: The Power of Behaviour. Behaviour breeds behaviour and being helpful gets a positive response. Chapter 2: You Can Choose How to Behave. You can choose your behaviour and how you choose will affect every transaction. Chapter 3: Use Behaviour to Help an Interaction. Use behaviour to help an interaction both verbally; by greeting people and using their names, and visually; by giving attentive looks and gestures. Chapter 4: The Four Stages of Change. Learn about the four stages of change: reject, resist, accept, embrace. Show Less

It’s often said that Customer Service isn’t a department, it’s an attitude. The behaviour of front-line staff defines the reputation of any organisation – big or small – which makes it all the more important to get it right. Help your customer service team develop techniques and solutions to manage customer complaints. Chapter 1: Listening to the Customer. When dealing with a complaint, listen and empathise, don’t sympathise. Allow the customer to talk - don’t get defensive, and summarise your understanding before offering solutions. Chapter 2: Asking the Right Questions. When dealing with complaints, ask open questions to understand the issue and closed questions to confirm a resolution. Don’t let your emotions control you, be polite and remain positive. Chapter 3: Getting to a Solution. Involve the customer in the solution. Ask them what their preferred solution would be, and offer them options. Show Less

Preparation is the single most important part of a successful presentation. Not only will good preparation communicate thoughtfulness about the presentation message and audience, but it will boost the presenter’s confidence. Chapter 1: Preparing to Present. To effectively prepare to present you should know your audience and know what you want to say. Chapter 2: Structuring a Presentation. Structuring a presentation should include the key aspects of position, options and proposal. Chapter 3: Presentation Tips. Learn some fantastic presentation tips to tailor your presentation to the audience. Show Less

Wherever two people get together to do a deal, there's the possibility that at least one will end up feeling cheated, angry or resentful, even though both set out believing that they could achieve a mutually beneficial solution. By identifying and following the main stages of negotiation, and avoiding emotional behaviour, unproductive rows can be circumvented. Chapter 1: Pitching High. Learn the skills to pitch high, trade, and not concede. Chapter 2: Don't Negotiate Separate Parts. Discover how to negotiate the full picture and how to avoid agreeing to separate parts. Chapter 3: Getting a Fair Deal. Learn how to negotiate a fair deal, avoid threats and ultimatums, ask 'what if?' questions, and get a fair deal for both sides. Show Less

It’s often said that Customer Service isn’t a department, it’s an attitude. The behaviour of front-line staff defines the reputation of any organisation – big or small – which makes it all the more important to get it right. Help your customer service team to give your customers a reason to stay loyal post-purchase. Chapter 1: Company and Product Loyalty. To the customer, you are the organisation, so don’t rubbish the company. You are key to building the customer’s faith in the organisation so be proud of where you work and what you do. Chapter 2: Team and Customer Loyalty. You are part of a team, so be loyal to your colleagues - support them and what they do. Be loyal to your customers too, you are not there to judge them and it will help you get the best for them. Show Less

It’s often said that Customer Service isn’t a department, it’s an attitude. The behaviour of front-line staff defines the reputation of any organisation – big or small – which makes it all the more important to get it right. Help your customer service team learn selling skills and techniques. Chapter 1: Discovering Their Needs. Discover the customer’s need. Even they might not be sure what it is. Explore with open questions and discover more about them. Listen and check the facts, you may discover more… and watch out for clues – there might be more services or products you can offer them. Chapter 2: Storytelling. Share positive stories from your customers to bring your products or services to life. Chapter 3: Dealing with Objections. When dealing with customer’s objections, don’t panic - play it cool. Don’t focus on the objection – instead, put it in perspective, or outweigh it with compensating factors. Show Less

We all know you can't manage without meetings and with the impact of technology; many more of them take place online. So how do you run an efficient, effective and productive virtual meeting? The ability to run a good meeting is not a gift, it's a technique. In fact, it is a technique with key elements that apply to face-to-face and virtual meetings. Chapter 1: Meetings - Show You Understand. Show you understand in meetings by listening actively and showing empathy. Chapter 2: Meetings - Work to a Joint Solution. To work to a joint solution you should be assertive, not aggressive. You should ask for other people's ideas, build on them, offer your own ideas, and construct the solution for everyone's needs. Chapter 3: Planning Virtual Meetings. Virtual meetings should be planned, informed and prepared. Chapter 4: Running Virtual Meetings. Hold the sausages! Running virtual meetings should be structured and controlled, include a summary, and encourage further dialogue. Show Less

It’s often said that Customer Service isn’t a department, it’s an attitude. The behaviour of front-line staff defines the reputation of any organisation – big or small – which makes it all the more important to get it right. Help your customer service team to #communicate with customers online. Chapter 1: Email and Web Chat. When emailing and in web chat, you can be more informal that you might in a letter, but don’t take it too far. Check your emails, and respond promptly to those requesting action. Above all, be polite and don’t email when angry! Chapter 2: Social Media and the Customer. When using social media, empathise with customers publically, but take one-to-one discussions away from the public eye. Remember you represent the company, and don’t over promise. Chapter 3: Social Media and You. On social media you’re never fully off duty. Make sure you maintain high personal standards. Don’t be critical of the company, colleagues or customers. Show Less

Most people think they are efficient; but unless they know how to manage their time, it's unlikely they will ever be fully effective. Poor time management can also have a knock-on effect on your colleagues and the team you work with. Chapter 1: Prioritising Your Time. To effectively prioritise your time you must prioritise urgent vs important, plan with deadlines and anticipate problems. Chapter 2: Time Management and Interruptions. It is important to learn how to deal with interruptions decisively, act assertively, limit phone time, and see others as a source of support. Chapter 3: Time Management Tips. Some time management tips include cutting the clutter, doing one task at a time and tackling the difficult tasks first, and being conscious of time. Show Less

Bad management skills can be a costly drain on time and money, causing frustration and stress for everyone concerned. Through use of certain techniques, project leaders can learn how to better manage their team, and so meet the project's objectives. Similarly, quality is one of the most important factors in the success of any organisation. It’s essential, not optional, and it’s something that as customers we all expect from our suppliers. So why is it we often get stuck when we try to deliver total quality to our customers? Chapter 1: Defining a Project. When defining a project you must define the project and team, check you have the necessary skills, and put it on paper. Chapter 2: Planning a Project. To effective plan a project you should write a project plan, allocate resources, set roles and responsibilities, and set milestones. Chapter 3: Implementing a Project. When implementing a project you should keep everyone informed, ensure you don't hide problems, and don't blame - instead correct. Chapter 4: Controlling Quality. To control quality you should define quality, control quality, and communicate quality. Show Less

It’s often said that Customer Service isn’t a department, it’s an attitude. The behaviour of front-line staff defines the reputation of any organisation – big or small – which makes it all the more important to get it right. Help your customer service team to effectively communicate with customers on the phone. Chapter 1: First Impressions on the Phone. When you’re on the phone, answer right away and use a verbal handshake. Smile as you talk, and introduce yourself. Chapter 2: Controlling the Call. Control your call by sticking to a structure, asking open questions when you need to and show that you are listening. Record and repeat information so the caller feels connected. Chapter 3: Agreeing Actions. When closing the call, don’t leave your customer ‘lost at sea’. Agree actions and how they’ll be followed up. Volunteer useful information and agree the next steps. Show Less

You must have plans to run a successful business. There are long term strategic marketing ones, short term sales and production ones, and so on. The critical financial plan is the budget. Even though it is based on forecasts and on sophisticated assumptions and guesses, it is a commitment. When you make a budget, you commit yourself to a plan or standard of performance upon which lots of other commitments depend. Chapter 1: Constructing a Budget. When constructing a budget make sure you set standards, forecase sales and count costs, and be realistic. Chapter 2: Coordinating a Budget. When coordinating a budget you should consult and coordinate with all departments and establish limiting factors. Chapter 3: Controlling a Budget. To control a budget you must review, react and revise. Show Less