How I got Stumped in 30 seconds: My First Role Play Ever
So we’re waiting to be let into the big chief’s office. It’s a new prospect that found us by clicking on our Google Adwords link. I have a new sales guy with me. He has watched me do this pitch a couple of times. I’ve given him training on the seven steps of the sales process, building rapport, exposing the problem etc. Today it is his turn.
We get ushered into the office and my sales guy immediately notices some photos on the wall with the client posing with some large fish in his arms. The sales guy latches onto that and starts asking the potential client about his hobby and they share a couple of fishing stories. Off to a good start. Building rapport.
Next step - identifying the problem.
The sales guy asks the prospect about his I.T. issues and the client mentions they had a huge virus outbreak which paralyzed the company for a week.
Instead of making a note and going on to the next set of issues, this guy starts waxing lyrical about our products and services and how something like that would never happen if he was using our services.
After about 5 minutes I kick him on the shin and smile pleasantly at the potential new client. “So what other issues are you facing, Mr prospect?”
You see, the sales process is just that - a process. There is a right way and a wrong way of doing it. And it could be quite difficult to master.
Learning new skills
There are a couple of ways of learning a new skill:
1. Watch someone else do it
2. Read the theory
3. Do it yourself and learn by trial and error - you’ll get it in a couple of months
4. Role play
The quickest way of learning is by doing something yourself. But in a real-life sales situation you do not want to jeopardize your chances of landing the deal, it costs a lot to get new leads!
So the next-best option is to role-play the entire process. Kind of like learning by doing something yourself, but without the risks of losing a potential client.
It feels uncomfortable at first - but you soon get the hang of it. I’ve found that if you record the first role playing session you can always go back and make notes. In the following video, Ronald and I role play the process of discussing the Managed Services agreement with a new client.
Did you see how he stumps me immediately on a simple question that I’d never even thought of: “What if I sign a 2 year agreement and not a one year agreement? What benefit do I get out of that?”
Well today I have my answer prepared. “Easy, you get a 10% discount on the agreement for the entire period of the agreement.”
If a sales person cannot convince me to buy a product during our role playing sessions, if he cannot answer all the questions I throw at him and handle my objections in an amicable way, he needs to role play some more.
Just my 2 cents. Now role play your way to success!
Original Article Posted at http://www.msppractice.com/
