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Sales Training Courses is Important in the Toronto-Waterloo Tech Corridor

In Canada, technology continues to advance and innovate at the speed of light. It has maintained its foothold as one of the top priorities of CEO’s moving through the 21st century. This type of innovation drives global economies.

The Canadian Silicon Valley is located in southern Ontario in what is known as the Toronto-Waterloo Tech Corridor or Innovation Corridor. Waterloo originally became a tech hub back in the 1980s and has expanded upon that reputation over the past 35 years. There are more than 200,000 employees working for about 15,000 tech companies within the Corridor, 5,000 of which are startups within the past three years. It is an impressive growth, but it must continue if Canada hopes to remain on the top wrung with other leading tech hubs around the world.

A substantial amount is contributed by the Innovation Corridor to the country’s GDP. But the question remains what does it take to become one of the world’s true technology superclusters? The Toronto-Waterloo corridor has access to a talented pool of professionals and new graduates from some of the top universities in the world like the University of Waterloo and University of Toronto. But is it enough to meet the demands of a growing regional, national and international economy?

Without argument the talent pool has the technical knowledge and skill, but is there room for soft skills to balance out the technical expertise? Can we soften the product spec sheet with engagement activities to build trust and establish rapport? Instead of leading with our product, what about leading with problem solving? Help your potential buyer acknowledge they have a problem in the first place. Technical sales training courses in Toronto and Waterloo provide the tools to remove the barriers in selling into a technical market which can be very different from selling into any other market.

Whether you are a sales executive, engineer or technician moving into a more commercial role, Communication, much like a muscle needs to continuously be worked. Many barriers in the sales process arise due to lack of clarity in communication both internally and externally.

Specific issues of technical sales are also addressed:

Leading with product vs problem solving

Unique approaches around collaboration and consensus-based decision making

Delivering your message to address the different needs and priorities of clients.

Identify communication barriers around jargon. Specs     list & relevance

Improve skills to broaden your customer base and achieve deeper customer loyalty and more business.

Is Emotional Intelligence on your list of Qualities Technical Sales Professionals should possess?

Soft skills produced hard results. How do you make your customers truly feel heard? Do you show up with a genuine and authentic approach to learning about them? Curiosity is important. Being genuinely curious shows your interest and allows your buyer to organically open up and respond to your questions. Lead from a place of serving vs self.

Empathy is critical, it shows your customer you understand where they are coming from and perhaps you have been in a similar situation. You are compassionate to their position.

Finding common ground makes them feel like they are not on their own, this could help them move forward vs reluctantly holding back.

As a sales person, self-awareness is important. How are you showing up? Are you in the right mindset, what are your words saying about you? Is your body language open or closed? The way you perceive yourself could be very different from the way you are being perceived by your customers.

Check in with yourself and make sure you are present, positive and in the right mindset prior to engaging with your potential buyer.

After a call do you do a reflective exercise? What went well, what didn’t, how could you improve? Did you get an unexpected reaction from your client? If so, what were you giving off, what generated this? Tone, body language,     lack of engagement, etc.

Only when you are aware of what you are doing or saying can you make the changes to correct it.

Take a consultative approach, understand buyer motivations and acquire the tools to respond accordingly to the real underlying message.

K2 Performance Consulting’s sales courses in Toronto and Waterloo:

Foundation Sales Course (2 days)- This training program is for new sales professional, Inside sales, Account manager, small business owner, project manager or someone looking to move in to a direct sales role.

Advanced Sales Course (2 days)- This program is for Experienced Sales Professionals, Key Account Manager, Inside sales, Account Executive, Technical Sales Rep, Technical support, Clinical Specialist.

Sales Management Program- This program is for existing sales managers looking to sharpen their skills- learn new tools to immediately put in to practice. You have taken on a supervisory/ management role and would like a better grasp of what is expected of you as a leader.

Get insight into the issues and barriers to selling into the technical industry. You will leave with the skills to support activities such as:

Planning- setting goals, objectives and targets; devising the best strategies to grow your existing business and break through barriers with new business.

Prospecting- Define your Ideal Customer     Profile, follow a blended approach using creative touch points to engage your prospect.

Account Management- Building and growing a solid and balanced customer base.

Providing Operational Insights- Grabbing attention or building value to differentiate yourself and gain the commitment to get on their schedule.

Presenting- Pitching to converse, controlling the room and gaining group consensus.

Negotiating- Know your worth, make concessions vs folding on price.

Closing- Gain the necessary commitments and close naturally and pressure free.

Sign up for the sales training courses in Toronto and Waterloo at K2 Performance Consulting.

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Sales Negotiation Tips from Sales Trainers in Toronto for Gaining Success

Sales professionals could take a page from Kenny Rogers hit, The Gambler. “Know when to hold them and know when to fold them.” Hands down, sales professionals cave too quickly when the conversation comes to lowering price. It is the buyer’s job to ask this question, this is how they get paid. It is your job to understand the motivation behind it. Many times, they are open to other options than a lower price, but we clam up at the thought of asking. Offer concessions instead, such as longer terms, flexible financial options, lease options, work around their fiscal year end. Free shipping /installation / printing of workbooks etc. Three are so many ways to get creative and avoid eroding your margin. Find an agreeable way to split value, not price.

The most important part of negotiation is the Preparation. When conversations get heated and emotions are charged you need to have done your homework to avoid shooting from the hip…and losing. Fully understand your worth, what is the return your solution will provide for your client. Finally, when all is said and done, what is your walk away point?

When you cave too quickly you are sending a message to your buyer of inexperience and amateur. They are looking to “go a few rounds” before anyone gets knocked out, that shouldn’t actually happen. This is part of the process, you are testing each other, understanding motivations and getting a sense of what else is important to them. Just like discovery you are getting them talking more and bit by bit they are sharing their rationale, potentially giving nuggets away. The more they have to explain themselves, the more likely they will talk themselves into giving you something more.

In advance of the negotiation we need to be in the right mind set from our perspective but also from our client’s perspective. As important as it is to have your list of wants & avoids, you have to anticipate their lists of wants & avoids too. Having these list helps keep you on track and to be more strategic, this gives you insights as to where their requests are coming from.

Finally, what is your walk away point? The hope is this is not the only opportunity in your pipeline, and you are forced to sign a non-profitable deal. Most parties want to achieve a win – win and don’t want to see someone leave, so they are motivated to come to an agreement. However, if you are not getting what you need or having to give too much then maybe it is time to walk and find another client more aligned with the value you and your solution provide.

Example Questions for a Negotiation. (Keep your questions Open ended)

What are your goals by the end of this meeting?

Would you explain the reasons for your position?

Why is that important to you? (Get to the underlying issues/concerns)

Suppose I agree to that…

Which aspects of the proposal do you have concerns with? (Don’t assume it’s the whole proposal)

Is there anything else I should know? (Force transparency)

Sales training courses in Toronto like K2’s Negotiation courses provide the tools to negotiate effectively.

Sales Negotiation Rules:

According to a new study, 55% of leaders at companies do not believe their sellers have the negotiation skills needed to consistently win new business. Effective sales negotiation rules to follow:

1.   Ask questions, Probing and Clarifying. Be curious

2.   Keep conversation within scope

3.   Do not make up “facts”

4.   If you are going around in circles, Take a break

Invest in your sales team. Choose from the sales courses in Toronto from K2 Performance Consulting. Gain the techniques to negotiate effectively and avoid dropping your price. Get the outcomes you desire, the margins you deserve and strengthen your partnership during the process.

Our Courses:

Foundation Sales Course (2 Day)- This course is for new sales professionals, account managers, entrepreneurs, small business owners, project managers.

1.   Develop your brand/Personal style

2.   Incorporate Adult Principles of Learning

3.   Account Management: Develop Strategic Territory Goals

4.   Effectively Manage Sales Funnel

5.   Lean selling

6.   Scheduled prospecting

7.   Consultative sales

8.   Improve Emotional Intelligence

9.   Negotiation skills

10. Overcoming Objections

Advanced Sales Course (2 days)- This course is for experienced sales professionals, key account managers, inside sales, account executives, technical sales rep, technical support, clinical specialists.

Sales Management Program - This course is for existing sales managers looking to sharpen their skills and develop new tools to immediately put in to practice. This is also designed for individuals who have taken on a supervisory/ management role and would like a better grasp of what is expected from them in a leadership role. At the end of the course, you will have the confidence and tools to effectively coach and lead your team of diverse individuals. This program equips sales managers with the tools to effectively lead their team, keep them motivated and hold them accountable so they are consistently exceeding their targets.

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Sales Training in Toronto is Integral to a Company’s Success

In an extremely competitive business environment, having any advantage over the competition is critical. One major tool to help achieve this is a strong sales team. The experience the salesperson provides in a B2B environment is a key factor influencing your prospects buying decision. A huge amount is invested in sales training and improvement in CANADA which supports the need and stresses the importance that organizations make the right training investments to support their sales teams.

A well-trained sales team has the knowledge and skills to introduce new opportunities into the pipeline. Identifying qualified leads vs interested buyers is the first step that needs to be error proof. Unqualified leads result in spinning your wheels in many directions while going nowhere. Chasing prospects not ready to buy, no budget allocation or not willing to address the need to change. All of this takes your focus off of those who are ready. K2 Sales training courses in Toronto can help you fill your sales pipeline with qualified leads.

How to strengthen your sales team by using these sales training insights:

The best way to gain loyal customers is through F2F ( face to face)     connections. When you manage to get that first meeting, how are you interacting with your prospect?  How are you building trust quickly to demonstrate you have the skills required to solve their challenges? How are you showing them you can support them through the change process and that you will deliver on the outcomes you committed to. Customers are demanding smarter sales experiences. We need to do more than just “show up. We need to provide the expert skills,     insights and value they are seeking.

As a salesperson, understanding your audience’s challenges, wants and needs is essential. However, what if they don’t’ believe they have any challenges? Motivating them to change to your solution is impossible until you confirm that the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change. How are your helping them see the risks and threats of doing things the same as they are now? How are you competing with status quo? Only when they agree there is a better way of doing things than they are doing now are they open to explore potential solutions.

 Effective Communication skills are key in all customer interactions. Are you able to clearly articulate the challenges your prospect has and the value your solution provides? Do you practice active listening? Are you listening to understand or to respond and show them how much you know about your product? You could be missing out on valuable information they are willing to share with you.

As a salesperson, you are a direct reflection on your company. Continued success requires you to invest in your most valued property, Your People. You can easily give your company the competitive edge over the competition with continued education. Equip your sales team with the right tools so they can Attract through insights, Convert with emotion and Sell with conviction.

Corporate sales training in Toronto at the acclaimed K2 Performance Consulting teaches salespeople a proven methodology that is repeatable to ensure ongoing success.

Why Choose Toronto’s K2 Performance Consulting:

Effective communication skills successfully connect people and processes and are critical for useful for business professionals. We teach sales professionals how to recognize what techniques and strategies are required to yield the returns you require.

Our customized sales programs address common sales challenges and more. It will give you the confidence and skills to add value, insights and expertise to be the trusted advisor your customers are looking for.

Sign up for a sales training program that will give you practical, relevant tools that can be used immediately. Break down the barriers in a competitive landscape and separate yourself from the noise.

Get in touch with K2 Performance Consulting to set up an appointment for a No Charge Sales Assessment which will help you determine where you are and where you need to be.