Want to get more clients for you consulting services?
With the help of Stanis Benjamin, we have designed a series of training activities to help the participants to master these steps in the sales process:
1. Prospecting potential clients
2. Making a sales presentation
3. Handling client’s objections
4. Closing the sale
Synopsis
Each participant writes a list of ideas for making a prospecting call. Pairs of participants consolidate their lists of ideas. Participants organize themselves into teams and once again consolidate their ideas. Each team receives a list of prospecting ideas prepared by a panel of master sales people. Team members compare this list with the team’s list and select five important ideas for a prospecting call.
Purpose
To prepare and conduct an effective telephone call for prospecting a potential client for consulting services.
Participants
Any number, divided into triads.
Time
15 – 20 minutes
Supplies
Paper and pencil
Timer
Whistle
Paper and pencil
Handout
How To Improve Your Prospecting Calls
Flow
Individual assignment. Explain the function of making prospecting calls for selling consulting services. Distribute copies of the handout to each participant. Ask the participants to study the ideas and come up with more ideas for a prospecting call. Announce a 3-minute time limit.
Prepare for a presentation. At the end of 3 minutes, ask the participants to spend a few minutes to get ready to participate in a roleplayed telephone conversation to make their prospecting call.
Organize triads. Ask participants to get into groups of three.
Assign roles. In each group of three, ask one person to play the role of the Evaluator. The person on the evaluator’s right side becomes a client and the other person plays the role of a consultant
Explain the scenario. Ask the client and the consultant to stand back to back (to better reflect the lack of visual feedback during a telephone call). Instruct the consultant to make a prospecting call to the to the client. The consultant’s goal is to obtain useful information related to selling their consulting services. During the roleplay, the client asks appropriate questions for clarification.
Start the first round. Announce a 3-minute time limit for the consultant to make their prospecting call. Encourage the client to ask realistic questions to better understand the consulting services.
Conduct the critique sessions. After 3 minutes of the roleplayed telephone conversation, ask the evaluator to comment on the strengths and weaknesses in the consultant’s pitch. The consultant listens to the critique and takes notes on how they would revise the next call. Following the evaluator’s feedback, ask the client provides additional feedback for improving the call. Finally, ask the consultant to comment on their second thoughts on improving the call.
Repeat the process. At the end of about 3 minutes, ask the participants to switch their roles. The client becomes the consultant during the next round. The consultant becomes the new evaluator, and the third person plays the role of the client. Ask the three participants to repeat the roleplay activity as before.
Conclude the activity. Conduct the third and final round of the roleplay. Ask the participants to note down ideas for improving future prospecting calls.
Handout
How To Improve Your Prospecting Call
1. Use the prospecting call to identify, reach, establish rapport, and qualify new clients.
2. Treat your prospect database the way you would treat your bank account: Make regular deposits to offset withdrawals.
3. Without rushing your prospecting calls, try to keep them no longer than 7 minutes. This will give you an opportunity to make more calls.
4. Prepare a list of open-ended questions that uncover your prospect’s goals, needs, budgets, timelines, and anything else that you need to know to ensure a good business match. Store these questions on your electronic device. Review them frequently before and during your prospecting call.
5. Increase your visibility through articles, special reports, interviews, and professional presentations.