Sales Questions Are About Creating Engagement
Most successful salespeople would say that asking good questions during a sales call is key to making the sale. If you probed a little deeper, they would probably also say that it's the kind of question and how they ask it that make a question effective. The purpose of asking questions in a sales call is to create meaningful engagement that uncovers a need the customer has, which you can then meet. Well-thought-out questions stimulate an exchange of information, leading both the sales representative and the customer to a better understanding of the customer's needs.
The Advocate Role in Account Selling
Account-based selling that involves multiple decision makers is more complex than selling to just one decision maker. But it still demands one-on-one interactions at essential moments. How do you get them? One key is having an advocate on the account.
Cultivating Positive, Productive, and Professional Opinion Leader Relationships
Establishing positive, productive relationships with opinion leaders is key to bringing value to his or her treatment of patients. MSLs often need to communicate complex information. This is much easier and more effective with a good professional relationship.
Managers, Don’t Forget to Document
Routine documentation is an important part of performance management and coaching. It may seem overwhelming at first, but a few simple processes can help you incorporate regular documentation into your management processes.
Aligning Performance Objectives with Company Objectives
Good training programs are based on performance objectives that concern how people use their learning in their jobs. If training departments fail to link performance objectives with the company’s business objectives, then learners may develop skills, knowledge, and behaviors that don't meet the organization's needs.
Building a Listener-Focused Presentation
MSLs are often asked to present dry technical data to opinion leaders. How can you do this effectively? One way is to adopt a listening mindset, focusing less on what you want to say and more on what they need to understand. This subtle difference creates good knowledge transfer and builds your credibility.
Performance Objectives vs. Learning Objectives
Have you ever seen a learning objective like the following for a training program: “By the end of this program, you will understand . . .”
The Key to Knowledge Transfer: Self-Directed Learning
Malcolm Knowles, one of the fathers of adult learning theory, wrote that "Teaching, like medical practice, is mostly a matter of cooperation with nature. The function of the teacher is to guide the student into the experiences that will enable him to develop his own potentialities."
Why Create a Sales Model?
Selling today is complex: multiple stakeholders all have a say in what to order, how, and when. The landscape requires a strategic, integrated selling approach. A solid sales model can give structure to integrated sales, and make it easier to develop selling skills.
Influencing Skills vs. Selling Skills
For Medical Science Liaisons, selling is taboo. MSLs provide support to health care providers; sales reps convince them to adopt a product. But sometimes MSLs do need to have influence—for instance, to alter an opinion based on incorrect data. The ability to influence others can be vital to an MSL's success.
Three Key Questions for Effective Coaching
Coaching should be simple and intuitive. Managers won't use a complicated coaching process that takes hours to prepare and execute. A simple coaching approach has managers ask themselves three questions. We call it the Coaching Mantra.
Closing for Action
The ABC of selling—"Always Be Closing"—is a very old adage. To succeed in selling, it’s important to take a step back and ask, “What is a good close, and why is closing still important in today’s complex marketplace?”
The Value of Early Action for Declining Performance
If you're a manager long enough, you'll encounter a decline in performance from one of your direct reports. It won't get better on its own—so when you uncover it, take immediate corrective action!
The Power of Behavior-Based Feedback
Feedback is one of the most effective tools you can apply to develop direct reports.
Annual Performance Reviews — Beneficial or Time Wasters?
Completing one big annual performance review usually is a huge waste of time and money.
What’s All the Fuss about Proficiency vs. Growth Assessment?
On January 17, 2017, the Senate confirmation committee asked Betsy DeVos how she would measure student achievement.
Key Principles of Adult Learning
Have you ever sat in a training program and thought, “Wow! This is a huge waste of my time?”
Do You Want Learners to be Fired Up About Training?
The way to combat dull PowerPoint-driven sessions is by knowing, understanding, and mastering your responsibilities as a facilitator of learning.
Why Should You Train Your Trainers?
Whether your trainers have on-the-job experience or are new to the trainer role, it is important to provide them with skills to effectively facilitate learning.
Romar Learning Solutions Celebrates 30 years
This year marks a wonderful milestone for Romar Learning Solutions — our 30th anniversary.
Leadership – A Focus on Management Behaviors
If the goals of leadership are to drive results and create an engaging environment for the team, then the behaviors the leader demonstrates are foundational.
A Stewardship Approach to Leadership
In recent years, leadership has shifted from a “command-and-control” approach to an engagement approach.
Continuing Engagement Development for Managers
Most organizations provide a comprehensive initial new manager development program.
Employee Engagement Development for New Managers
When upper management identifies high-potential candidates for management, it should provide those candidates with a comprehensive preparation program.
Creating an Engaging Community of Managers
The idea that managers play a critical role in creating engaged workforces is not new.