Sales tips, leadership communication skills insight and more from Steve Giglio, sales training professional for more than 25 years.
My leadership development clients are often in position to make recommendations. I tell them that delivering a client recommendation is all about taking a stand and presenting your idea declaratively, no matter what.
Some executives feel that being too declarative is arrogant. I disagree.
Clients often ask me how to establish control of a client meeting to preempt the meeting from turning into Meet The Press or the Spanish Inquisition. I say take a breath, smile and then try this.
At the start of the meeting, after one piece of small talk, present the three to four points to your agenda for the meeting. Then articulate the two to three benefits of the meeting from this agenda that your client will realize. Close the conversation by stating what time it is now and when you’ll finish up.
It might sound like this:
Insipration comes from many sources. I recently returned from a magnificent and humbling East African safari. I was deeply moved by two inspiring people: our safari trackers Ray and Marlon from the Serengeti Game Reserves. Their genuine personal connection to every animal I was photographing was astounding. When each man spoke, providing great motivational stories, they fixated on our subject, never moving their eyes but all the while putting into context for me what I was shooting. I learned from and was inspired by the greatness of nature and its natural selection from their heartfelt involvement.
Fast forward to us. Motivating your employees as a leader is about being authentic and communicating in the moment what your beliefs are and what you care about in a way that uniquely frames who you are. Say what you truly care about and watch people follow. We did with Ray and Marlon.
I am currently on safari in East Africa in the Serengeti Game Reserve and have been blown away by our guide/tracker “Ray.”
Throughout each game drive, Ray has educated us every step of the way. With my passion for African wildlife, I really appreciate his openness to learn and further appreciate the land.
In this Harvard Business Review blog, the authors make great sense about turning “obstacles into assets.”
For years I have used my wife’s phrase and lifelong adage: Turn lemons into Lemonade. So much of what the authors speak about resides in how we “choose” to see and experience an issue.
Train yourself to see each situation as a solvable puzzle versus an attack from the universe.
It’s really fascinating to observe Apple’s consistency in innovation, design, efficiency and service. I’m among the many who disregarded price in favor of the brand’s reputation for quality. My iPad goes where I go.
I agree with this Fast Company article. Review the list and keep questioning your offerings to insure their indispensability.
A client recently shared a difficult situation with me. She was meeting with an existing good client and had, in earnest, prepared a presentation deck to take him through her 2012 recommendations. Her client bristled. Why?
She didn’t initiate her meeting with a conversation. The presentation took the immediate spot light. The client wanted a conversation illustrating that she understood his goals and challenges without any prompts… just her commercial insight.
This type of initial conversation speaks louder than a deck ever will. It says “I’ve understood your issues and have designed a solution that’s easy and turnkey. I’m interested in our mutual dialogue about it.” The presentation becomes support for the recommendations; your ace in the hole!
How does this compare to your most recent client contact? Let me know!
I am very excited to let you know that today, my first “expert blogger” piece was published on FastCompany.com.
I really hope you will take a moment and check it out. Also, I would be honored if you would post a comment. The more comments I get, the more likely I’ll be asked back! A repeat performance!!
Often in my executive development programs, a client will lament that their direct reports need to fundamentally change how they operate to achieve their goals. Sound familiar?
As I work with them to pinpoint each team member’s development areas, I often ask them what they’ve done to alert their employees to these areas of growth. I go further to inquire about whether they have created a development plan for each associate? Many times, the answer is no. Other times, it is yes but the plan hasn’t been revisited in ages. In either case, the executive has put the responsibility of development on the shoulders of the associate with little or no guidance. Is it any wonder that there isn’t much change month to month, year to year?
I can’t think of a time when forging sincere relationships is more important in our business lives.
