Sales skills

By Linda Julian

Some marketing campaigns make firms feel good.  Some make the firms look good.  Some help produce sales.

But professional service firms can't simply leave business development to the marketing department !

Marketing delivers opportunities to professionals and provides collateral to assist in winning business.  For any marketing program to be effective, it has to be followed by a “personal marketing" or "sales" program.

If an opportunity or prospective client is to be converted into a new client, if a potential project is to be converted into an actual matter, it will involve some selling.

Sales is the process of converting a business opportunity into real business, a prospective client into an established client, possible work into real, live, matters.

At the “moment of truth" it is finally the professional who must show the client how s/he can add value and solve a problem.

Personal marketing skills are a natural extension of delivering high quality professional service.

Making contacts and networking is a good starting point.  This must be developed and encouraged at all levels of the firm, right from early-career professionals onwards.

Identifying opportunities comes naturally to some, but with coaching, almost every professional can identify business opportunities and start business development conversations.

Techniques to establish credibility, including learning to use the right terminology, and looking and behaving like a clear and comfortable fit with the client, can be shared and developed.  Establishing credibility is a skill which can be developed and honed by rehearsing and training.

Skills in building consensus can also be developed, and are eminently useful to professionals in practice.  Establish rapport around shared experience and shared values.

Effective questioning techniques is another to develop.  Listening skills are central to understanding what potential clients and clients have to say, and to gain a close understanding of their requirements in invariably useful.

Harnessing analytical skills to define the problem, demonstrate how you will use your professional capabilities to satisfy client needs, is another area for focus.

Success means converting some or all of these great opportunities into clients, turning possible projects into real, live matters, and having a healthy, thriving workplace which can provide professionals reward, enjoyment, and recognition.

If you’re like some help to develop sales skills to win business, and grow your practice, please get in touch.