business acumen for sales managers & sales executives

Sales mistakes damage companies’

reputation and cause significant

financial damages. Sales managers

and senior sales executive should

have business acumen skills of

successful entrepreneurs

Business Acumen for Sales

Managers & Executives This 3 days focused and comprehensive

course teaches numerous business acumen

skills that require years of study and

experience

Ashraf Osman

Business Acumen for Sales Managers & Sales Executives

SESSION

TOPIC

READINGS

Session 1

Partnership Selling:

The Evolution of Selling

The Sales Cycle

Key Events of the Sales Cycle

Securing a Next Key Event

Portfolio Management

Stage 1 - Prospecting

Building a daily prospecting plan

Introductory Script

Learning Objectives:

Understand the key stages of Business-to- business (B2B), Business-to-

Consumer (B2C) and Retail Sales Cycles. Identify the major stages of

sales practices evolution over past 40 years. Identify client involvement

activities at key event stages of each process.

Learn how to build a prospecting plan and introduce yourself to

prospective clients (prospects).

Quota Player

Workbook

Pages 1-14

SESSION

TOPIC

READINGS

Session 2

Stage 1 - Prospecting

Getting Through ‘Gate Keepers’

Leaving Messages

Handling Prospecting Obstacles

Stage 2 - Qualifying:

Identifying High-Potential Prospects

Sales Funnels

B.P.O.U.T. Steps to Qualifying

Writing Direct Mail

Writing Target Letters


Develop an understanding of various client

‘screening’ tools and how to overcome them. Acquire a basic

understanding of how to respond to typical client

objections/concerns.

Understand various categories of prospective clients. Identify 5

critical qualification questions and elements of each. Learn how to

write Direct Mail and Target Letters.

Quota Player

Workbook

Pages 14-25

SESSION

TOPIC

READINGS

Session 3

Stage 3 - The Initial Meeting: Business development

practices Meeting your client

Confidence Builders

Confidence Breakers

6 Steps to a Professional Greeting

Individual Motivators

Organization Motivators


Learn the importance of non-verbal communication. Identify various

client confidence-builders/confidence-breakers. Learn how to present

yourself and company to prospective clients. Analyze various

client motivations for purchasing.

Quota Player

Workbook

Pages 27-30

SESSION

TOPIC

READINGS

Session 4

Stage 4 – Needs Analysis:

Sales Communication Skills

Features & Benefits

Probing Techniques

How to conduct a needs analysis


Learn how to distinguish between product/service features & benefits.

Learn various sales communication skills including: open & closed

probes; acknowledging statements; closing summaries; handling

objections. Review needs analysis phase in preparation for quotation

presentation.

Quota Player

Workbook

Pages 33-36

SESSION

TOPIC

READINGS

Session 5

Review and Role Play


In-class custom role play allows the participant to incorporate skills

learned into their own selling situation.

Role Playing exercise 1

SESSION

TOPIC

READINGS

Session 6

Stage 5 – Product/Service Demo: How to prepare a

presentation The importance of Committee

Interviewing before presenting

I.B.O.A.T. presentation format

Preparing a presentation agenda


How to structure a product/service demo for prospective clients or

committees. Use of features/benefits in presentation preparation. How to

use an I.B.O.A.T.

format to prepare for the demo.

Quota Player

Workbook

Pages 39-40

SESSION

TOPIC

READINGS

Session 7

Stage 6 – Presenting a Quotation

How to prepare a quotation

Review of various quotation models

7 Basic Rules for quotation presentation

Multiple Options vs. Single Quote Learning Objectives:

Review various quotation models and examples. Analyze models

against expected outcomes. Learn the 7 rules of quotation

presentation.

Quota Player

Workbook

3

SESSION

TOPIC

READINGS

Session 8

Stage 7 – Securing Influencer

Approval

Use of Triangulation Technique

Learn how to secure commitment Review of 6 Closing

Techniques Analysis of closing techniques in

relation to purchasing motivators


Learn how to advance the sales process with influencer support.

Review & practice of various closing skills. Understand how to secure

commitment using client analysis. Recognize the duality of influencer

types on sales success.

Quota Player

Workbook

Pages 45-49

SESSION

TOPIC

READINGS

Session 9

Stage 8 – Securing Key Decision

Maker/Committee Approval

Review client purchasing criteria

Use of feature/benefits in KDM

selling strategies

Competitive Selling Strategies

Analysis of competitor strengths/weaknesses

Competitive probing strategies


Learn how to position your product/service against competitors. Use

competitive selling skills in high-end presentations. Learn how to

analyze competitors using an established strength/weakness model.

Quota Player

Workbook

Pages 51-54

SESSION

TOPIC

READINGS

Session 10

Stage 9 – Getting Purchasing

Approval

3 Strategies for securing

Purchasing approval

Communication Process at stage 9

Negotiating Skills Review


Participants learn how to address purchasing (procurement)

involvement in the sales cycle. Review of communication process

skills. Analysis & practice of a basic negotiating model.

Quota Player

Workbook

Pages 55-56

SESSION

TOPIC

READINGS

Session 11

Stage 10 – Product/Service Delivery – Receipt of Payment

Post-sale service checklist

Client appreciation tools

Review of Stages 1-10


Learn how to successfully conclude the sales transaction and build long-

term client support. Review of ten stage sales process. Ensure payment

process and follow up to product/service delivery.

Quota Player

Workbook

Pages 59-66

SESSION

TOPIC

READINGS

Session 12

Role Play


In-class custom role play allows the participant to incorporate skills

learned into their own selling situation.

Role Playing Exercises

SESSION

TOPIC

READINGS

Session 13

Business Modeling


In-class custom bus iness mode l i ng exerc i se allows the

participant to define a real life business model and identify where

to add by offering their products and services to customers

Business Modeling exercise

SESSION

TOPIC

READINGS

Session 14

NPV, ROI and Payback Period


In-class custom exerc i se allows the participant to understand the

basics of cash management, how to calculate an ROI, Net

Present Value of any project and devise effective payment plan

of their products and services.

NPV, ROI, and Payback period exercise

SESSION

TOPIC

READINGS

Session 15

Account Management skills


Participants learn account management skills associated with the

following topics:

Sales performance measurement; what to measure? How to

improve?

Tying time management to efficient selling.

Does customer satisfaction count? Why?

Why should you care about your customer strategic

concerns?

Competition analysis, a practical view (know your strength,

assess your competitor’s)

Dissecting your customer organization relationship map.

Do you want to be the best? Or be unique?

Insight on : Imitation vs innovation, focus on market share

vs profit

SWOT analysis

Building an account plan (hands on)

Account Management Skills

SESSION

TOPIC

READINGS

Session 16

Team Supervision Skills

Learning Objectives: Participants learn account management skills associated with the following

topics:

Roles & responsibilities of a team leader

Leading without management authority

Leadership qualities & assessment

The role of motivation in leading your sales team

Know your team’s behaviour (Johari windows)

Setting SMART goals for your team

Lead by example, start with time management

The art of effective delegation, cycle of commitment

Coaching vs handholding

Account management plan and your team, who will do

what? By when?

Handling performance problems

Sales Supervision Skills