Practice makes perfect. This is especially true in sales and customer service. Foe those of us in Michigan, the best professionals in both fields have to practice all the time. There is a strategy in making a presentation, speech or a general customer service issue a well-oiled script.
Knowing what to say in a given situation is a good thing when stress is present and communication is the key ingredient. It is always a good practice to take notes after each sales presentation or each customer service concern; writing down the good, the bad and the ugly for at least one to three months will give you the trends and truly improve the quality of your effectiveness.
When trends are negative or are not achieving the desired results, you can always assess commonality based on the written commentary and develop role play scripts that you and a colleague can practice. Feedback from others is so powerful that it makes the difference between success and failure.
The most important consideration is the learning factor. Listening to assessments and making adjustments are very important. Instant feedback and the subsequent documentation can make for renewed confidence and focus.
Again, keep the process in role play simple and uncomplicated. Write down the good and bad with each session. Focus on eye contact, smiling, and expression as well as what is being said. This is a great strategy for customer service problems and handling difficult objections in sales presentations.
Repetition can help make for a fairly routine encounter when someone is upset or when someone is undecided about product and service. Using a script built from past experience and role play will increase the percentages of success for both you and the customer.
Knowing what to say based on practice and experience will always benefit clients and save them time. As Dale Carnegie stated in his classic, How to Win Friends and Influence People, an appeal that everyone likes is based on motives. Knowing what to say and how to say it will let you focus solely on motive. With a little practice, you can help your client to say yes and mean it!
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This post is brought to you by the good folks at Dale Carnegie Training of Michigan, providers of professional development and management development courses and information in Michigan. We would love to connect with you on Facebook and Twitter @MICarnegie.
Photo: Dale Carnegie Training
