Imagination. It’s a wonderful thing as a child, but as an adult, it can often keep you from engaging in specific scenarios.
I see it often from media sellers when it comes to being asked to sell new digital solutions… “if I engage in this conversation, what if they ask me…fill in the blank.”
Imagination as an adult in this situation can set off a chain of reactions that usually results in a lack of sales. What they think their clients might ask keeps them from engaging in the conversation.
And the lack of conversations keeps them from developing the confidence they need to have more conversations and sell the type of digital campaigns that will drive results. And the lack of conversation means they have less opportunity to sell.
How to Get Sellers Engaged in Digital Conversations
So how do we solve for an imagination that keeps sellers from engaging in more digital conversations?
The first step is increasing their level of confidence. Sounds easy enough, but how is that done? In my experience training and driving results with salespeople, it comes down to three tactics that I would recommend you consider:
1. Language
Using digital language or jargon is important to demonstrate your expertise, but confidence comes when you not only know what the terms mean but understand how they are important to the conversation.
Only knowing the definition of the word without understanding the deeper importance of how it fits into the digital marketing equation is where one’s imagination can take off! Helping salespeople feel comfortable with the language can be a huge confidence driver.
2. Practice
Give your people a safe environment to have the conversation and make mistakes before money, and their credibility is on the line. Use your sales meetings as well as your IFMs as opportunities to help your people have the conversation, but don’t lob them softballs.
The goal is to improve their confidence, so ask them questions they would truly be asked, or even harder questions than they might get in a real situation. Prepare them so that when they engage in real conversation, it seems like a breeze.
3. Coach
Join them on sales calls, help them prepare, let them take the lead, and provide them with immediate feedback. Tell them what they have done well first, then share opportunities they missed and areas they can improve.
Conclusion
The challenge usually boils down to a lack of confidence in having digital forward conversations. '
This is different from knowing the features and benefits of your capabilities. Sellers work hard to build credibility and demonstrate their expertise with clients. They don’t want to damage that reputation. If they are unsure of how to respond to the questions that they might be asked, many will avoid the conversation altogether.
