In this lecture you will...

• Watch as an imaginary company 'Newbie' has a successful sales conversation using the 5 easy steps. 'Newbie' sells online course management software, much like Udemy.
• Be able to identify these 5 easy steps during a successful sales conversation: Icebreaker, Quick Intro, Lead Interview Next Steps, Disengagement.

A quick overview of Step 1: The Icebreaker.  

The Icebreaker is the question or comment you use to start a conversation with a stranger-- a conversation that might lead to a sale!

After this lecture, you will be able to...

• Describe what an Icebreaker is, and why you need them at sales exhibits and events.

• Create great Icebreakers for your company or organization using our examples. 


Remember...
• Great Icebreakers use open-ended questions
• It's always up to YOU to actively start conversations at exhibits and sales events.

A quick overview of Step 2: Quick Intro

After this lecture, you will be able to...

• Explain that the characteristics of a good Quick Intro include: short statements, a few specifics about you and your product

• Identify the Quick Intro that 'Newbie' used in the previous successful sales conversation
• Brainstorm some Quick Intros of your own using our examples.

A quick overview of Step 3: The Lead Interview

The Lead Interview is the series of questions you will ask to determine if the person you are speaking with is a 'good lead.'

After this lecture, you will be able to...

• Explain the purpose of a Lead Interview in a successful sales conversation.
• Explain what information you should gather in a Lead Interview.
• Explain when information you uncover during a Lead Interview should lead you to jump immediately to Step #5 and Disengage.

A quick overview of Step 4: Next Steps

Liz and Tina will discuss how sales goals help your company determine Next Steps. Next Steps are the next steps you will take or the that the customer will commit to that brings you closer to an actual sale.

After this lecture, you will be able to...

• Explain the purpose of Next Steps during a successful sales conversation.
• Describe how sales goals relate to Next Steps.
• Give examples of 'Newbie's' Next Steps.

A quick overview of Step 5: The Disengagement

The Disengagement is the end of your sales conversation.. for now. Tina and Liz will share some Disengagements that they commonly use.

After this lecture, you will be able to...

• Explain when and how to disengage during a sales conversation.
• List some effective disengagements you can adapt for your company or organization.

Liz and Tina explain how to use the idea of the 'Sales Funnel' to decide on sales goals that will effectively guide your sales conversations. See a visual representation of the Sales Funnel. Learn how to decide what sales goal to focus on with a potential customer based on the goal's position in the Sales Funnel. 

After this lecture, you will be able to...

• Explain why it is important to create sales goals before having sales conversations.
• List examples of common sales goals.
• Describe a Sales Funnel. List the four general stages of the Customer's Journey down the funnel. 
• Create sales goals based on your company or organization's Sales Funnel using the worksheet in resources.

Tina and Liz demonstrate the importance of 'active' exhibiting by re-enacting Tina's encounter with 'Fancy Water Guy'-- a sales rep sharing drink samples at the grocery. 

Tina and Liz then role-play a scenario in which 'Fancy Water Guy' uses a more effective, active exhibit strategy.

In this lecture you will...

• Watch 'Fancy Water Guy' demonstrate active and passive exhibit strategies. 
• See firsthand why active exhibit strategies lead to successful sales conversations.
• Learn the reasons why sales reps sometimes choose 'passive' exhibit strategies' even though they are less effective.

Tina and Liz demonstrate the difference between an active and push sales strategy by re-enacting Tina's encounter with 'Pretzel Guy' at the local mall. 

In this lecture you will...

• Watch 'Pretzel Guy' demonstrate the difference between active and pushy sales.
• Learn why an active (but not pushy) exhibit strategy will always get more sales.
• Learn why being active sales starts with the Icebreaker-- the very first step.

Liz explains why effective Icebreakers (or 'conversation starters') always use open-ended questions, rather than close-ended questions. 

She also explains the psychology behind why close-ended questions are less likely to get a conversation going, even though they might feel less awkward to say to a stranger. 

After this lecture you will be able to...

• Create great Icebreakers that lead to successful sales conversations.
• Overcome fears around using Icebreakers to talk to strangers.
• Use Icebreakers to gather valuable intel about your potential customers that maximize your chance to have a successful sales conversation. 

Liz explains why it's important to keep the Quick Intro short, and what the Quick Intro should include. She also gives several examples of great Quick Intros.

In this lecture, you will learn how to...

• Create Quick Intros for your company or organization, based on proven examples.
• Easily transition from the Quick Intro to the Lead Interview 
• Follow up the Quick Intro with a short, strategic question to transition right into the Lead Interview (Step #3)

Tina explains how to determine if the potential customer you are speaking with is a 'good lead' using the Lead Interview. This is also known as 'lead qualification' or 'qualifying a lead.' 

Tina demonstrates the process of deciding who will be a 'good lead' at the event you are preparing for using 'Newbie.' In this case, our imaginary company Newbie is attending an imaginary education trade show and conference. 

In this lecture, you will learn how to...

• Identify a 'good lead' using six proven criteria: Authority, Compatibility, Timeline, Identity, Obstacles and Need.
• Remember these 'good lead' criteria using an easy acronym.
• Research the trade show or event you are attending to find out if those with purchasing authority (decisionmakers) are likely to be there. 
• Use the Lead Interview to found out if the person you are speaking with is a 'good lead.'

Tina explains how to conduct an effective Lead Interview by:

• Asking short questions using the 'good lead' criteria
• Actively listening to the potential customer's answer
• Responding with short, relevant details about your product or company

In this lecture, you will learn how to...

• Use active listening strategies to conduct an effective Lead Interview

Tina and Liz demonstrate the Lead Interview with some role playing! In this sketch, 'Face Cream Gal' attempts to sell her product to a potential customer. 

Watch as 'Face Cream Gal' conducts a Lead Interview two different ways-- the right way and the wrong way!

In this lecture, you will learn how to...

• Effectively share product information with potential customers. 
• Share product information in a helpful way that actually leads to sales.
• Avoid the pitfalls of launching into a long 'pitch' about products or services.

Tina introduces you to the Four Characters you will meet during sales conversations:

• Ms. Right - a good lead
• Mr. Maybe - a good lead, with some potential obstacles
• Mr. Bridges - a potential ally
• Dracula - a time-sucker, not a potential customer

In this lecture, you will...

• Learn how to identity these four characters. Learn how identifying them helps you to have successful sales conversations!

Next Steps are the next steps you can take (or the customer will commit to) to get you closer to a sales goal or an actual sale. 

Liz discusses what Next Steps might look like for the Four People You Will Meet during a sales conversation.

In this lecture, you will learn how ...

• To decide Next Steps during a sales conversation with a potential customer.
• Identifying the Four People You Will Meet will help you decide Next Steps.

Liz explains why a 'no' is sometimes a 'maybe' during sales conversations-- and what a 'no' might actually mean. We revisit 'Pretzel Guy' to see how he handled a 'no' during his unsuccessful sales conversation.

• What to do if you encounter a 'no' during a sales conversation.
• How to switch sales goals based on a 'no' by suggesting a sales goal that requires less commitment. 

Tina shares the three 'Truths' that she and Liz have learned about sales. These truths greatly helped Liz and Tina overcome their fears and they can help you too. 

In this lecture, you will...

• Learn how to overcome common fears by applying these 'Truths' to your sales conversations.

Tina and Liz demonstrate how to disengage with Ms. Right, Mr. Maybe, Mr. Bridges, and Dracula.

After this lecture, you will be able to...

• Apply the examples to create your own Disengagements for each of the Four Characters.

Tina explains exactly why you must take good notes during sales conversations and how to do that.

Record notes for your sales conversations with a lead card or app. Consider how these notes will be added to your organization's larger system for tracking sales conversations. A 'CRM' (Customer Relationship Management System) is often used for this purpose. If you don't have a 'CRM,' take a look at the link in Resources for ideas.

Planned correctly, lead cards or lead apps can also assist those new to sales to ask the right questions during the Lead Interview. If you are selling several products, lead cards and lead apps can also guide you in finding the right product fit for good leads.

In this lecture, you will learn...

• What kinds of information you should plan to take notes about.
• What fields to include on your lead card or in your lead app. 
• How to use your lead card or app to prompt sales reps to ask the right questions and record the right information during sales conversations.

Tina and Liz visually demonstrate the pros and cons of using low-tech paper lead cards. 

For portability and convenience, Tina and Liz have often used half-size lead cards with small clipboards for recording notes during sales conversation. See the links in Resources for clipboard product ideas. 

After this lecture, you will be able to...

• Decide if paper lead cards are right for your organization.
• Design an effective paper lead card that can lead to successful sales conversations and follow-ups.

Tina and Liz visually demonstrate the pros and cons of using lead apps. 

Take a look at Resources for links to affordable lead apps appropriate for sales events, exhibit marketing and trade shows

After this lecture, you will be able to...

• Decide if a 'lead app' is appropriate for your organization.
• Choose a lead app can meet your organization's needs.

Tina and Liz revisit 'Pretzel Guy' to identify exactly why his original sales strategy wasn't a success. 

Liz and Tina re-enact Pretzel Guy finally having a successful sales conversation -- using everything we've learned in this course.

Check out Resources for a downloadable Sales Conversation script template that you can customize for your organization! The template will guide in...

• Creating Icebreakers that will work at the event, exhibit, trade show or fair you are preparing for
• Crafting Quick Intros for your product or company
• Preparing your own Lead Interview Questions -- or using ours!
• Planning Next Steps for your customers-- and each of the Four Characters You Will Meet

Now... Imagine that YOU are 'Newbie'! 

Tina and Liz role-play 'Newbie' having a successful sales conversation with 'Jill' at the Newbie exhibit. Halfway through the conversation with 'Jill,' you'll decide what Newbie should do next with a quick quiz. 

In this lecture, you will...

• Meet 'Jill.'
• Decide what Newbie should do next to make sure her conversation with 'Jill' is a success.
• Guess which of the Four People You Will Meet Jill is. 

...Back to 'Jill'!

In this lecture, you will...

• Watch Newbie have a successful sales conversation with 'Jill.'
• Learn which of the Four People You Will Meet Jill is and why.

Now... Meet 'John'

Tina and Liz role-play 'Newbie' having a successful sales conversation with 'John' at the Newbie exhibit. Halfway through the conversation with 'John,' you'll decide what Newbie should do next with a quick quiz. 

In this lecture, you will...

• Meet 'John.'
• Decide what Newbie should do next to make sure her conversation with 'John' is a success.
• Guess which of the Four People You Will Meet John is. 

...Back to 'John'!

In this lecture, you will...

• Watch Newbie have a successful sales conversation with 'John.'
• Learn which of the Four People You Will Meet John is and why.

Now... Meet 'Bill'

Tina and Liz role-play 'Newbie' having a successful sales conversation with 'Bill' at the Newbie exhibit. Halfway through the conversation with 'Bill,' you'll decide what Newbie should do next with a quick quiz. 

In this lecture, you will...

• Meet 'Bill.'
• Decide what Newbie should do next to make sure her conversation with 'Bill' is a success.
• Guess which of the Four People You Will Meet Bill is. 

...Back to 'Bill'!

In this lecture, you will...

• Watch Newbie have a successful sales conversation with 'Bill.'
• Learn which of the Four People You Will Meet Bill is and why.

Now... Meet 'Rita'

Tina and Liz role-play 'Newbie' having a successful sales conversation with 'Rita' at the Newbie exhibit. Halfway through the conversation with 'Rita,' you'll decide what Newbie should do next with a quick quiz. 

In this lecture, you will...

• Meet 'Rita.'
• Decide what Newbie should do next to make sure her conversation with 'Rita' is a success.
• Guess which of the Four People You Will Meet Rita is. 

...Back to 'Rita'!

In this lecture, you will...

• Watch Newbie have a successful sales conversation with 'Rita.'
• Learn which of the Four People You Will Meet Rita is and why.