Overview

Irish business people spend 80% of the day “trying” to influence those around them. The CEO wants to influence the senior team, the director wants to influence the managers and the managers want to influence their direct reports. Salespeople get paid for influencing their customers and consultants want clients to adopt their recommendations.

Some people are naturally good at influencing, a few are excellent and others are poor.  What has been your experience?

Why might you consider this?

This Amaze™programme was devised in response to requests from experienced sales teams, consultants, managers and company directors. They suggested that there was a need for a real-world, common sense, hands-on programme that allowed individuals to understand why it is they can influence some people very well and why there are others that they struggle to get through to. Amaze™ designed a comprehensive programme with sensible insights, practical tools and tested methodologies so the participants can begin to make more effective and measurable progress within days..

The objectives of this programme are to introduce practical skills, learning and behavioural changes for business professionals, managers, consultants and sales professionals who need to improve their influencing/sales abilities to a higher level.

The focus is on how to”do things differently” rather than just “know different things”.

The material is delivered in a manner that increases individual confidence, understanding, competence and clarity to higher levels as you increase influence over customers, clients or direct reports.

Modules Included:

Higher awareness of current personal behaviours and influencing style. Preliminary identification of natural strengths/areas for improvement Building greater rapport so as to instil greater levels of client trust (including sizing-up skills) A structured approach to planning any meeting where you are required to achieve a desired outcome Finding out exactly what the customer or client needs from the interaction to consider it a success Presenting your proposition for greatest impact

Structured tools for handling objections High impact closing / wrap-ups as it relates to individual customers Understanding tangible and intangible customer benefits and how they can be practically used within an interaction Prioritising (actions, tasks, activities) How to follow-up with a customer or client to ensure their highest commitment Negotiating the best outcome for both parties Tested techniques used in influencing others How to practically manage, reduce and eliminate stress from your environment

Benefits

• Focused emphasis on modifying behaviours to influence clients, customers or direct reports. Things change for the better.
• Your message gets through more often. Greater effectiveness
• Higher performance within a shorter period from the individual. People perform.
• Sustained results long after the programme. Not just a flash in the pan.
• Practical action to address the challenges faced in the next phase of your organisation. Things go to plan.
• Opportunity to contribute to the development of important executives. People stay.
• Return on Investment guaranteed. Adds to Bottom line.

Case Study

Business challenge

A company in the construction industry approached Amaze with an interesting predicament. Business had been good up until now. But the uncertainty in the construction industry highlighted that the sales team may have been predominantly “taking orders reactively” as opposed to their preferred approach for “proactive customer selling”. The more mature sales team were sceptical of programmes offered that claimed exceptional results. The management however needed to turn things around within a short space of time and needed interventions that led to sustainable long-term modifications in sales behaviour. The sales manager was looking for practical insights into each sales professional that would allow him to maximise the individual’s contribution.

The outcome

During the programme itself, each member of the sales team identified the difficulties that had stopped them being able to leverage extra sales with their most challenging clients. They each constructed their own plan with individualised strategies that would allow them to make a breakthrough within one month. In one case, an existing client increased his monthly order by 600% because of an effective but very different approach by the area sales professional.

Customer feedback

“The programme paid for itself within 30 days from improved orders in one sales area alone. This was a “No-Brainer” decision for our business.”

“My sales team increased sales by 22% within the next 90 days. This programme turned out to be a no-brainer” “My staff have delivered an extra 19% on their KPI’s within three months of completing the programme”  “We paid for the entire programme with one new sale that was made the morning after the salesman attended the programme”  “We knew what to do but not how to do it. That was the key difference” “I am delighted that I have been able to develop my potential in this area” “I have probably been ‘too cocky’ in the past and probably missed a lot of sales. Great programme” “It was all common sense. Now we are making it common practice” “I have been on lots of these programmes but this is the first one that has made me really think about my skills” “At last, I seem to be getting through to my key reports. And it’s not as hard as I thought.”

“The programme paid for itself within 30 days from improved orders in one sales area alone. This was a “No-Brainer” decision for our business…” .

When asked what, if anything, will you do differently after the programme?

• “I now know how to practically plan for a meeting with someone who I would previously have avoided”
• I need to adopt a different approach to everyone I meet so as I’m able to influence at the highest level. Now I know how to do that.
• “I will begin to ask a lot more powerful questions. Now I know what they are”
• “I will begin to take control of those areas that are under my control and stop blaming my poor performance on other people”
• “I went into too many meetings without any thought for how I would influence this individual. I will be able to construct a strategy in every case”

“The act of taking the first step is what separates the winners from losers.”                  Brian Tracy