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Be a Master Sales Closer @ PlanetSpark

Sales Success Manual
This document will help you understand the process of sales closing at PlanetSpark

Stage Process Description

Section1 Understanding customer need and

PlanetSpark USP

Section2 Teachers: Talking to Parent enquiries: Intro

& Need analysis

Section3 Teachers: Introducing the Programme and

confirming your Trial Class

Section4 Teachers: Discussion after the Trial Class is

over

Section5 Teachers: Mentioning next steps to the

parent

Section6 Your Role: 5 Steps to close the deal

Section7 & 8 Your Role: Conducting Video Based

Counseling Session
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Section#1
Understanding Customer’s Need & PlanetSpark USP
Why is ‘Public Speaking for Kids’ Important?

1) Speaking in public is a major fear in adults & kids alike and mastering these skills
are necessary for bright future

So many children grow up with this massive fear of public speaking, that they don’t want to go in
front of a crowd or a group of people because they are scared of speaking in public. We believe
that the fear of public speaking in kids is rooted in our schooling system, where we are essentially
trained to be listeners to, not “professors” of, knowledge. But if we can get our kids into public
speaking early, build up their confidence as a public speaker, then as they grow into their teenage
years, as they go into adulthood, they are going to be confident and become great public speakers.
Being good at public speaking, has amazing advantages for kids, it:-

- Builds confidence
- Shapes personality
- Increases self-esteem
- Helps overcome introversion
- Builds interpersonal skills
- Hones their leadership traits
- And most importantly, makes them ready for ‘careers of tomorrow’

In a famous stand-up comedy bit, Jerry Seinfeld jokes about people’s fear of public speaking: “I
saw a study that speaking in front of a crowd is considered the number-one fear of the average
person. I found that amazing. Number two was death. Death is number two? This means, to the
average person, if you have to be at a funeral, you would rather be in the casket than doing the
eulogy.” Psychologists attribute our fear of public speaking to our fear of being ostracized from a
group, which thousands of years ago meant imminent death by a large predator. However, with
preparation, practice, and experience, kids can overcome their fear, build confidence, and deliver
strong speeches.
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2) A child’s fluency can improve significantly (by up to 75% through PlanetSpark) if

child masters the art of Public Speaking.

Ability to speak fluently in English language without hesitation or interruption forms an essential
part of a child’s English communication skills. Oral communication is the verbal and non-verbal
interaction with an audience to communicate thoughts, information, and feelings. It is true in
making good communication one must not only speak accurately but also fluently, in order to
deliver the core of the meaning intended by the speaker. The accuracy of speaking can be used as
the starting point, which can lead one to speak fluently. Learning public speaking hones your
child’s skills as an overall communicator.

Practicing public speaking skills significantly helps your child’s general oral communication,
whether your child has an audience of 200 or an audience of one. As kids learn to devise and
deliver speeches, they practice the fundamentals of all oral communication – clarity, coherence,
and confidence.

3) Learning Public Speaking has become even more important during the current
Pandemic!

The ongoing pandemic has taken its toll on the emotional well being of kids. While the academic
needs of children are given adequate attention, their emotional and personal development needs
can often go unfulfilled. The most important unfulfilled need is “Social Interaction”. With a world
full of technology, children are becoming accustomed to computer screens, tablets, cellphones,
and television screens feeding them information on a daily basis. Today’s generation of young
people have grown up with mobile phones, tablets and laptops, they’re now very much the norm.
This can result in extremely shy children who find it difficult to communicate in real life situations.
This can also lead to frustration at not being heard or understood, which itself can lead to kids with
bad tempers or a don’t care attitude.

Gone are the days of paper and pencil tests, creatively assembled poster board presentations, and
solving math problems on classroom chalkboards. It really makes you wonder, is there something
missing in my child’s education or is electronic communication the ideal future? There has been a
shift away from public speaking in the classroom toward electronic communication, and there is
simply not enough time to cover both necessary topics.

However, public speaking is essential to a well-rounded student and more importantly a successful
adult. Public Speaking gives students the opportunity to build social connections and overcome
social anxiety which are essential skills in any future career. In this day and age, many of us are
so engrossed in our electronic communication devices, that actual real-life communication can
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seem strange. How often do you text or email someone, rather than calling them, or meeting up
with them in person? So it's little wonder that our kids are the same.

4) Mastering Public Speaking as a child makes you more self-confident during social
situations & increases your self-worth!

Getting up in front of people to talk can be daunting, but once a child does it, they often feel a
great sense of pride and self-satisfaction which boosts their confidence and self-esteem. Public
speaking will help your child increase self confidence dramatically. We live in a materialistic
society and you can’t avoid that. A lot of our self worth and self esteem is gained by our perceptions
of what we think other people think about us. Now this is obviously not ideal, it would be nice to
get our self esteem from somewhere else, but we have to work with the hand we are dealt.

By doing public speaking you are increasing your skill at communicating with others, making you
more confident around people automatically, and it also increases your skill at perceiving people’s
reactions to your message. This means in general conversation you can better understand what
people are thinking and thus change what you are saying to make them think and feel the way you
want them to.

5) Public Speaking skills can significantly boost a child’s overall personality

Public Speaking is an Essential ingredient in Personality Development. As a child grows with time
her/his personality keeps evolving. Every individual has a different personality and this is what
makes them unique. Everyone wants to have a personality that inspires people and makes them
feel positive, happy and connected when they are around. It is often said that the way one talks
and interacts with others, the way they express and present themselves is a big part of their
personality and defines who they are.

This shows how the skill of communication adds so much to one’s personality and by working on
this skill how they can develop their personality. Just as reading can make your child a better
writer, practicing public speaking can significantly hone your child’s skills as an overall
communicator.
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6) Introverted and shy kids can be awesome public speakers, they just need a great
coach! If your child is introverted or shy, then this is the Programme for you!

Are you raising an introverted child? If so, you know your child resists being in the spotlight. And
he or she really, really avoids having to stand in front of the whole class and give a presentation.
Many great leaders were shy, reserved, and introverts. Their introversion didn’t stop them from
being world-class speakers and leaders.

The benefit of being an introvert is that introverts think before they speak, which is an essential
part of effective public speaking. Introverts may not be self-starters therefore they need to master
practical strategies to step up, speak up and command the stage. If you want your child to overcome
shyness, you need to get others to accept his or her ideas and opinions. Evidence suggests that Shy
people can be awesome speakers!

7) Need your child to develop interpersonal skills? Public speaking course can work
wonders!

Sometimes children find it difficult to express themselves freely in front of guests, extended
family, in typical classroom settings or even in a homeschool environment. Encouraging
imagination and experimenting through speech creates enthusiastic communicators. They gain the
courage to step out of the box. It also promotes an appreciation of the language and literature, and
becomes a solid foundation for your child’s future.

When public speaking, there is usually a purpose or a particular message, and therefore children
learn persuasive skills (all great leaders know how to persuade others). From here, the sky's the
limit in terms of the positive influence they can have on others. Along with these beneficial
learnings and skill development, the most important thing a child can get from enhancing their
public speaking acumen is feeling comfortable speaking in front of other people and having belief
in their own communication abilities - written and verbal.

8) Speaking in front of others is inevitable and everyone has to do it at some point of

their lives!

Whether your child wants to be an Astronaut, Leader, Coder, Coach or a CEO, there will always
be situations where she or he will have to speak publicly. Leaders give speeches, coaches instruct
their team, and CEOs head meetings. Some positions are more communication-heavy than others,
but regardless, every child will face a time when they need to put their thoughts into words to make
a point, take a stand, or get a job done.
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When that time comes, it’s best to be prepared and feel comfortable with who you are as a speaker
so you can communicate what you need to say as effectively as possible. Almost every single child
will need to speak in public at some point in their lives. Every public speaking opportunity is an
opportunity to grow your child’s leadership, influence and career. By becoming a confident and
capable public speaker your child instantly puts herself or himself differently as compared to many
other kids who refuse to stand up and speak. No matter what career stream your child chooses,it is
almost 100% certain your child will need to give a speech at some point in her or his life.

9) Presentation skills are very important. Kids can deliver great presentations and that
is a vital skill for the future!

Presentation Skills determine the effectiveness of one's expression of interest. Kids with good
presentation skills are able to express themselves more comfortably and confidentially. On the
other hand poor presentation skills may spoil a good idea and pose a huge barrier to effective
communication for a child.

Public speaking is not necessarily a talent, but a skill, and the younger a child is when they begin
to learn this skill, the better. Some students genuinely struggle when asked to present information
to a group and this may be a problem when students go on to tertiary education and also later in
life. For personal and professional success, effective presentation skills delivered in a confident
manner are vital during formative years. That is why presentation skills need to be nurtured from
a young age, before the student really has an awareness of being in the spotlight and possibly being
faced with stage fright. Public speaking and presentation skills could be fostered, to such an extent
that it becomes a natural skill.

10) The greatest “leaders” of our time are also some of the best speakers of our time.
This Programme can make your child a “leader”

The greatest leaders of our time are also some of the best speakers of our time – in fact, their ability
to speak clearly, compellingly, and charismatically are a big part of how they became leaders in
the first place. One’s ability to lead is closely entwined with their ability to connect with and
motivate their audience. For example, think of how differently Martin Luther King Jr. would be
remembered today if he didn’t deliver his “I have a dream” speech with so much conviction that
hundreds of thousands of others joined in on his dream.

Children learn to be leaders from their experiences and leadership is not something a child is born
with. We know that all children have the potential to develop leadership skills. As parents, we
must teach the skills necessary for children to take on leadership roles now and in the future.
Communication is of utmost importance in leadership. Without communication, it would be
difficult to influence decisions, form connections, and motivate change. Public speaking is an
important part of communication. Leaders especially need to hone their public speaking skills from
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time to time. They are the ones who set the direction for their team, build a vision for the future,
and drive innovation. Therefore, it goes without saying that if you want to be a good leader, you
must be an excellent communicator.

11) Make kids future-ready for Careers of Tomorrow! Future careers are going to be
heavily dependent on communication skills mastery!

Read anything on what the future of work might look like and one thing seems almost certain:
We’re going to be talking a lot more. The importance of communication in the workplace of the
future can’t be understated. And it’s only going to get more valuable in the years to come.
According to a recent report from McKinsey,

“Entrepreneurs & employees of the future will spend more time on activities that
machines are less capable of, such as managing people, applying expertise, and
communicating with others.”

This is nothing new. In fact, more than a decade ago, the Wall Street Journal wrote that:

“Communication and interpersonal skills remain at the top of the list of what
matters most to employers”

Public speaking skills are very important to succeed in careers of tomorrow. With a world full of
technology, children are becoming accustomed to computer screens, tablets, cellphones, and
television screens feeding them information on a daily basis. Today’s generation of young people
have grown up with mobile phones, tablets and laptops, they’re now very much the norm. This
can result in extremely shy children who find it difficult to communicate in real life situations.
Skills like “Ability to conduct Video Interviews”, “Presentation Skills” & “Expressing yourself to
an audience” would be vital in the world going forward.

12) We have cool like projects like “learning to give a TED Talk” Yes, kids can learn to
deliver a TED Talk at PlanetSpark! And it is super easy..

If you really want to challenge your gifted kids, have them come up with a truly original idea or
new perspective. A solution, a new invention, a new argument. This is indeed a challenge. That is
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the whole premise behind the popular TED Talks videos featured on the Internet. TED, a non-
profit organization, promotes the spreading of ideas by inviting people from all walks of life and
disciplines to give talks on different subjects. This is also the premise behind the PlanetSpark TED
Talks we have created for our gifted students. We incorporate a host of Common Core English
language arts standards, from reading, researching, speaking, and writing, and engage students in
creative and critical thinking skills. We have all heard Ken Robinson’s fantastic TED talk on
whether schools kill creativity.

PlanetSpark TED Talks are sensitive to all voices and topics—not just those that fit into
mainstream education and media. A talk can be about wormholes or pets, education or the history
of the brain, from the sublime to the delightfully ridiculous. What makes the talk different is the
personal spin that a speaker puts on it, which makes it all of his or her own. Make your child learn
how to deliver a TED talk today!

13) PlanetSpark can make kids “Master Debaters” through our Public Speaking
course!

In today’s competitive space where excellence is a cliché, it is wise to make children aware as well
as ready for the outer world. Perhaps, there are ways in which children compete and succeed. But
individual expression has become very limited. Today’s children are largely engrossed in
technology stuff, leaving behind the real interaction. This is why it is necessary to encourage
children into participating in activities like elocution and debates. No doubt, these competitions
have a long-term influence on the children’s self-expression. It is not the irrational TV arguments
that we are talking about, but disciplined, responsive, logical, evidence-based
debates/argumentation with another person. When done right, such debates and argumentation can
help children learn skills that can be used throughout their lives.

So if you find your child arguing for his/her opinion or view about something, it is time to hone
these skills of argument through debates. Some children are naturally skilled at the art of debating,
while others can be encouraged to prepare themselves with such skills. A good debate is something
more than just an argument or a discussion. It is the ability to perceive or understand an idea or
statement from a different perspective. What makes debating a potential skill-enhancing activity
is that it involves critical thinking, keen listening skills, and insistent speaking on a particular
subject. Learning to Debate and Public Speak reaps life long benefits:-

- Develop excellent oral and written communication skills.

- Develop excellent critical thinking skills.
- Develop effective tools for research, organization and presentation.
- Develop strategies to overcome fears of public speaking.
- Discover the confidence and desire to participate in all academic classes.
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14) Cool Live projects at PlanetSpark such as creating your own “Podcast channel”
can help kids develop Public speaking skills!

Podcasting is a wonderful way of allowing children to share their work and experiences with
potentially huge audiences. Schools are increasingly using the internet to promote what they do,
and to celebrate the achievements of their children, and podcasting is an excellent way of doing
this. A podcast is like a radio show. However, instead of being broadcast live, a podcast is recorded
and then distributed over the internet, so that you can listen to it whenever you please. There are
thousands of podcasts available, ranging from general interest entertainment shows to those which
focus on specific topics (e.g. computers / music / education).

Children can benefit from Podcasting. It gives them a potential audience of thousands for their
work. It's great for developing literacy skills (writing scripts, setting up interviews etc), allows
children to develop and practise their speaking and listening skills, and they also learn some
amazing ICT skills. Podcasts can be interactive, and the audience can be invited to send their
comments, giving valuable feedback to the children about their work. Making a podcast is also
great for developing teamwork skills. The children always work together really well, as they're
always keen to make a great show

15) Kids get to master skills to help them present in front of an audience!

For many kids, standing up in front of their peers and presenting can be a nerve-wracking
experience. They are often worried about being judged, appearing nervous, or forgetting the
material they have prepared.

As these anxiety-inducing oral presentations are often mandatory in school, it’s important that you
work with your child to help improve his or her confidence in public speaking. Fortunately, there
are many public speaking interventions for kids that can help your child improve his or her
confidence and presentation skills. Learn more about ways you can improve your child’s public
speaking skills on a regular basis, in the weeks before a presentation, and the morning of a
presentation.
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PARTA - Teacher’s Role

Section#2
Teacher’s intro to the parent after accepting a demo lead on
their CRM

Introducing Yourself on Phone (1 min)

Hi Mr / Ms (Parent's Name), My name is Disha and I am calling from PlanetSpark - Live Online
Public Speaking & Creative Writing Classes for Kids.

Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening, You have booked a Trial Session for your child with me for
PlanetSpark Public Speaking / Creative Writing Course.

I am an Public Speaking (or Creative Writing) Specialist with PlanetSpark and I would like to
confirm my session with you. During the session, we will have a 45 min class and we will also
provide customized reports to you on where their child stands amongst a pool of 1 Lakh students
in Public Speaking and Creative Writing abilities. (Parent’s Name), would you be interested in
confirming the Trial Class?"

Insight:

<Pause, wait for the parent to speak>

Before going into detail about the Programme, it is important to check whether the Parent Enquiry
falls into our basic criteria or not. The need analysis must begin with basics, taking information
from the parent on child’s grade (if child is out of our target group, then a lot of time is saved),
also the future discussion can be customized. Need analysis needs to begin with:-
1) Child’s Name (So that child’s name can be taken in subsequent discussion)
2) Child’s Grade (So that target group mapping can be done, also helps in future discussion)
3) How is the Child’s Fluency, Confidence, Reading, Writing, Speaking abilities etc (Help a
lot in the discussion)

Point#3 is critical. We should take a few scenarios basis parent’s answer:-

1) Parent shows concern or help required in some aspect of Public Speaking or Creative
Writing -> Bring the parent up to the Trial & Assessment, create urgency for assessment,
last few slots are remaining with me! You will know exact improvement areas so that
Public Speaking / Creative Writing abilities will be improved!
2) Parent says, my child is great in all aspects -> Even more reason for you to see where your
child stands, if the child is in Top 1% then there are scholarships etc, urgency creation!
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Last few slots!
3) Parent does not give enough data -> Keep rephrasing the question till you have data as this
is the most important step, catch attention, try to engage parent in some conversations on
the child so that data is taken on the child's current abilities of Public Speaking & Creative
Writing

Actual Pitch:

Need Analysis + Programme Discussion (10 min)

<Assuming parent agrees for the Trial Session>

Great, before we proceed further I wanted to take a few minutes of your time to discuss a few
things about your child. I am going to ask you some questions while I discuss the assessment.
This will help me suggest the right assessment for your child.
- What is the name of your child?
- In which grade and school is <child name> studying right now?
- How is <child name> performing at school? What is his/her teacher’s feedback? Does he
participate in co-curricular activities like debates, public speaking & writing competitions?
- “How is <child name>’s fluency & confidence when she/he speaks in English?”, “How
often does <child name> Read?”, “What are your views on the <child name> Writing
Skills?”, Public-Speaking abilities etc

Research suggests and you would also agree that Careers of tomorrow depend on language
expertise, confidence, personality & presentation skills. More than 90% of Global tech CEOs like
Satya Nadela, Sundar Pichai are great Public Speakers and they all started at a young age.

<Pause for the parent to respond on this>

Mastering Public Speaking (or Creative Writing) is easier for a child. They have more time to
learn, fewer inhibitions, and a brain designed for language learning. In short, gaining Expertise in
Public Speaking (or Creative Writing) at an early age saves them from having to do that as an
adult.

A majority of parents report stage fear, hesitation and lack of exposure as a key factor of
improvement among kids.

What do you want <child name> to become in the future? (Make a note of this)

<Pause for the parent to respond on this>

I totally understand, <Paraphrase the parent’s response and speak about it>

Let me tell you my observation working with PlanetSpark so far-

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<This is where you will conclude the pitch, BE CONFIDENT AND WIN IT>

Everyone needs a purpose to get better. I learnt confidence, better presentation skills and command
over spoken English, during my B.Ed/M.Ed/MBA/B Tech/Grad and still working on it as we
speak.

PlanetSpark 1:1 Public Speaking (or Creative Writing) certification programme will provide
<child name> a platform to learn, a personalised coach and most importantly a purpose to be
ready for a confident and successful future.

So that in the competitive world of tomorrow, <child name> has that extra edge over others.

Section#3
How do the teachers introduce the Programme to the
parents?

Actual Pitch:

Our experts from Harvard & XLRI have created unique and personalised One on One certification
programmes introducing Public Speaking & Creative Writing which has helped them in their
successful professional journey.

These programmes are conducted by certified learning coaches like me, we are qualified trained
language mastery professionals and have aced our own PSAT(PlanetSpark Aptitude Test) exam
which is taken by more than 1 Lac teachers across the world.

PlanetSpark has three 1:1 personalised certification programmes:

● Public Speaking Certification (165 and 60 Classes)

● Creative Writing Certification (165 and 60 Classes)

PlanetSpark’s Public Speaking (or Creative Writing) 1:1 personalized programme (for 4 to 14 year
olds) builds courage and confidence in kids and helps them become effective speakers. Our top
public speaking coaches work with kids to unlock their true potential and make them effective and
outstanding speakers through 1 on 1 classes without the fear of being judged by others! The
benefits are enormous, they become comfortable and effective in talking to larger groups, they
find themselves really being able to connect to smaller groups and even in their personal
relationships with parents. PlanetSpark’s Public Speaking 1:1 personalized programme has
amazing advantages for kids, it:-
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• Develops excellent communication skills
• Builds confidence
• Shapes personality
• Increases self-esteem
• Helps overcome introversion
• Builds interpersonal skills
• Hones their leadership traits
• And most importantly, makes them ready for ‘careers of tomorrow’

Since I have understood and noted <child’s name> interest level and improvement areas. I would
like to invite you for a free assessment and trial session with me.

During the session, I will be conducting a short demonstration and a diagnostic assessment to
understand <child’s name> needs and would be able to customize the plan for you.

I would also be available in the session to meet you in person. We also would be providing a
detailed diagnostic report and top 20% performing students get certified after the assessment.
After the session, we will be providing a diagnostic report for <Child Name> on Public Speaking
or Creative Writing Skills.

<Child Name> also stands a chance to earn a scholarship and will get to showcase her/his project
work on our social media platforms.

Our star kids like Aarush and Priyanka have now become youtubers, Simran a 13year old from
Bangalore helps her dad with his powerpoint presentations. There are many such inspirational
stories that I am witnessing, working with PlanetSpark.

I only have ____ available slots with me this week, please confirm when we can plan the session.
I hope you have an active internet connection and a laptop or a mobile device.

<Fix up timings>

Thank you for the confirmation. You will also get a email confirmation from PlanetSpark after
this call along with the sample report. Please ensure that you and <child name> both are
available during the personal assessment session. It is mandatory for both the parents to also be
present during the Trial along with <Child Name>.

<About the test: POST is an online 30 min test aiming at diagnosing students current levels
across important skills like logical thinking, creative thinking, vocabulary, grammar. This test
unlocks exclusive scholarships for the students who get 3 out of 3sparks >

Thank you for your time. Have a great day!

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Section#4
Teacher’s Communication to the Parent after the Trial
What do the Teachers communicate the parents after the Trial ?

Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening. Now that the Trial & Assessment class is completed, we
wanted to let you know that <Child Name> has performed very well.

<Child Name> was awarded 3 out of 3 Sparks—1 for his/her ________ in the class, 1 for
his/her __________ and the last 1 for __________________ (Add three Public Speaking /
Creative Writing related skills for example, Fluency, Confidence or general attributes like
Discipline, Eagerness etc)

Only 20% of the kids accomplish that...so congratulations!

Your child is a rare mix of curiosity and creativity and is headed to a great future!

<Child Name> has the potential to hone his skills and become a leader in the future.

<Pause for the parent to speak>

I also wanted to get some real-time feedback from you on the:-

● Engagement Level of <Child Name>

● My ability to explain and relate with <Child Name>
● Any other feedback you had on the Trial & Assessment.

Conclude: Based on my assessment <Child Name> would benefit from a Public Speaking (or
Creative Writing) Merit/ProGrad programme (165 or 60 Classes) with a 1:1 personalized focus
on fluency, vocabulary building, grammar and spoken English + New age skills like making
powerpoint presentations, meeting mocs, creative writing and competitions with kids across the
globe.

I ____would be <Child Name>’s personal coach during this journey. We would also be
conducting an Online Graduation ceremony after his certification is completed, this ceremony is
attended by thousands of parents every 6 months.

<Child Name> after 165 or 60 classes <Child Name> would be ready for being a <career that
parent spoke about)

<Child Name> would also become a part of the top 10% of India's population that knows how
to communicate and write effectively. One other thing I want to share is that since we're a
mission-driven platform rather than a money-driven platform, we don't want parents to ever have
a dissonance that their trial teacher was different from the paid teacher.
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Hence we only map your trial class teacher to be your final teacher. Hence, I would be teaching
your child personally in a 1:1 format. I’d love <child name> to join us as is a 3 spark kid. We
love having 3 spark kids on the platform since they become great ambassadors of the program.

Try your best to let our Sr. Counselor know about your enrollment. The Sr Counselor will be
calling you in next couple of hours. I can see in my system that I have ___ more trials today and
since most parents are signing up for a full course, I am likely to reach all my students today or
tomorrow. I’d like to reserve one seat for <child name> !

Section#5
Next Steps mentioned to the Parent by the Teacher
Clearly mention the next steps to the parent

Actual Pitch:

Thanks for participating in the Trial & Assessment, the next steps will be as follows:

1) I will send a customize report on your <Child Name>’s Communication Skills in an hour
or so on your email (This is generated automatically when you fill the feedback form on
the child and gets emailed to parent automatically so you do not have to email it)
2) Our Senior Counselor will be getting in touch with you within next couple of hours for
the next steps!
3) Note: Teachers try to avoid mentioning the enrollment fees. In case the parent asks them,
they say that please wait for a couple of hours so that our Senior Counselor can contact
you and discuss the next steps!
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PARTB - YOUR ROLE

After conducting the Trial class, the Teachers fill a form and the lead is assigned to you on your
CRM. The Teachers fill out a detailed form which gives you a lot of information on the child.

Here are the critical next steps to follow to take this lead from post-Trial lead to a successful
sales closure. If you want to be a master sales closer at PlanetSpark, follow the steps mentioned
below after the lead is assigned to you:-

Step#1 : Gather insights & feedback from the teacher (Create your 100 words story) on the child
before approaching the parent

Step#2 : Telephonic conversation to invite the DM (decision maker) for a Video-Call based
Counseling Session along with the child

Step#3 : Mandatory Pre-Conditions for conducting the Video-Call based Counseling Session

Step#4 : Conducting the Video-Call based Counseling Session

Step#5 : On Spot Closure

Lets dive a bit deeper and have a look at all these 5 Steps in more detail below.
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Step#1: Gather insights & feedback from teacher (Create
your 100 Words Story) on the child before approaching the
parent
When you get the lead, read the form that the teacher had filled up after taking the demo. After
reading the form, give a phone call to the Teacher and try to understand the following things:

- What was the need or pain-point of the parent?

- Understand the child’s current level on the following:

• Fluency
• Grammar
• Vocabulary
• Spoken English
• Confidence
• Public Speaking Skills
• Stage fear
• Presentation Skills
• Reading Skills
• Writing Skills
• Extroverted / Introverted or Shy

- Understand the family background & father’s occupation (If the teacher was unable to
determine this, you need to do this in your conversation or video counseling later)

- Create your 100 word story on the child, some examples below. 100 word stories help
you a lot while having a discussion with the parent on phone and video counseling:-

“Samaira is very enthusiastic and quick learner. She can grasp things very quickly. According to the teacher, her
concentration is little weak and she find hard to sit in front of the screen. she understands more by activity and fun based
learning. Talking about her improvement areas, she needs more improvement in Basic phonics, Good fluency in English
language and Sentence building. Formation. As per the discussion, Mentor recommend at least for Pro- Grad Certification
Program which will be a combination of Phonics and Reading Writing Basics that will help her to develop her overall
understanding of English Language”

“Monika is a pro active child, and can do wonders if good direction is provided. As per the Assessment she struggles a bit
in Phonetics, she is able to understand the words but faces problem in speaking and vocal ability. She shows interest in
learning new things. Proper guidance and direction is required in Reading English language. This is the right age to have a
good grip on English reading. As per the intermediate level merit certification will help her to read and understand
sentences and she will get a platform to learn story reading and storytelling with exciting activities.”

“Mohan is young and active child, with decent listening skills. he can adapt to new learning skills through interaction and
constant practice under the right mentorship. Being in his constructive years. we need to build up his foundation which
will be improved through constructive attention, the right attitude, and regular
guidance through his mentor. As per the discussion, Ms.Somi recommends a Merit Certification Program which will be a
combination of Communications and Reading Writing Basics which includes, Story building;
theme and main message, Voice Modulation, Extempore, Public speaking,
that will help him to develop his overall personality and presentation skills.”
 18

Step#2: Telephonic conversation to invite the DM (decision

maker) for a Video-Call based Counseling Session along
with the child
Give a phone call to the parent with the purpose of warming up the lead and setting up an
environment for Sales closure!

Actual Pitch:

Hi Mr / Ms (Parent's Name), My name is Mayank and I am calling from PlanetSpark - Live Online
Public Speaking & Creative Writing Classes for Kids.

Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening, You took a Trial Session for your child on Public Speaking /
Creative Writing with our coach Mr/Ms XYZ a short while ago. I am a Sr. Counselor with
PlanetSpark and I would like to have a conversation with you on the next steps.

<Wait for the parent’s response>

I have had a long and detailed chat with the coach Ms XYZ and some great insights have emerged
from <child name> Trial Session! Let me tell you that your child has some truly unique attributes
that make her/him a perfect fit for developing her/his Public Speaking skills!

<Try to build a rapport with the parent and try to engage the parent in conversation on the child.
The conversation flows from here….>

I would like to share those insights with you and <child name> , I am sure you would be equally
excited to know about those. I would like to fix up a Video Call with you to discuss this.

<Wait for the parent’s response. Before jumping on to fix up a Video Session with the parent,
please note the section below>

Common Mistakes during this call:

a. Do not start your conversation with “How was your feedback on the Trial Class?” This is a common mistake. Saying this puts
the parent on the driver seat and then parent drives the entire conversation. Start by saying “I have great insights for you”. That
puts you in the drivers seat.
b. One of the biggest mistake is to bluntly share pricing on this call without showing value prop. Parent often directly cuts through
the jazz and asks “What’s the price?”. Here you need to realize that price is not a stand alone entity, there is a value attached to
every price point. You should make the parent realize that price depends on the level of proficiency you want to develop and
that’s what we will discuss during the counseling. If parent persists you can say “600/- Rs per class”
c. A common mistake is to have a Sales/Closure mindset in this call itself. Do not have a Sales mindset in this call (not yet!), wait
for the Video-Call Counseling. That is your closure meeting! Not this call
d. Another common mistake is to have a very transactional conversation with the parent with the mindset of taking a date for the
counseling. Do not treat this as a transactional “date-booking” call, rather hold and engage the parent in a conversation
 19

Step#3: Mandatory Pre-Conditions for conducting the

Video-Call based Counseling Session
Since Video-Call based counseling session is your closure meeting, you have to set up the
environment for closure in advance. Setting up this environment for closure is absolutely necessary
for a successful Video Call based counseling session.

This setting up of the environment for closure, we call as 3 Golden Rules: Mandatory pre-
conditions for your final closure meeting:

(Rule # 1): DM i.e. Decision Maker (Often, the Father of the child in Indian context) must
be present for the Video Based Counseling Session

(Rule # 2): DM must be made aware in advance that this is a special occasion/special
session which is being conducted specifically for their child

(Rule # 3): DM must be made aware in advance that a decision on enrollment will have
to be taken during the Counseling session

Remember this saying – “more you sweat in ensuring the 3 Golden Rules during your call,
less you bleed in the Video Call based closure meeting”. It is true that lesser number of people
turn up after ensuring these 3 Golden Rules, but those who do, give you the closures you
need!”

If you break any one of these rules, you can not expect a closure during the Video-Call based
counseling session. All 3 rules are absolutely necessary to get a closure.

Let us go deeper in all these 3 Rules and see why are they important and how you can ensure these
in your conversations.
 20

(Rule # 1):
DM i.e. Decision Maker (Often, the Father of the child in Indian context) must be present for the
Video Based Counseling Session

Actual Pitch:

Hi Mr / Ms (Parent's Name), We need to plan the counseling session at a time when the <child
name> Father is available. The presence of the Father is mandatory because Fathers, like Mothers,
are equally important pillars in the child’s emotional, social or cognitive development. If the Father
is part of the session, he will also get to know the insights we have. Our session can be fruitful &
meaningful only if the Father participates and hence it is mandatory.

<You hear that the father is not available>

We can plan this session later in the day today when the father is available. But it is a mandatory
process for our counselings. Also, since it’s a Video Call, you can join from the comfort of your
home whenever the father has some time today.

<Want to know a great waste of time? Trying to close deals with non-decision makers. This is a
classic hamster-on-a-wheel scenario. You’re working your tail off, but without the decision maker,
the deal won’t go anywhere. Try to persist for DM (father’s) presence or post pone the session to
later in the day. If you still don’t get a time, then ask for Father’s number and call him. Don’t feel
shy in talking to the DM as only the DM can give you a closure. People who go the extra mile in
ensuring that the DM is present in the counseling session, get the closures. Having ‘Persistence
and Patience’ is the key here!

Those who take the easy way out by succumbing to the circumstances and going ahead with a
counseling without the Father, end up wasting their energy, time and hardly ever get closures>

(Rule # 2):
DM must be made aware in advance that this is a special occasion/special session which is being
conducted specifically for their child

Actual Pitch:

The session will be a special session that will be planned exclusively for <child name>

I will be setting aside 1-2 hours of my personal time exclusively for <child name> so that we can
spend quality time to this. We generally don’t offer this session for Free, however since <child
name> has exhibited some truly unique attributes that make her/him a perfect fit for developing
her/his Public Speaking skills, I thought we should interact over a Video Call to have a detailed
discussion and go through those interesting insights!
 21

<Giving a ‘special air’ to this session is critical as it helps you build the case for same day closure.
As a follow up, you should: -

a. Confirm the agreed time over WhatsApp

b. Block Parent’s Google Calendar
c. Send a special invite to the parent over email>

(Rule # 3):
DM must be made aware in advance that a decision on enrollment will have to be taken during
the Counseling session

Actual Pitch:

Hi Mr / Ms (Parent's Name), During the counseling session if you believe that <child name> can
benefit from PlanetSpark then the decision on enrollment would need to be taken during the
counseling session itself. Since we are planning this session exclusively for your child and this is
a special occasion dedicated only for your child (This is where Rule#2 helps you!), I would be
taking out my personal time and would be fully available for <child name> at the said time!

“No” is also a decision, but I would like you to take the enrollment decision at the time of the
counseling. Hence, lets agree on a convenient slot for the counseling session when you believe
you can take out time (I have my calendar free today evening!) for this and also take a decision
on enrollment, however I can’t wait to discuss the insights that emerged from the Trial Session
and it would be great if we can have this meeting as early as possible! I want to let you know that
since we're a mission-driven platform rather than a money-driven platform, we don't want
parents to ever have a dissonance that their trial teacher was different from the paid teacher.

Hence we only map your trial class teacher ( i.e. Ms XYZ) to be your final teacher. Therefore,
Ms XYZ would be teaching your child personally in a 1:1 format. I’d love <child name> to join
us as is a 3 spark kid. We love having 3 spark kids on the platform since they become great
ambassadors of the program.

I can see in my system that the Teacher has only 1 more slot left and today she has 3-4 more
Trial classes and since most parents are signing up for a full course, I am likely to reach all my
students today or tomorrow. I’d like to reserve one seat for <child name> hence we need to plan
the session as early as we can!
 22

Step#4: Conducting the Video-Call based Counseling

Session

Before talking about the Video-Call based counseling session, lets look at the concept of
“Expertise Power”. The concept of “Expertise Power” is closely entwined with the process of
conducting Video-Call based counseling session!

Lets first look at various types/source of Power as it exists between individuals in social
interactions:

Positional Power: This is straight-forward. It is tops-down power i.e. when an individual wields
power owing to position in the organization or a team. For example, in organizations, Line
Managers have positional powers with them over other team members.

Relational Power: Power that emanates from relationships. People work together, help each
other out, team-up for success, forgive mistakes, and generally stick together in teams.

Expertise Power: The power that an expert of a specific field exerts over non experts. For
example, a doctor wields an expert power over a lawyer when it comes to diagnosing a disease.
However, that same lawyer wields expert power over that doctor when it comes to a legal matter.
When you are an expert in a particular field, you possess the “Expertise Power” that you exert
over outsiders of that field.

As a Counselor you need to bring into play your “Expertise Power” during the counseling
sessions. As an expert in language learning, academics, child pedagogy & child psychology, you
wield your “Expertise Power” over the outsiders.

#1) Mindset before the Video Counseling:

Carrying the right mindset as you go into the Video Counseling: It’s all in the mind!

- You are an Expert in language learning, academics, child pedagogy & child psychology
and not a Business Developer!
 23
- You are a genuine counselor with genuine interest in the child and not a Business
Developer!
- You are a problem solver & a consultant who wants to understand the pain-point and
problem of the customer and solve that problem. You not an order-taker or a product-
pitchman!

#2 How to take the Video Counseling:

There is no script. When it comes to a counseling session, there is no pre defined script. However,
there is a recommended flow of the counseling session that should be followed:
 24

Need Building Phase:

The counselor should sincerely wear a symbolic hat of a genuine counselor. One should drop the
sales hat and just wear a genuine counselor's hat. Try take a genuine interest in the child and rest
of the conversation will flow smoothly. During the need building phase, the spot light has to be
put on the child and not on the product or PlanetSpark.

Start by asking questions to the child:

- Any Books the child read off late?

- Favorite character in Books?
- Instances when child had to speak in a group environment?
- Areas of interest
- What does she want to become when she grows up
- Etc..

Guiding principles during the need building phase:

- Discuss your insights from the trial class

- Make the child feel special and unique
- Discuss your 100-word story on the child
- Feedback from the teacher
- Try to surface genuine pain-points through conversations with parents

The target during the need building phase is to gun for “Inflection Point”

Inflection Point:

During the counseling, you must always be on the lookout for “Inflection Point”. Inflection point
sounds its arrival when parent starts giving signals of agreement by saying stuff like "this will help
my child", "yes it looks good", "i think i can try this for my child" or just simple multiple nod of
the head when you talk about PlanetSpark. Yout first target is to look for these signals i.e. inflection
point. Once you get to the inflection point, psychological contract is signed with the parent.

Psychological contract comes before legal contract / monetary exchange. Increase psychological
commitment by making customer fill the enrollment form and agreeing on the time of the class
and slots. Many counselors lose sales because they never demand an actual commitment
from parents when they reach the inflection point, thus depleting any real sense of urgency.
Ask a question such as: “Are you committed to solving Aarav’s fluency challenge today?”
Don’t get a commitment from them to buy or “move forward” or “Lets take this forward” —
just get an actual commitment that they’re invested in solving this huge challenge for aarav,
right now. Don’t say “buy it today” or “Please pay today”, or “buy from me today” but rather
 25
say “are you committed to start the process of building Public Speaking skills for Aarav
today?”, take a ‘Yes’ on it. “You want the same teacher i.e. Ms. XYZ for Aarav, right?”

Sales Phase:

After taking a psychological commitment and a firm yes from the parent at the Inflection Point,
you need to make a subtle transition into “BD mode” or “Sales mode”

While being in the “Sales mode” after the inflection point has arrived & psychological contract
has happened, one has to be assertive, direct and not feel shy to close the deal on the spot during
the Video Counseling itself. This is where your Rule#3 & Rule#2 discussed earlier i.e:-

“DM must be made aware in advance that a decision on enrollment will have to be taken during
the Counseling session” comes in handy!

“DM must be made aware in advance that this is a special occasion/special session which is being
conducted specifically for their child” comes in handy!

This is the moment for which these two rules exist. “We discussed that you would be taking a
decision today”, “I took aside 1.5 hours specifically for your child today”. “It is not a INR 40,000
decision; it is a INR 600/- decision due to our 100% Refund policy”.

Be assertive, direct and don’t feel shy to close the deal on the spot through urgency building.

Urgency Building:

Why is building urgency important?

You need to hit when the iron is hot as the customer would not be turning up again to give you
another shot after the Video Counseling is over. Parents are most likely to purchase the course on
the same day as the Trial Session. Trial & Counseling session, if done right, is like a climax of an
emotional movie and the impact of the session diminishes over time and the likelihood of purchase
goes down the next day. When the parent wakes up the next day, it’s a new and noisy world again
and the deal inevitably goes cold. Hence 95% of closures happen on the same day as the counseling
session.

Understand the difference between building urgency and building pressure

Pressure has an external source while urgency comes from within oneself. Urgency is self created
and doesn't come from the outside. Parents will have to build urgency themselves and all you can
do is to assist them in doing that and compound it. The nuanced art of getting closures is hinged
upon building urgency and not building pressure.
 26

Building urgency

#1 Urgency should only be built on DM (generally Father in Indian context)

#2 Urgency only works when the entire process has been built around it

• You need to set up the environment for urgency right throughout the process rather than
springing it up as a surprise at the end after the Video Counseling is over. Imply urgency
in all your communications, headlines or mail subjects “Today” word must be there in all
verbal or written communications with prospects
• Take Video Counseling only when you are fully ready to close on the same day

#3 Build a fear of loss

All urgency is built around fear of loss. FOL could be for scarcity of slots or money depending
on parent’s internal motivation.

#4 Asking right questions compounds the urgency

If you want to build urgency, ask them questions which relate to the urgency. Urgency can be
compounded with asking questions

• When her all slots are full what are you going to do about that?
• What will happen if we don't have any slot to offer your child

Refund Policy

You should also know we have a:

NO QUESTIONS ASKED, SAME-DAY, 100% REFUND POLICY. We’ve taken a legal indemnity
to refund on the same day. So the decision that you are making currently is not a <FULL COURSE
PRICE eg Rs 44,000> decision but a <SINGLE CLASS PRICE eg Rs 611> decision. If you’re not
happy with the course at any point, we’ll refund the remaining classes back immediately on the
same day.

So, if you’re not happy after the 1st class, we’ll refund the remaining 71 classes back on the same
day. I must tell you though this has never happened to us as our renewal rate is 99.1% .So less
than 0.9% of students have asked for a refund, the lowest in the history of education technology
in the world. Yet, we will offer it anytime 100% REFUND, ZERO QUESTIONS ASKED, SAME-
DAY.