Communicate clearly, effectively, and persuasively

• - Have you noticed how much communication has changed in just the last few years? From the way meetings are conducted, to
how we find prospects, and how we interact with clients and customers. A lot has changed in just a few years. Communication is
constantly evolving and changing to adapt to today's marketplace, and it is a soft sales skill that can help your clients and
prospects hear your ideas and solutions clearly and persuasively when used effectively. In the sales process, good communication
skills can help you create a bond with prospects and clients. Develop trust, give clear expectations, and be authentically
persuasive without being pushy. Although the platforms of communication have changed over the last few years, the core
concepts of this soft skill remain the same. First, be transparent. Transparency and honesty make your messages trustworthy, and
builds trust with your prospects and clients. Don't sell someone something that you can't deliver. Instead, find a solution that
thoughtfully addresses their needs, and be honest, if you don't have that solution at the time. This authentic approach is the best
way to create lasting relationships within your network. Also remember that communication is a two-way street and involves
listening just as much as talking. Ask questions to learn more about your customer's needs and look for opportunities for
connection and comradery through common interests, similar language and thoughtful responses. Adapt your communication for
the technology that you're using. Emails should be clear and concise and not too lengthy. Phone calls and video meetings should
be more conversational and personal, as this might be the only face to face interaction you might be getting with prospects. Slack
responses and emojis are an easy way to spread positivity quickly and easily within your team. These are all examples of using a
communication method that matches the technology you are using and each platform will have its own unique strategies. Listen
and watch how others are using a platform to communicate if you're unfamiliar with it, and find a way to use similar techniques in
your own authentic way. Clear communication that is authentic, transparent, and honest can overcome any technical changes in
the sales landscape or within your industry. This soft skill of good communication will last past any technology that comes your
way.
Connect with prospects and customers in the marketplace

•  Humans are hardwired for connection and social relationships. So it's only natural that this soft skill would play an important role in the sales
process. There are various tools and technologies that we can use today to build connections between ourselves and our clients to generate
positive solutions for our customers, which ultimately leads to more sales. Just as good communication can be amplified through utilizing
technology, so can connection. First, focus on the person not the sale. Humans are perceptive creatures and the more focused you are on your
personal sales goal, the less connected your prospector client will feel. In a figurative way, there really is a disconnection between the two of
you when your sales quota is in the way of focusing on the customer first. Zeroing in on the person, your customer is your direct path to genuine
connection. Let's look at this in action. Paul, our loan consultant from earlier is going to introduce himself twice. Think about which one you'd
prefer as a customer. - Hi Mara, I'm Paul and I work here at JQS bank and our sweet spot is helping small businesses like yours get to the next
level. Hi Mara, I'm Paul. I work here as a consultant at JQS bank. - It's nice to meet you, Paul. - Tell me a little about what you do and what
you're hoping to get. - See the difference? The first example is really all about Paul. It is a sales pitch. The second is all about the customer. You
would never start a relationship with a new friend by telling them how great you are or by selling them on how much great stuff you have,
right? The same is true for sales. So drop the pitch and simply start a conversation. Secondly, take the time to truly know the person, ask
questions, be interested and actively listen. Your main objective should be to learn and understand this person. And find a solution that can solve
their problems. This should be evident in your listening, responses and suggested solutions. Even if that solution isn't you. You are not here to
close a sale. You are here to provide a solution. And if you have a solution that fits their need, then you also have a sale and a very satisfied
customer. And finally, understand your customer so well that you can anticipate their needs and give solutions to those two. If you are truly
connected with your customer you'll be able to identify a problem they might be running into or a new solution or technology that can help them
now by taking on the research work, reaching out to them first and providing a solution from a source they already know and trust you've
generated more sales and created a stronger connection with your customer. These three core values of connection can be applied to any
technology as long as they remain in the forefront of your communication. Connection cannot be faked. It has to be real. By now, you should
see how the investment of your time and efforts to create an authentic connection in the sales process can generate more sales now and in the
long run.
How to develop your emotional intelligence for sales

• - You've probably heard of IQ, our way of measuring someone's intelligence and reasoning ability. But have you heard of EQ or
emotional intelligence? EQ is how we measure the ability to recognize emotions in ourselves and others, and regulate how we interact
with those motions. Unlike IQ, which is pretty stationary for all of our lives, EQ can be improved throughout your entire life. As a soft
sales skill, emotional intelligence builds our self-awareness and social awareness in the sales process to manage the
relationship between us and our customers, and cultivate true connections. There are four components of emotional intelligence when
applied as a soft skill. First is model understanding. With model understanding, you're able to recognize and adopt a high level
understanding of emotions, their traits, and how they are commonly displayed. This helps in your general perception and recognition
of emotions, such as understanding non-verbal signs and body language, or in recognizing your own physiological response to your
emotions. Second is self understanding, which encompasses your self-awareness to your own feelings. How quickly and honestly you
can recognize them, and how you regulate them within yourself. A deep self understanding of your own emotions allows you to
respond to your emotions with control, rather than having control over you. This helps you stay connected to the moment and respond
constructively when emotions might get in the way of the sales process. Social understanding incorporates the skills of each of the
previous components and brings that awareness and perception outside of yourself and into the space of others. This is the component
in which empathy lives and thrives. By truly and deeply understanding another's emotions and recognizing them quickly, you can
choose how to respond and engage rather than simply reacting. With this kind of awareness and control in a situation, your customer
and client interactions can remain constructive, even through emotional differences. The fourth and final component of emotional
intelligence is being able to adjust your style. Once you've mastered all other three components of EQ, you will have a deep toolbox of
perceptive skills, management skills, and regulatory skills that you can adjust to adapt to any situation. With recognition, perception,
and regulation, you can hone in your emotional intelligence to build a solid foundation for every other soft skill. As you grow your EQ,
you'll find your client relations and your sales will grow as well.
Bounce back from professional setbacks with resilience

•  Imagine the impact on your sales career if you could accomplish more in less time. Interested in the secret? It's
resilience. Resilience is your ability to bounce back from setbacks, difficulties, and maintain a toughness to
continue your goals no matter the circumstances. This soft skill can be easier said than done at times, but I assure
you that it will save you more time and energy in the long run. The new soft skills are aged to specifically help
you in an ever changing landscape and marketplace. And resilience is one of the biggest tools to help
you navigate your career throughout these advancements. There is no doubt that you will face adversities and
challenges of various sizes in your sales career. In the big picture, it's about how you respond to those setbacks
that matter. With a practice skill of resilience, your response time is shortened, and your forward momentum is
maintained giving you an edge over any competition that takes a pause or slows down after a setback. To
practice resilience and tenacity, you must win the battle over the voices in your head, or from others who
question your abilities. With pure self confidence and faith in your own abilities, you'll be able to conquer those
voices and come back even stronger and wiser than before in any response to any less than ideal circumstance,
that's resilience. In the sales process, resilience helps you approach each sales goal with the same amount of
passion. You don't lose energy over time or over each solution that isn't right. Instead you are equipped to come
back to the table with more and more creative solutions that are fueled by passion and drive. With resilience
mastered you are ready to take on any career change, missed sales objective, or technology shift in stride. This
creates a more efficient sales strategy, a more fulfilling sales career.
Conclusion - Bottom line difference
• - Now, it's time to talk about the true impact of your efforts into soft skills in your sales strategy, the bottom line
difference. In this course, we've covered each of the new soft skills in detail. We've also learned how they apply to
our sales process, and how we can nurture, and grow each of these through practice and action. But it's the bottom
line that makes the difference in the end. In addition to studies by Harvard University, Boston University, and the
University of Michigan's Ross School of Business, which show that soft skills training creates 12% more
productivity across various industries, soft skills have had a proven effect on the bottom line and an increase of
sales. Business leaders around the world champion the success of soft skills, and soft skills training within their
organizations. Sales teams practice these skills individually, and as a whole so that their clients, and customer feel a
difference in their service, and the delivery of the product offering. It's simple, focusing on the customer creates more
sales. With genuine and authentic customer relations, your customers will be much more loyal, and will return with
repeated sales, and passionate advocacy and referrals. This all stems from the connection you can build by focusing
on the customer, their needs, and their emotions Your clients and customers will now be buying into you. And you
will prove to be the person with the solutions to their needs consistently, even if it means means a referral. And I
would love to hear your progress, and stay connected. Please reach out to me and share your stories. You can always
find me on LinkedIn reach me at my website, valuespeaker.com, or check out some of my other courses, such as
"Inclusive Selling," or "Business Sales Strategy," right here on the LinkedIn Learning platform. You are the
difference in the bottom line. And by investing your time, energy, and efforts into these soft skills you're ready to see
the success for yourself.