How To Use Sales Online Training To Enhance Verbal Communication Skills
Verbal communication skills are essential in everyday life. We need to clearly convey our ideas and actively listen to others during each social interaction. Otherwise, misunderstandings may lead to conflicts and missed opportunities, especially in the competitive world of sales. Your employees must be able to identify customers’ needs and negotiate the deal. Thus, every step of the sale process centers on open communication. Here are some 7 tips to use sales online training to hone verbal communication skills.
1. Impart Real-World Experience With Sales Simulations
Employees use their verbal communication skills during client meetings and sales transactions. As such, they must be able to put their skills into practice in a real-world context. Simulations allow them to interact with virtual customers or clients who represent your target demographic. They can hone their negotiation skills and learn how to articulate their thoughts in order to land the sale. For example, highlight the product specs and benefits for the customer, so that they can make a well-informed decision. You should incorporate as many realistic elements as possible to enhance the benefits. For instance, workplace images and character cut-outs that truly reflect your customer base.
2. Start A Sales Online Training Social Media Group
Social media gets the conversation started. One of the best ways to foster verbal communication skills is to utilize them in collaborative settings. Employees are able to formulate targeted questions and leave comments on co-workers’ posts. To do so, they must choose their words carefully so as not to offend fellow group members. Written communications don’t carry the same emotional tone as the spoken word. An employee may have the best intentions, but their comment comes across as judgmental or offensive. Therefore, they have to think about their responses beforehand and be tactful when interacting with peers. Just as they would on the sales floor.
3. Build Active Listening Skills With Branching Scenarios
Branching scenarios test employees’ decision-making abilities and allow them to learn from their mistakes. However, they can also be used to cultivate active listening skills. Begin with a brief introduction to the customer or client, including their purchasing history and current needs. Then, invite the employee to complete the sales transaction and negotiations from start to finish. Every choice brings them down a different path, and the goal is to achieve the most favorable outcome. To achieve this, your corporate learners must actively listen to the clients' concerns to overcome sales obstacles. For example, the individual is reluctant to purchase the item because they’ve had a bad experience in the past. Employees who actually listen to the customer are more likely to seal the deal and drum up repeat business.
4. Use Serious Games To Instill Self-Confidence
Serious games are fun and engaging. Which is reason enough to incorporate them into your sales online training program. However, they are also great confidence-boosters for your geographically dispersed employees. Sales team members must progress through each level by applying their verbal communication skills. For instance, promote the key benefits and features of your new product line to a potential customer. Each stage of the game involves a different customer with different buying needs. They reach the end when they’ve successfully met their sales quota. Gameplay gives them the opportunity to learn from their mistakes, perfect their approach, and build self-confidence.
5. Focus On Interpersonal Abilities
Interpersonal abilities directly impact verbal communication skills. In order to communicate with others, you must be able to resolve conflicts, actively listen, and pick up on non-verbal cues. For instance, there are many facets to a 'typical' conversation. The individual you’re talking to is exhibiting certain body language or expressions. Their tone can completely change the meaning of a sentence. Your employees need to consider all of the factors involved when dealing with customers or clients. For this reason, you should focus on interpersonal abilities when creating simulations, branching scenarios, and other real-world activities. This enhances your verbal communication skills training by giving employees the complete picture.
6. Encourage Employees To Start Their Own Blogs
Blogs are often associated with personal pursuits, such as online diaries or product reviews. But they can also be an effective tool for sales online training. Employees can start their own blogs to reflect on training topics and gather eLearning feedback from peers. To write a blog post, they must be able to clearly articulate their thoughts and opinions. They need to summarize the information using their own words and simplify the most challenging ideas or concepts. In the process, bloggers also reinforce their sales knowledge and improve comprehension for their peers.
7. Set The Example With Demos And Online Training Tutorials
Certain employees may need to see what verbal communication skills look like in action. Video demos and online training tutorials give them the chance to watch favorable behaviors, then mimic them in the workplace. They can also benefit from demos that display unfavorable behaviors, so they know what to avoid. They may even spot some familiar traits, which can help them reflect on their own areas for improvement. For example, the presenter doesn’t make eye contact with the customer and attempts to deliver their sales pitch on numerous occasions, instead of simply listening to the customer’s main concerns and then finding the best product match. Just make certain that you clearly separate the do’s from the don'ts to avoid confusion.
Verbal communication skills can make or break your sales strategy. Effective communicators are more likely to hit their monthly targets and provide better customer service. But they need online training resources to hone their talents and refresh skills on a continual basis.
Do your employees have the chance to put their newfound skills into action and build practical experience? Read the article 8 Real World Activities That Build Interpersonal Skills In Online Training to discover real-world activities that can build interpersonal abilities in your online training program.
