Authentic Customer Interaction

Name: Authentic Customer Interaction
Author: Kersten Kelly Brunner

Identify why building a relationship with your customer is critical to success

Preview the first lesson free — get full access to all 6 lessons.

Course: On-Demand

Let's identify why building relationships is so critical to your success in sales. You'll learn the process of opening conversations, listening to your customer and building common ground as you work together. These lessons will demonstrate how being yourself during sales, pitches and negotiations, can yield better outcomes. You'll also gain perspective on how to be authentic, both when sales are successful and when you're rejected. One of the most important roles of a salesperson is building an internal and external network. Strong relationships are key because many successful interactions in a business are based on whether a customer likes who they're working with. By connecting with decision makers or key stakeholders, effective salespeople can quickly gain the upper hand. This also limits the number of times you'll go back and forth with negotiations. It's important to identify two types of connections that salespeople need to focus on, internal and external. Each connection has an equal importance in the sales process and deserves the same amount of time and attention. Internal networking is the process of building connections with colleagues who affect your ability to sell. Imagine you work for an ink pen manufacturing company. You notice that the demand for blue ink pens has significantly increased on the market in the last six months. And you have several potential prospects that have shown interest in blue ink pens. Your company currently only manufacturers black, red and green pens. To start manufacturing blue pens, you'll need the vice-president of operations approval. If you've already established a rapport with this person, it's easier to engage with them and make this request. If you've already built rapport and shown them an authentic approach, it's more likely they'll be open to the idea of manufacturing and selling blue pens. Connections outside of your organization are also essential to your success as a salesperson. External networking involves creating business relationships with individuals that are involved in your sales, but don't necessarily work within the same organization as you. Most people you connect with externally are customers, but there are other resources that can add value to your sales efforts. For example, consultants, vendors, service providers, and suppliers can be helpful connections to establish because they facilitate the process of selling your products. You may need to reach out to these people to help you close a deal with a customer by utilizing their expertise or a service they offer. Depending on your approach to establishing relationships, there are a variety of ways to connect with others. Some of the most common methods include, professional outings, trade shows, association memberships, one-on-one conferences and LinkedIn invitations and engagement. A best practice in building an external network is to consider a large scope of people. In other words, don't limit yourself to a specific target group. Instead, focus on the quality of the people you connect with and the value they can offer you to support your sales efforts. Engage with individuals at all levels of an organization. This will establish solid business connections that will last.

Beginner Provider : Kersten Kelly Brunner 6 Lessons · 15m in Arabic, German, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese

Course Description

A salesperson’s role is based on positive, meaningful, and productive interactions with the customer. These lessons identify why building a relationship is critical to success and how knowing the customer and their business improves outcomes to sell a product. You will learn the process of opening conversations, listening to the customer, and building common ground as you work with customers to find a solution that fits both parties. You will also learn how being yourself during negotiations can yield better outcomes.

What You'll Learn

Research customers and their business to anticipate needs and provide fitting solutions
Open conversations, ask questions, and build common ground with customers
Build meaningful relationships and connections that drive sales success
Negotiate with customers while remaining authentic to yield better outcomes
Work with customers to find a solution that fits both parties
Handle the outcomes of customer interactions, whether rejection or success

Key Takeaways

A salesperson's role is based on positive, meaningful, and productive interactions with the customer.
Building a relationship with the customer is critical to sales success.
Knowing the customer and their business improves outcomes when selling a product.
Opening conversations, listening to the customer, and building common ground help find a solution that fits both parties.
Being yourself and remaining authentic during negotiations can yield better outcomes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is this course for?

It is for salespeople, whose role is based on positive, meaningful, and productive interactions with the customer.

What will I learn in this course?

You will learn the process of opening conversations, listening to the customer, and building common ground to find a solution that fits both parties, as well as how to research customers to anticipate their needs and how remaining authentic during negotiations can yield better outcomes.

What topics does the course cover?

Lessons cover the importance of making connections, knowing your customer, opening, questioning, and building common ground, negotiating, and rejection or success, followed by a Test Your Knowledge section.

What skills does this course help develop?

It helps develop customer interaction management, customer relationship building, sales development, sales effectiveness, sales principles, and salesmanship.

Why does the course emphasize authenticity?

Because being yourself during negotiations can yield better outcomes, and the course highlights the value of remaining authentic when negotiating with customers.