Top Tip #1 What to think about before negotiating? – If you are thinking about negotiating/discounting your service/product to a customer; the reasons should be for the value of working with this customer. After discounting from your full/standard prices with a customer, it may be difficult to increase the price in future sales. The value questions you should consider are: will you receive repeat business? Is this sale a large volume? Is this sale of high value? Does this customer have an internal network/referral base that will give you further business?

Top Tip #2 Only negotiate in person/video conference -Face to face with a customer during negotiations will benefit you instead of negotiation over phone, email, etc. In person, you can read the expressions and body language reactions of a customer. Read the buying signals from the customer e.g. the questions they ask you about your service/product. Use your judgement to decide when to stop the negation and close the sale. It is also easier to have a proposal/deal signed when you’re sitting next to the customer.

Top Tip #3 Needs-based sell by what your current customers say ⭐- Demonstrate the value of your service or product to a customer from case studies/testimonials you have received from previous customers who have already used your service or product. Visualise (by storytelling) the outcomes/results your service or product have had from other similar customers this will help with the emotional motives of the buying process. This new customer will relate more to hearing real feedback from and likely to proceed from concern of missing out ✅

Top Tip #4 Close quickly with less options – During the negotiation stages close the sale soon, if the customer has too long to think about proceeding with the purchase, they are more likely to not proceed or want to renegotiate further. Customers will take longer deciding if you provide them with too many options; when pitching and negotiating only provide 1 or 2 options to the customer to increase the chances of a sale within a shorter timeframe.

Top Tip #5 Be willing to walk away -If the customer is trying to negotiate past your lowest threshold, explain to this customer the benefits of your service/product and for these reasons it is worth the price you quoted. If the customer is truly interested, they will come back to you to proceed; now you will have more control of the negotiation. If this customer doesn’t contact you again – you will always find another customer who will buy your service/product!

And finally – sales and negotiation can be challenging, for any successes you have, reward and remind yourself what you have achieved!

Research from Correct Careers Coaching found evidence that 83% of sales professionals feel they require support in using social media for building business relationships, emphasising sales professionals seeking to try new approaches to increase business sales.

If you would like to have a more detailed discussion regarding negotiation and selling techniques to action these tips for your business contact Jamie on:

Jamie Martin BSc (Hons), PGCert (Managing Director & Founder) of Correct Careers Coaching.

Jamie@correctcareerscoaching.com and 07599 332178.

www.correctcareerscoaching.com

LinkedIn: Correct Careers Coaching

Facebook: @CorrectCareersCoaching

Instagram: CorrectCareers

Twitter: @CorrectCareers

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW7taRWRSaA1WuEgSpXMlKg

Employees have already joined your business due to their desire to work for you as well as being happy with your company benefits, however, to give them purpose throughout their career journey, the engagement of an employee plays a vital role in retaining them.

Top tip #1 Build the trust with your employees – For the Line manager/business leaders/colleagues to interact and communicate with other employees to understand individual differences, as well as to demonstrate shared values and authenticity. The employees will feel more confident in their role and within the company from the time spent by management/colleagues with them and by fulfilling their purpose. The trust can also be demonstrated from company perks such as flexible working.

Tim Thurston, Director of Team-i comments about trust:

 “From the research that I have undertaken with several elite sports teams, trust in one’s colleagues is key trait of a high performing team. This trust begins with everyone understanding what their role is and where it fits into the achievement of the team’s purpose. Understanding that different roles require different attributes, particularly when they are different to your own attributes. It’s absolutely key and leads to respect.

When an individual then fulfils their role and hence makes their contribution to the team, that respect increases and over a period of time leads to trust. For a team to reach its full potential, there must be trust between all team members: superiors, subordinates, and peers.”

Top tip #2 Make your employees feel appreciated and empowered – Recognition and Praising employees instead of criticism will increase engagement levels. Customer satisfaction surveys can identify/rate how happy the employees currently are, although, conversations with the employees about what else could make them be happier/feel more supported will make them more grateful and engaged.  These engaging techniques can help in conversations with employees in other areas of the business e.g. investment in staff.

Dan Gale, Independent Mortgage, Equity Release & Protection Adviser of Mather & Murray Financial Ltd highlights:

“Employer benefit solutions do not need to be overly complex nor overpriced. With tax relief available, and with so many solutions on offer, to benefit both the employer and employee it’s certainly worth considering. 76% of employees are more likely to stay with employer if they offer a good employee benefit package. 2 in 3 employees want flexibility in choosing which employee benefits they receive. 85% of employees questioned said they would purchase at least one employee benefit if their employer didn’t provide it. 3 in 4 said they expected their employer to provide guidance on employer benefits*.

“We’re in a challenging employment environment where unemployment is at an all-time low meaning employers should want to look after, and retain the staff they have through extra benefits, added value and going to extra mile. Losing staff to a competitor through lack of investment is short sighted and avoidable”.

*Source: Capita – Employee insights report (Workplace Benefits 2018).

Top tip #3 Having conversations with your employees about their future within the company – Communicate the company’s progression plans/what you have earmarked the employee for in the business, demonstrating your value and commitment to the employee e.g. succession plans and enhanced benefits. Also encourage stability by giving clarity to the employee regarding vision for the business and how their contribution will help achieve the business goals. 

Findings from Correct Careers Coaching’s retention survey from a UK sector leading company with a turnover £600+ million; highlight this company’s retention rate increased since implementing retention strategies such as enhanced promotion opportunities and introduced retention allowances for specialist roles.

Top tip #4 Focus on company culture – If employees have built strong synergy with their manager, team, and colleagues they are more likely to be engaged and invest in creating a future for the business. For employees to bond; the time spent together at business events/workshops, team building activities, or charity projects will help individuals get to know one another on a personal level, support, and collaborate better. This can also encourage employees to help and praise colleagues for further engagement.

Ben Caton, Managing Director of SWSE.org.uk demonstrates the importance of culture in other areas:

“Employers are tasked with creating cultures of engaged learning, development, and support that not only appeals to a younger, more tech focused workforce but also an older core.

It is estimated according to a recent study that 22% of millennials expect a response within 10 minutes of asking their employer for support. While 77% of the current global workforce rates employee wellbeing and assistance programs as a key factor when deciding upon a potential new role. 

It is now up to the decision makers to change the narrative of employee engagement on a global scale.”

References:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeannemeister/2017/06/21/the-future-of-work-death-of-the-single-skill-set-in-the-age-of-automation/#56632fe77b4c

https://www.efrontlearning.com/blog/2017/10/trends-2020-workplace.html

https://reba.global/files/document/171/1521138370_REBAEmployeeWellbeingResearch2018ESV_web.pdf

Top tip #5 Continuous investment in the employee’s future – The employees will feel valued from receiving extra training to develop their skills and knowledge. As well as the employees, be provided with additional resources/technology to help them perform better within their role.

Research from Correct Careers Coaching found evidence that 83% of sales professionals feel they require support in using social media for building business relationships, emphasising employees desire to engage more with their customers via social media.

Employees that are more engaged within a company, are more likely to go that extra mile and have increased performance, creativity, and loyalty for your business!

If you would like to have a more detailed discussion regarding employee engagement and retention solutions to action these tips for your business contact Jamie on:

Jamie Martin BSc (Hons), PGCert (Managing Director & Founder) of Correct Careers Coaching.

Jamie@correctcareerscoaching.com and 07599 332178

www.correctcareerscoaching.com

LinkedIn: Correct Careers Coaching

Twitter: @CorrectCareers

Facebook: CorrectCareersCoaching

Google: Correct Careers Coaching

While doing an undergraduate degree in Psychology; achieving a 2.1 BSc degree with Honours, as well as a postgraduate certificate with Merit in Business Psychology at University (studying areas of Occupational Psychology); I found my passion for understanding individual differences and helping people within a business environment.

My dissertation: Sound Distraction Effect on Memory Processing Knowledge Familiarity: How the Familiarity of Knowledge is affected by Sound Distractions is available as a paperback on Amazon:

https://amzn.to/2YpWpPI

Following university, I have had an 8-9-year successful career within sales, including sales & marketing, telemarketing, media sales, headhunter experience, as well as working at Sales Manager level for a £1billion+ global recruitment company.

Working within the recruitment industry, I recruited nationally from junior to C-level roles for sales and finance positions across 20 different industry sectors within SME to blue-chip companies). Being in a commercial and competitive environment – I understand sales is challenging! As well as sales could potentially cause stress and burnout.

From my background within Psychology and Sales, I have created a Sales Psychology to help provide employees and businesses with an innovative and different approach to selling within a modern society.

This Sales Psychology sales training programme (I will coach you through) will provide you with techniques and knowledge within:

• Standing out from your competition and building your brand image.
• Understanding individual differences in personality, motivators, emotions and learning styles.
• Building relationships with successful outcomes.
• Improving your memory for sales pitches.
• Applying psychological methods for selling.

How would you feel when these techniques help your sales has increased for your business?

Following research, I have conducted:

‘83% of Sales Professionals feel they require support in using social media for building business relationships’

(Correct Careers Coaching)

For more information regarding this unique Sales Psychology, as well as other sales training programmes available, contact:

Jamie Martin (Founder & Managing Director) of Correct Careers Coaching.

Jamie@correctcareerscoaching.com and 07599 332178.

www.correctcareerscoaching.com

LinkedIn: Correct Careers Coaching

Facebook: @CorrectCareersCoaching

Instagram: CorrectCareers

Twitter: @CorrectCareers

Correct Careers Coaching – YouTube channel

• Write career goals down… Make them visual! and review these goals daily.

• Spend time identifying what you are most passionate about, this will help you stay within a career / company / industry longer to achieve and overcome challenges.

• Staying with the same company / industry sector, for in-depth knowledge and experience within this field; to become known as an industry expert.

• To have a mentor within the same company / industry / role to learn from their experiences and advice.

• Network with numerous / variety of individuals within the same company / industry to be known and respected as you develop on your career path.

• Growth Mindset: authentic, patience, resilience, motivation, focus empathy, accountability, passion.

Jamie Martin (Founder & Managing Director) of Correct Careers Coaching.

Jamie@correctcareerscoaching.com and 07599 332178

Mindset characteristics such as positive perception, determination and resilience play a big role in career performance and achievement.

1. Arrange for well-being workshops / physical activity within the workplace to support mental health.

Physical activity helps reduce stress, as well as improving self-esteem (Sports England)

2. Organise team events / challenges; assists in developing a strong workplace culture and bond; where your employees feel more engaged.

3. Encouraging a suitable work-life balance – relaxation time stops your employees not become a ‘busy fool’ and helps increase performance.

4. Help your employees with career goals and objectives within their job; making sure you empower them to decide these for themselves. Writing goals down / having these visual – increases your employees’ awareness of the goals.

5. Sharing your business plans and vision engages your employees – they feel included in the direction of your company’s future, as well as understanding how vital their role is to that contribution (encouraging stability).

6. Having a mentor (internal or external) to provide objective advice and inspiration through your employee’s career that is personal to the need of your employee.

7. Providing continuous training and resources to support your employee’s career development and encourages a growth mindset.

83% of sales professionals feel they require support in using social media for building business relationships (Correct Careers Coaching)

8. Rewarding (e.g. awards) and incentivising your employees (financial or non-financial) helps them feel valued. Benefits provided not just for your employees but for their families too; offers further investment for your employee’s lifestyle.

9. Maintain a common ground by spending time getting to know your employees on a personal level.

10. Have frequent reviews and ask your employees for their business feedback – shows your employees their opinion matters. And for any negatives; these can be resolved at an earlier stage to retain your employees for them to end up at the finish line with you!

Further detail on some of these areas above will be provided over the next few months.

To discuss employee retention solutions for your business further contact:

Jamie Martin (Founder & Managing Director) of Correct Careers Coaching.

Jamie@correctcareerscoaching.com and 07599 332178

www.correctcareerscoaching.com

LinkedIn: Correct Careers Coaching

Twitter: @CorrectCareers

Facebook: @CorrectCareersCoaching

Google: Correct Careers Coaching

Source: www.sportengland.org/our-work/mental-health/why-we-invest-in-mental-health/