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Have you ever wondered what makes good salespeople stand out? The really good salespeople you know probably would not class themselves as “salespeople” at all, and probably do not have “salesperson” in their title or business card. They could quite easily be accountants, solicitors, Managing Directors, boardroom directors, business owners or consultants. They bring in enormous revenue for their organisation and yet do not appear to “sell” at all. Together with those executives who are top producers with “sales” at least hinted at in their formal role, they count themselves as “professionals”. This a wide gallery of different roles and types of people across the whole spectrum of business organisations. However, they have something that unites them, that makes them stand out. They only have to walk into a room or appear on a screen and they already stand out. What is that essence? What if you could capture that essence for yourself? What difference would that make to you?

Sandler Training is arguably the most respected sales training organisation in the world. The reason for that is not based on the number of excellent trainers across the continents, although there are hundreds. The reason is not wholly due to the brilliance of David H Sandler, although many would say he was a genius. The reason is because of the depth of resources that Sandler offers and the sound concepts that underpin them. Sandler is not just a package of mnemonics. Its breadth covers the whole of the sales process, from initially identifying potential clients all the way through the various conversations with buyers, through to delivery, customer service and account development. Its depth comes from understanding that to be a professional you must have three elements, all in balance: behaviour, attitude and technique.

It is easy to see how doing the right things with the right attitude can build a professional’s credibility. However, technique can be dry, manipulative and soulless. By definition technique is something you just repeat and, hopefully, perfect, like a machine.Behaviour automatically assumes there is a real person involved doing that behaviour. Attitude is all about the professional’s inner world. Technique might not obviously include a human element at all.

Sandler technique is made up of a triangle which is startling and counter-intuitive at first sight. It includes tactics and strategy including reversing, negative reversing, finding pain, budget and decision, building on “up front contracts” to the “ultimate contract” to make sure presentation only happens with qualified prospects who are ready and able to buy. All those things are worthy of study and by getting better at them you will definitely close more business. However, we have lost sight of the person. Behaviour and Attitude rely on a personal touch. What about Technique? 

Here we have the crucial part of the whole Sandler system, the insight that sets Sandler apart from any other sales system, because at the top of the Technique triangle there is “Personal Presence”. David Sandler had it very clear that all the great “moves” could not work effectively without the person affecting them being very much involved. All the Sandler concepts rest on the professional being conscious of their own role. No great line or script will work well without.

Personal Presence is fundamental in making the Sandler system work. Just knowing could make a huge impact on your productivity. However, Sandler goes further and describes what Personal Presence means. Moreover, we have tools that will purposefully increase your Personal Presence. In fact, you should spend as much time on developing this as you do any other part of our self-development, maybe more.

After all if you are approached by a salesperson who abounds in Personal Presence (not arrogance but authentic Presence) you will want to buy from them even if their process or tactics or strategy was a bit weak. When we are in the role of buying, we buy people first. We buy into their Personal Presence. In other words, exercises to strengthen this area are the surest way to more revenue. Let us look at Personal Presence in a bit more detail in that case.

Sandler describes Personal Presence as another triangle; Communication bottom right, Energy bottom left and Character at the top. That all makes sense. But what is implied by these three vertices of the triangle at the apex of Technique?

Communication to be effective must count on congruent body language, great tonality and effective language. Energy implies vitality, persistence and passion. Character depends on integrity, self-responsibility and charisma.

All these elements can be practiced and improved. They as much part of Technique as anything else that Sandler teaches through its reinforcement training. If you want to strengthen your Personal Presence, and win more revenue with less depending on chance, then contact me for a journey of discovery. Along the way I’ll provide you with a whole suite of practical exercises.

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