What exactly are you doing in your consultation?
I have been quiet of late, although August is a traditionally quiet month, it has been very busy for me. Business travelling, training and a week off ensured that my attention has been elsewhere. One of my trips involved some training in relation to sales, consultation style and negotiation.
The training was excellent, it involved elements and behaviours that I had already been undertaking in my daily work. But it gave me a clear structure and a better understanding of my own style. One of the exercises was audio recorded role plays practising our consultation or sales call technique.
I found these exercises excellent, when I played back the recordings it gave me clear ideas about my structure, about the manner I undertake a consultation. It was of real value to me to undertake the training, it may not have taught me completely new skills, but it did clarify a lot to me.
I can hear you, so what fat lad, what’s that got to do with me?
Well, if I don’t regularly think about my consultation structure, when do you? When was the last time you considered, really considered, what you do and why you do it? It is a really worthwhile exercise to undertake and I really recommend the recording of your consultation. Maybe you could try it with another staff member, I guarantee that it will clarify for you what you are doing and how you are doing it.
I hope that it would also point out to you where you could change your structure to better effect and help you to hone your skills.
Regards
Geoff