5/17/2024-Friday is PRACTICE day!

Stick a fork in the old way of practicing skills: sitting on a chair on a stage role-playing in front of your peers. There’s a better way that involves you and your BFF at work.

Are you already daydreaming about next week’s long holiday weekend? No worries…that’s natural. But don’t let those thoughts trap you and prevent you from having a productive day — today is practice day.

"Practice what?" you ask.

ANYTHING!

Anything having to do with customer scenarios and the application of skills.

Remember, "…it’s always better to practice with each other than practice on the customer."

The TOP 10% practice. …pros like you practice.

Enlist a partner and jump on a Zoom or get into a conference room today for a practice session.

Pick some scenarios that occurred this week while you were in front of clients; certainly, there were instances where you could have responded better.

Or, practice upcoming situations you know you’ll encounter next week.

For example, role-play how you can present your value prop in relevant ways to a prospect.

What about practicing a story that may explain how your company’s service is second to none?

Why not practice your selling moves with your sales friends? Messing up and correcting yourself with your teammates is how you’ll learn to make it right when in front of your customers.

Focus your practice on specific scenarios like these:

1. Value prop: Practice framing your VP specifically for a customer you’ll meet with next week. Instruct your practice partner to challenge you on some of the issues. You’ll want to get practice time hearing how you respond to various potential reactions.

2. Objections: Instruct your practice partner to present you with objections so you can hear how you handle them. Are you brief and succinct? Or do you rush to solve the problem? Practice listening and expressing empathy to your role-playing partner.

3. Strategic questions: Ask your partner the same strategic questions you will be asking your customer so you can practice the conversation that will ensue.

Finally, remember the number one privilege of role-playing as a seller: call time-out and play your do-over card if you don’t like how you’ve responded. That’s exactly what practice is for. Making mistakes, fixing them on the spot, and correcting them.

Good practice techniques require good teamwork; it’s not as effective – or fun – practicing by yourself.

Sure…you can practice a pitch to yourself in the mirror, but it’s always best if someone is there in the room to offer feedback.

Perhaps this Short featuring crazy teamwork activities will inspire you to work with a friend today.