Our May event. Shahriar Nejatbakhsh: Selling authentically

Last Friday 21st May, we welcomed Shahriar Nejatbakhsh who talked us through how to create a process driven approach to the sales conversation. After his presentation, we proceeded with structured networking, exchanging contact details and great conversations.

The virtual Zoom doors opened at 6:30 pm on the dot and host Gabriella Ferenczi introduced the initiative and the speaker of the month: Shahriar Nejatbakhsh.

The topic of this month’s event? Selling. Let’s face it, the whole sales process can be really uncomfortable, nevertheless it is essential for any successful business in order to get the word out and get people in.

In his presentation, Shahriar explained to us how to become great at sales through a process driven approach. But what does being great at sales mean? Sounding authentic, serving our clients with integrity,  and being able support the growth of our business.

The approach Shariar presented consists of six steps and, just like a roadmap, it enables us to gently guide our clients from the beginning to the end of the sales conversation.

Here are a few pointers from Shahriar’s presentation:

1. Build trust and rapport

“People buy from people.” 

People buy from people they like and trust. Building a connection with our clients is key. In order to do so, we need to be transparent and provide reassurance. 

2. Be curious

“Everyone thinks that in sales we have to talk and talk and say how great we are, but nobody listens. And listening is a BIG part of sales”

Rather than talking, we need to listen to our clients. This is our information gathering stage during which we ask the right questions to get the right answers and fully understand their challenge as well as their situation. 

3. Test commitment 

How serious is the client in finding a solution? How serious is he in committing to the cause? Clients are the ones who have to show up to the session/class, who need to put in the work and we should ask them questions to see if they can commit and to avoid time wasters. 

4. Manage expectations

At this stage, we want to make sure that we are both on the same page. We need to tell them how we work and how we create results. 

5. Present your solution

This is the most important part of the sales process, as it is the moment we actually do our selling. We want to give our clients a solution that is so compelling that they could not but work with us. Let’s show how we create results for them, our methodology and the benefits and advantages of working with us. At this stage pricing can be introduced as well. 

6. Ask for a decision

A lot of people skip this part, but we shouldn’t be afraid to be direct and ask for a decision. And if the reply is the typical “I need to think about it” we can dig a little deeper. By doing so, we can find out if there’s a concern that makes it difficult for the client to commit and potentially schedule a time for the next conversation. 

At the end of his talk, Shahriar told us that there are countless approaches to the sales conversation and he encouraged us to look for the one that is most suitable for us.

“This is a process driven approach. If you want to try, try it. If it doesn’t resonate with you, then go out and find one. There will be one out there for you.” 

A lively Q&A session followed his presentation and we wrapped up with structured networking and great conversations. 

---

About the speaker:

email: shahriar.nejat@gmail.com

www.londonhometuition.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shahriar-nejatbakhsh-63378012/

---

Thanks to Shahriar for his presentation and to all the language professionals who attended and actively contributed to the conversation, regardless of the time zone. The money we have raised goes to support Moorfields Eye Charity.

Stay tuned for our next event, which will be on the 25th of June! We’ll share the details soon. Until then, stay safe.

#wearelanguageprofessionals