NLP Sales Training
Discover the power of neuro-linguistic programming in sales
Neuro-linguistic programming, or NLP, has often been used as a personal development tool. Though its power to focus thinking is becoming increasingly used in the world of sales.
Sales superstars around the world have deliberately or subconsciously used NLP sales techniques in all stages of their sales journey – from prospecting and selling, to closing the deal.
What is NLP?
At its base level, neuro-linguistic programming is a way of changing someone’s thoughts and behaviours to help achieve desired outcomes for them.
Developed in the 1970s, by Richard Bandler and John Grinder, they believed it was possible to identify the patterns of thoughts and behaviours of successful individuals and to teach them to others. Its use has become widespread, and over the last 15 years, particularly in sales.
NLP is a powerful sales psychology that is made up of the three most influential components that create the human experience:
- Neurology: Controls and regulates how our body functions
- Language: Determines how we interact and communicate with other people
- Programming: Determines the types of models we create in the world and how we view certain things
A central feature of NLP is the idea that a person is biased towards one sensory system, known as the preferred representational system or PRS.
This preference can be detected through language. Phrases such as “I see your point” may signal a visual PRS. Or “I hear your point” may signal an auditory PRS. Salespeople trained in NLP can read customers and frame their language and interactions to suit a client’s preferences, and thus influence behaviour.
It allows salespeople to reframe their thinking and language around successful outcomes. It moves them away from the traditional sales approach, to a new level of sales mastery.
How exactly is it used in sales?
The reason NLP is so important in your sales pitch is because it involves developing your behavioral competence and flexibility. You become more adept at reading your client’s and your own behaviour.
It also involves strategic thinking and an understanding of the mental and cognitive processes behind behavior, giving you a deeper understanding of the purchase decisions and behaviours of your client.
The strategies below are founder Richard Bandler’s recommendations for incorporating Neuro-Linguistic Programming into your sales pitch.
- Be aware of your body language and others
- Pay attention to your intonation and others
- Focus on verbiage and grammar use
- Build rapport
- Be aware of your emotional state and how to keep hold of that state
During face to face meetings, 93% of people’s judgment of others is based on non-verbal inputs, like body language. Your tone of voice also has a major impact. Harnessing these tools and other NLP techniques through our training programmes will have a major impact on the effectiveness of how you sell, and just generally relate!
The reality of the effectiveness of your sales communication
- 55% from body language
- 38% from the tone of your voice
- Only 7% from what you actually say
Who should take our NLP sales training?
Of course, your sales team and managers are ideal candidates for this course. But we also believe this training has power for anyone in your organisation, giving them clear skills in relationship and communication, and the understanding of their thought processes and abilities.
We also offer a deep and diverse range of sales training courses - from increasing a sales funnel, to how to sell specifically as a B2C business, to leading best practice sales advice for B2B businesses, and much more.
Learn some NLP sales techniques
1. Active listening
Really listening to your customers will build rapport and ensure you don’t waste their time or yours, as your sales pitch can be geared to their stated needs. If you can listen well, your clients are more likely to listen to you, and you’ll build the trust to influence.
2. Word power
Certain words have been proven to elicit powerful response emotions. In NLP methodology, words like believe, change, success and happy may be effective, while words such as imagine, truth, secret and expose can trigger curiosity. Used as action commands for your customers, these words are valuable tools.
3. Mirroring
Mirroring is a method of imitating the behaviour and language of others to rapidly establish rapport. Research suggests we are drawn to people who are like us, so subtly mirroring a customer’s body language, tone of voice, speech rate, gestures, opinions and choice of words, may make them feel more comfortable around you and build trust. Though don’t over-do it!
4. Get to know your customer
By understanding your customer’s preferred communication style you can gear your selling strategy to their preferred way of buying. Understanding whether they are visual, auditory or kinaesthetic will give you a quicker path to their heart and brain. Knowledge of their purchase process will also allow you to understand when and how to trigger them in their purchase process.
5. Staying positive
Stick to the positive. NLP techniques like ‘reframing’, ‘pattern interrupt’ and anchoring are all techniques to shift your mindset back into the positive, and right frame of mind to succeed.
How NLP sales training will help your business
We believe NLP is by far one of the most powerful things you can add to your sales toolbox. It’s the icing on the cake, a step up to next level sales intuition and client trust.
Here’s why we believe mastering NLP should be a priority for your business:
- Triple your confidence in selling situations
- Change limiting beliefs that keep you back
- Learn how to get into the right mindset – every time
- Create a strategic vision that fuels you
- Learn how to set effective goals
- Increase your performance standards and align them with your vision
- Learn state management
- Learn NLP anchoring methods be your best self
Want to know more about NLP?
About Us
Our name, Sales and Leadership Performance, spells out a little of what we do. We're a team passionate about sharing the skills we've honed through the years working in and around sales teams.
