Namaste London! Here’s How a Sales Manager Won over an 8-Figure British Client with His Comm Skills

Namaste London! Here’s How a Sales Manager Won over an 8-Figure British Client with His Comm Skills

‘Always Be Closing’ aren’t those the three magical words that every salesman is taught before he decides to launch himself into the cruel world? A professional executive approaches a prospect and helps him understand how his products (or services) could make a difference. The trouble arises not when the prospect is not interested in the offerings but when the salesperson cannot express the value proposition clearly.

This is where so many thousand salesmen in our country become unsuccessful, despite being good or even exceptionally good at their work. They are good at various technical aspects (like knowing the product or service or segregating prospective clients) but can’t speak English fluently. That’s when they realize that they can’t go beyond exchanging pleasantries.

This real-life story is about a bright salesperson, Shubham, who worked as a Pre-Sales Manager at TCS. He was exceptionally good at work and had won a much-coveted promotion a few weeks ago. He was performing diligently in the new position too until he was given a new assignment. His boss had tasked him to close an eight-figure UK-based client over the next quarter, though he had cautioned Shubham about his poor speaking skills.

English should not be a deal-breaker, yet it is!

In India, English is the unofficial language for all businesses in India. It comes to its own because we have had a colonial past and there is a wide diversity of languages. Our country is home to thousands of naturally gifted salespersons who can sell almost anything to anyone. The trouble arises when they have a language barrier.

Shubham had his moment of glory when he won that promotion, though he didn’t know it would turn into a hornet’s nest. His boss summoning him to prepare for a multi-million deal over the next few months was not the task, the trouble was that the client was in the UK. Going to an English-speaking country with little to no fluency would be enough of a challenge, let alone closing the deal itself.

Salesman of the Year: Shubham, Pre-Sales Manager (TCS)

This is where Shubham was different because he loved challenges. Being a smart player, he figured he needed to make his top-notch selling skills more effective. He wanted something that was radically different and offered laser-focused, personalized guidance to the glaring issues of his poor communication skills. All these benefits should not come at the cost of his time either, for he wanted a series of online classes that he could join from his home later in the evening.

He thus went to Blackboard Radio.

Checking all these prerequisites, this organization offers a systematic yet fluidic configuration of online, on-demand classes. These classes are offered by distinguished teachers from prestigious universities. You can sign up for these classes to get your communication skills aligned with the best standards.

You can discuss what issues you have been facing regarding your speaking skills for a more holistic experience. This would help you rise above your limitations both literally and psychologically. Shubham also found this attribute the most distinguishing factor in Blackboard Radio’s services, which is why he opted for it.

Shubham backed himself up!

Shubham was a different person when it came to looking at the bigger picture. He had always aspired to be a CXO over the next five years. He wanted to start working on his business communication to strengthen his position. With such a high holistic development grade, Shubham had signed up for Blackboard Radio’s online classes. He was assigned Prajakta as his instructor in the Foundation Class.

They say, ‘half the success is showing up.’ Our tiger was determined to make a match of it and he discussed with Prajakta how he intended to go ahead with the interaction. He also told her that he wanted to learn presentation skills, build his vocabulary, and speak fluently. Prajakta sensed that Shubham was worried about how he would come across as a speaker. This made him too conscious as a speaker and consequently ruined his speech.

She assessed his background, limitations, and aspirations alike to design a nine-class-long interaction session to take him through a proper resolution of his challenges. It was a personalized roadmap to address every issue he faced as a professional. She was sure that Shubham would scale the objectives through his hard work and her feedback.

Opting for the class called ‘Presentation Skills’

Starting from the Foundation Class, Prajakta knew that she didn’t have much time on her hands because Shubham was on fire to close that UK-based client. She thus started with the first class (out of the nine allotted) in the course called ‘Delivering Presentations.’ This course is designed to help business professionals design their speeches with impactful openings and closings, and speak in a way that creates maximum impact.

Here’s what her feedback sounded like:

• Class 1: He speaks well but has a natural deformity with his tongue (called tongue tie) that increases his rate of speech. I recommend watching Hollywood movies and reading English novels and speeches. In addition, he should practice daily affirmations and think aloud in English. Recording oneself while doing so would also help.
• Class 2: He is working on his weaknesses. I recommended that he practices voice modulation and control his speech rate further, besides following the instructions in Class 1 above.
• Class 3 and 4: Aside from following the above instructions, Shubham would also do well to create presentations and record himself while delivering them. It is recommended that he does so alone or in front of his friends or family, but not in the office.
• Class 5: He has lowered his rate of speech and has started taking well-timed pauses. He is still away from modulating his voice at certain parts during his speech, though. He should be cautioned to stay regular with completing his Gems Assignment.
• Class 6: While he is mostly good, he sometimes swings back and forth between different rates of speech. I would recommend him to make this sink into his subconscious mind. He should not let his emotions decide the quality or rate of his speech.
• Class 7: I discovered a new issue- he often stutters or speaks too fast when given a random topic.
• Class 8: We talked about body language and how one should present oneself in front of an audience. This was related to how Shubham should stand, talk, and move about to create a more favorable impression while giving a speech or a business presentation.
• Class 9: What a turnaround! Shubham can now speak without using filler words or stuttering about random topics. His body language is now more chest-open and he can modulate his voice better. His rate of speech has reduced by about 30%, and he seems more relaxed while speaking. I hope he keeps up the good work and goes from strength to strength.

Prajakta shared her feedback with Shubham after the last class. He could not believe that he had accomplished this in just 14 weeks. Even his trainer believed that he was better placed to close the UK client. She summed up the interaction by exclaiming, ‘what a turnaround it has been,’ and we know the duo could not have been prouder!

Why should you also sign up for Blackboard Radio’s 1:1 online classes?

For one, you could convert your weakness into a strength better by working in silence. This is the best way to develop self-confidence and improve communication skills without letting anyone else know. Life goes beyond winning promotions and silencing critics, even though these tasks take a lot of hard work to accomplish.

One smart way to get this done is to speak more fluently. By joining Blackboard Radio’s online 1:1 classes, working professionals may expand their skillset and reduce stutter and usage of filler words. They can take out some time once a day every week for about three months to see the results.

You may note that this virtual interaction would be based on a personalized action plan, personal attention, and real-time feedback from qualified teachers from prestigious universities. Then there is the ease of customizing the course(s) per one’s time, availability, and content to get the best experience.

All you would need to do from your side is to make a decision to change your life for the better!

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