‘Tell me what to say.  Give me the words.  How do I start this conversation?’ 

This is really what most of us want from person to person training.  We know what rapport feels like, we know what Emotional Intelligence is (or think we do), but how do we find the actual words in a given scenario?  Training’s not always about giving someone cut-and-dry answers; sometimes it’s about providing them with the ability to think on their feet and choose how they want to approach a particular situation.

By giving people a few different tactics to try out themselves, you’re letting your team add their own personality and style into how they communicate. Which means they can do it with naturally, rather than reciting a script they’ve been forced to learn.

We recently created a video for a company wanting to get its brand out and about using the oldest marketing technique there is –  asking their team to chat face to face with local businesses that they drop into all the time.  But, and here’s the kicker – they had to do it without sounding awkward or like a salesperson – which, to be honest, none of them are.

Instead of coming up with the ‘killer line’ or opener, we came up with a choice of ways for starting up the conversation.  Male and female, chatty and direct, short and sweet or take your time,– as long as it felt natural, then they were on the right track.  Give people a menu, and they’ll get the idea.  Give them a choice of one and it’s always going to sound forced.