Critical Selling® Skills

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Learn how to engage modern customers by becoming a “Trusted Advisor” and mastering skills to handle the most challenging sales scenarios.

Rethink How You Sell with Critical Selling Skills.

Today’s sophisticated customers just aren’t buying traditional product-based presentations. To engage these buyers, your team needs Critical Selling.

Critical Selling Skills is a proven sales methodology that teaches sales professionals how to stimulate interest, quickly build trust, create value in their offerings, close with confidence, and dramatically improve their effectiveness with modern customers.

Key Benefits of Critical Selling Skills

After completing this program, your sales team will be able to:

  • Quickly create connections and build trust with customers using a consultative approach
  • Differentiate from the competition through a value-focused sales approach
  • Achieve the coveted status of “Trusted Advisor” and exceed customer expectations
  • Win more business by deeply uncovering what’s most important to the customer and persuasively presenting the right solutions
  • Reduce and overcome objections from customers by adopting a proven approach

Program Objectives of Critical Selling Skills

Program objectives include:

  • Determine the difference between a typical sales professional and a Trusted Advisor
  • Successfully plan for sales calls by setting objectives and using a pre-call planning tool
  • Confidently open sales calls, create rapport, engage the customer, and set a positive tone for the sales interaction
  • Utilize a focused questioning methodology to thoroughly uncover customer needs and dig deeper in the sales discussion
  • Increase customer buy-in by using a methodology to present solutions, insights, ideas, and benefits tailored to customer needs
  • Recognize when to close and follow a closing approach that leverages the momentum of the sales interaction and seamlessly moves the process forward
  • Handle objections using a four-step methodology to uncover and address the customer’s true concern while maintaining trust and credibility as a Trusted Advisor

Sales Training Delivery Options

Critical Selling Skills can be delivered in a variety of ways:

Onsite Instructor-Led Sales Training

This classroom delivery option allows for a comprehensive learning environment equipped with role plays, case studies, group discussions, and other interactive activities enabling participants to easily transfer new skills from the classroom to the real world. Learn more.

Virtual Instructor-Led Sales Training

Different from typical, self-paced e-learning environments, our online option is delivered by a live Janek facilitator, enabling participants to experience the same level of interaction they would in a physical classroom, utilizing technology. Learn more.

On-Demand, Blended Learning

This delivery method combines the ease of e-learning modules with traditional face-to-face teaching and allows participants to learn at their own pace while providing the benefits of group interaction and individual instruction. Learn more.

Train-the-Trainer

Our Train-the-Trainer option will certify your internal training staff on the skills, processes, support tools, and methods necessary for the highest quality ongoing, internal delivery. Learn more.

Janek’s Training Implementation Approach

Our training implementation is guided by a proven world-class approach.

ATLAS

Hear What Our Clients Say About Us.

“We got a ton of valuable information, a ton of valuable tools from going through this training process and implementing the training that Janek gave us.”

Christine McKinney, Manager, Inside Sales Department
Zoetis

“Bringing Janek into the picture for our inside sales team was an opportunity for them to understand that there’s a different conversation that needs to be held with customers.”

Michael Robinson, Operations Manager
McNaughton-McKay Electric Company

Supporting Services

Leverage the full scope of Janek’s solutions to drive immediate and long-term results. Contact us to learn more about these services.

Customization

Let us adapt this program for your team’s specific needs, industry, vocabulary, and culture.

Reinforcement

Take advantage of our turn-key and hands-on training reinforcement solutions.

Measurement

Validate training effectiveness in terms of performance improvement, business results, and ROI.

Xpert

Use a technology solution to reinforce training in a convenient and fun format.

Critical Selling Skills

Download the brochure

More information about the Critical Selling Skills program is available in this downloadable PDF

Why Are Critical Selling Skills Important?

Developing critical sales skills via effective sales technical training programs is vital for several reasons.

Training Programs for Sales Professionals & Sales Leaders

Sales Team Development
Core Skills
Critical Selling® Skills
Gold 2020
Stevie Winner

Our flagship sales training program provides top-performing skills and best practices to master each stage of the sales process.

Learn More
Critical TeleSelling® Skills

An inside sales methodology specifically designed to equip sales professionals on how to effectively engage with customers over the phone, build trust and close confidently.

Learn More
Critical Prospecting™ Skills

A workshop designed to enable sales professionals with the prospecting and business development skills to build strong pipelines with qualified prospects.

Learn More
Critical Service & Sales™ Skills
Silver 2021
Brandon Hall

A training program designed to equip service, sales, and retail staff to deliver better customer service experiences and identify hidden sales opportunities.

Learn More
Winning at Trade Shows™

A workshop developed for sellers to have more meaningful event and trade show interactions, from the planning stage to post-show activities.

Learn More
Advanced Skills
Critical Account Planning™

A sales training program that equips account executives with the skills, processes, and tools to grow relationships with existing accounts and plan for strategic opportunities.

Learn More
Critical Negotiation™ Skills
Gold 2022
Stevie Winner

A research-based training program to provide sales professionals with the skills, tools, and best practices to handle complex and difficult negotiations.

Learn More
Selling Virtually™
Bronze 2021
Stevie Winner

Selling Virtually empowers sales professionals to effectively engage with prospects and clients in the new remote selling ecosystem and improve productivity and revenue.

Learn More
Selling to the C-Suite™

Selling to the C-Suite equips sales professionals with the unique skills and processes required to gain access and have better dialogues with executives.

Learn More
Strategic Storytelling™ Skills

Leverage stories in sales conversations to better position your solutions and drive momentum towards favorable outcomes.

Learn More
Critical Sales Presentation™ Skills

Critical Sales Presentation Skills empowers sales professionals to create personalized, impactful presentations that build trust, foster connections and highlight the true value of their solutions.

Learn More
Sales Management Development
Management Skills
Critical Sales Coaching™ Skills
Gold 2023
Stevie Winner

A coaching methodology to empower sales managers to coach, manage, and lead more effectively and drive their teams toward favorable results.

Learn More
TOPS® Reinforcement & Coaching

A proven playbook and toolkit for sales managers to sustain and reinforce our selling skill methodologies through a sustainable reinforcement and coaching plan.

Learn More
Questions about our sales training programs? Let us tailor a training solution that matches your needs.

Critical Selling® Skills FAQ

What type of ROI should we expect from Critical Selling® Skills?

Overall, Janek’s end-to-end training solutions resulted in an average increase of 1188% ROI across the entire suite of sales training services throughout 2023. As one of our flagship programs, Critical Selling Skills ensures sales organizations have the skills they need to respond to buyers needs in today’s market.

What does “research based” mean in the context of Critical Selling® Skills? How often is it modernized?

Critical Selling Skills is field proven and data backed, meaning that our sales training methodology undergoes a constant process of optimization based on market trends. At Janek, we routinely revise and optimize our Critical Selling Skills program alongside new evidence.

Which Team Members in your organization would benefit from Critical Selling® Skills?

Everyone, whether they are a seasoned sales professional or junior sales rep, will benefit from the skills taught in Critical Selling Skills. Our proven methodology imparts skills that are universally applicable across your organization.

Our sales are done virtually. How does Critical Selling® Skills support selling virtually?

Critical Selling trains your sales organization on the critical thinking skills and communication skills necessary to sell effectively. Our sales methodology is universal and works equally well when selling virtually or in-person.

How do you ensure the skills delivered in Critical Selling® Skills become permanent behaviors?

Our sales training sustainment strategies operate on three primary levels to improve skills within the sales organization: technology, tools and training for managers and sales coaching. This allows us to fully customize a training sustainment and reinforcement solution that will be most effective based on your objectives, budget, and project scope.

What is a Trusted Advisor and how would that benefit your salespeople?

A trusted advisor is a sales professional who serves as a strategic partner to their customers. Trusted Advisors make the customers’ needs their number one priority before, during, and after the sales process.

What Industry Awards has Critical Selling® Skills won?

Critical Selling Skills won the coveted 2020 Gold Stevie® Sales Training Program of the Year award. Critical Selling trains and reinforces the necessary communication skills to improve sales performance in today’s market.

How was Critical Selling® Skills Developed?

Selling was developed out of the need to provide a field-proven and research-backed approach to sales. It was designed to uplevel sales staff, whether it’s a sales manager, sales professional, or other sales leader.

What are some successful sales techniques?

Examples of the many creative techniques effective salespeople can implement include:

  • Needs-based: The salesperson asks a series of open-ended questions to determine the buyer’s needs, then recommends a tailored solution to address them.
  • Focus on differences: In many industries, there is substantial overlap between a business’s offerings and those of its competitors. Salespeople should emphasize the unique selling proposition to differentiate their products, services and company.
  • Make the customer the hero: Demonstrate how purchasing the product or service will make the buyer a hero by solving a significant problem not just for the company but also for themself.
  • Appeal to emotions: While buyers rely on data when evaluating a product or service, they typically make subconscious, emotional decisions and use logic to justify their actions.
  • Storytelling: With this technique, the salesperson tells a story to illustrate the benefits of their offerings and how they can solve the customer’s problem.
  • Emphasize status quo: When selling to existing customers, it’s important to reinforce their inherent status quo bias to demonstrate that continuing to do business with the salesperson is the safest and most reliable option.