Nutritionist and entrepreneur Kate Houldsworth thought selling was something of a dark art until she took part in a workshop run by the Institute of Sales Professionals (ISP).
The free class, one of several hosted by the Institute and funded by the Department for Education, was designed to boost the selling skills of small businesses, and it worked.
Kate, who admits she was uncertain what to expect and how useful it would be, said: “The course was phenomenal. It’s made such a difference to the way I do business.
“My confidence now is amazing. I keep drawing lightbulbs on my notes when I see another piece of advice which sparks an idea. It’s no coincidence that I’ve won more new clients in the last three weeks than in the previous three months.”
The ISP’s sales transformation classes follow a step-by-step plan which can be used immediately in the workplace. Once the template is established it can be repeated effectively with any customer. (See below for details of the final workshop in this series.)
John Tunstall, a sales leader and fellow of the ISP has used his extensive selling experience to develop the workshops and says: “The selling challenges often experienced by SMEs are not difficult to put right. Good selling is about doing the right things at the right time and in the right order.
“If you do what’s best for the customer, the rest takes care of itself. That doesn’t mean saying yes to everything, but it does mean spotting and analysing the problem then focusing, with the customer, on how to provide the best possible solution. Knowing how to do this is the key to successful selling.
“The workshops use a template refined over many years and we ask delegates to arrive having researched a key account they want to sell to. During the class, we build on this template so that delegates leave with a completed sales action plan tailored to the business they are targeting. It’s really encouraging to see the process being taken into the real world and applied successfully.”
Kate Houldsworth started her business – KH Nutrition Coaching – a year ago, in January 2022, after passing her exams to become a qualified nutrition coach.
Based in Hampshire, Kate works in-person and online with people looking to improve their diet. She says: “I specialise in helping serial dieters to break away from that frustrating yo-yo cycle and find a gentler way to manage their weight – for good!
“Nutrition coaching can be transformative. It empowers clients to lose weight, manage emotional eating, transform habits and behaviours, find confidence, restore energy, make informed choices, and understand what we really need to eat to feel great.”
And Kate who met John at his recent workshop at Sparsholt College near Winchester, Hampshire, now believes that sales coaching can be transformative too.
She said: “Good selling is not about price; it’s about providing a solution to someone’s problem. I hadn’t really thought about it like that before, but the course was jam-packed with revelations, so it was great for inexperienced people like me who don’t work in sales.”
“John’s course inspired confidence in me that I can do sales too! Lots of things to try. It was really valuable and a great opportunity, which has already helped to boost my business and provide more support for people who need it.”
Book your place
The final selling workshop in this series is being held in Camberley, Surrey, on Thursday 9 March.