Translators: Spark a sales conversation and transform your translation sales process!

1. Spark a sales conversation! How discovery questions can help you boost your job
1
satisfaction…and your income!
Today’s talk will address the pre‐sales phase of the customer
relationship lifecycle and how translators—and other language service
providers—can boost their businesses by adopting a new approach to
the pre‐sales phase.
All presentation illustrations by Chris
Lamphear (chris@iqoncept.com) on
stockxpert.com
Many translators limit their contact with potential customers to email.
Look familiar?
And yet, email is far from being the most effective way to initiate
fruitful long‐term customer relationships.
One thing you can do right now to change your pre‐sales approach:
resist the urge to respond to your next request for a quote by emai.
Instead, pick up the phone and call your prospect.
This small shift can have a big impact on your business outcomes.
Presented by Sara Freitas‐Maltaverne – MET Workshop – May 29, 2009

2. Spark a sales conversation! How discovery questions can help you boost your job
2
satisfaction…and your income!
But what do you do once you have your contact on the line? What do
you say? Preparing a list of potential discovery questions will help you
target your customer approach.
Benefits:
• Home in on customer needs and priorities and determine
potential
• Save time by filtering out low‐potential requests
• Build rapport and make a positive impact (and perhaps
generate new leads…)
Start by preparing—and rehearsing—a short introduction that includes
who you are and why you are calling. Try to keep to 20 or 30 seconds
maximum. Test your intro on non‐translators to make sure the
message is crystal clear.
Now move on to your discovery questions. Discovery questions are
best left unscripted. However, as a general rule, they are:
• Open‐ended
• Get the customer talking
• Help you gather info
Remember to listen more than you talk and to use active listening
skills.
Discovery questions can address a variety of topics (see left).
For example:
• What is your primary decision‐making criterion?
• What factor, other than price, would lead you to choose one
service provider over another?
• What is your current translation process like? What
works/doesn’t work well?
Presented by Sara Freitas‐Maltaverne – MET Workshop – May 29, 2009

3. Spark a sales conversation! How discovery questions can help you boost your job
3
satisfaction…and your income!
As you complete your introduction and move from one question to
the next, remember to reformulate to check understanding and to
get agreement on next steps.
• What do you think? How does that sound?
• I’ll send you a quote later today and then call you tomorrow
morning to discuss it. How does that sound?
• I suggest we meet with the entire project team to determine
the specifications for the quote. What do you think?
Having trouble finding your “voice”? Some source‐language coaching
with a sales trainer or consultant can be helpful.
If you feel there is potential, use the information you gathered to
write a compelling sales proposal. If not, then move on!
Sample structure of a sales proposal:
1. Intro (your statement of understanding of customer needs
and objectives)
2. Description of services (customer‐benefit‐oriented)
3. Nuts and bolts (pricing, deadlines, etc.)
4. Flowchart or visual showing workflow (optional)
5. Short translator bio
6. Don’t forget your T&C
7. Include a brochure, business card, hand‐written note
(optional)
Benefits:
• Home in on customer needs and priorities and determine
potential
• Save time by filtering out low‐potential requests
• Build rapport and make a positive impact (and perhaps
generate new leads…
Presented by Sara Freitas‐Maltaverne – MET Workshop – May 29, 2009

4. Spark a sales conversation! How discovery questions can help you boost your job
4
satisfaction…and your income!
Set some goals for yourself and get started now!
Examples:
• Develop and rehearse your short intro
• Brainstorm a list of potential discovery questions
• Locate a sales consultant to coach you in your source
language
• Contact your chamber of commmerce or entrepreneur’s club
to see if they offer any sales workshops
• Develop a customizable template to use for your sales
proposals
Thank you for listening!
Presented by Sara Freitas‐Maltaverne – MET Workshop – May 29, 2009