Sales, Marketing & Negotiation Skills

INTRODUCTION

In professional services, every employee plays a role in shaping the client experience. Whether through meetings, emails, workshops, proposals, reports, or informal interactions, employees continuously influence how clients perceive professionalism, competence, and trust. 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

By the end of this training, participants will be able to: 

• Understand how clients build trust and make decisions in professional services.
• Communicate their expertise with clarity, confidence, and professionalism.
• Conduct effective client conversations by asking insightful questions and managing expectations.
• Prepare clear, client-focused proposals while handling challenging situations and preventing scope creep.
• Use AI tools ethically and productively to enhance communication, efficiency, and day-to-day performance, supported by a personal action plan for continuous improvement.

Training Modules

Module 1 – The Professional Services Client Journey (Setting the foundation)

• How employees contribute to marketing, sales and negotiation — even unintentionally 
• The client journey: first impression → trust → engagement → delivery → longterm relationship 
• What builds client confidence: clarity, consistency, professionalism 
• Representing the company’s brand in every interaction 

Module 2 – Marketing for Employees: Credibility & Professional Positioning

• Explaining what you do in clear, client-friendly language 
• Avoiding jargon while maintaining professionalism 
• Using proof to build trust: Experience/Case examples/Outcomes/Methodology 
• How employees contribute to organisation’s professional image through: 
• Emails 
• Conversations
• Presentations 
• Online presence (optional awareness) 

Session 3 – Sales Skills for Employees: Structuring Better Client Conversations

Sales here means helping conversations progress professionally. 

• A simple consultative conversation structure: 
• Opening
• Understanding needs 
• Clarifying expectations
• Responding appropriately 
• Agreeing next steps 
• Asking stronger questions (a core professional skill) 
• Avoiding common traps: Free consulting, Vague commitments, Unclear follow-ups 
• How to close meetings with clarity (“next steps” discipline) 

Activity:

Client meeting role play (rotate roles: client / employee / observer) 

Session 4 – Proposals, Emails & Follow-ups That Strengthen Trust

• Why proposals and emails often fail: 
• Too technical 
• Too long 
• Unclear scope
• No clear value 
• Writing more client-friendly content
• Follow-up emails that move decisions forward

Session 5 – Negotiation Essentials for Employees (Scope, Timelines, Expectations)

This focuses on everyday professional negotiation, not aggressive bargaining. 

•      What negotiation really looks like in consulting roles 

• Common employee-level negotiation situations: 
• Extra work requests 
• Urgent timelines 
• Assumed inclusions
• Changing expectations               
• A simple principle: Trade, don’t give 
• Professional boundary phrases: 
• Knowing when to handle and when to escalate 

Session 6 – Handling Client Pressure & Objections Professionally

• How to respond to common situations 
• Staying calm and professional under pressure 
• Framing responses using: Effort, Risk, Impact, Governance 
• Confirming outcomes clearly in writing to avoid future disputes 

Session 7 – AI for Marketing, Sales & Negotiation Productivity

Practical, ethical use of AI at work. 

• Using AI to: 
• Improve email tone
• Draft proposal wording
• Summarise meetings 
• Prepare client questions
• Draft professional responses to difficult situations 
• What must never be shared (client confidentiality, sensitive data) 
• AI as a support tool, not a replacement for judgment 

Session 8 – Personal Action Plan & Commitments

Each participant defines: 

• 1 improvement in how they present themselves (marketing) 
• 1 improvement in client conversations (sales) 
• 1 boundary phrase they will start using (negotiation) 

Key Tools & Frameworks Used in the Programme  

1. Client Conversation Structure Guide 
2. Question Bank for Client Discussions 
3. Proposal & Email Clarity Checklist 
4. Scope & Boundary Phrase Guide 
5. Objection Handling Examples 
6. AI Prompt Pack Template 
7. Personal Action Plan 

Programme Structure

• Audience: Professionals, consultants, client-facing employees, supervisors, team leaders, and managers responsible for managing client relationships and delivering professional services.
• Delivery: In-person/Live Online  
• Accreditation: MQA Approved 
• Funding: Eligible for HRDC Refund 
• Recognition: CPD points available