Sales Professional Certificate

Sales performance in many organisations depends on a few experienced individuals. Others rely on product presentations, discounts and follow-up calls, without a clear process for qualifying opportunities or understanding how the buyer decides. Pipelines are full of deals that will never close, proposals describe features instead of outcomes, and price becomes the main discussion because value was never established.

This programme gives participants one complete sales method. It moves through five stages: the modern buyer and the role of the sales professional, prospecting and qualifying, consultative discovery and value propositions, proposals and negotiation, and closing, account development and personal sales management.

Built on recognised practice. The programme draws on widely used consultative and solution selling principles, structured qualification frameworks, buying-centre analysis for organisational purchases, principled negotiation as developed at Harvard's Program on Negotiation, and good practice in pipeline and CRM management. Participants learn how to apply these methods in their own markets rather than follow a single branded model.

Decisions this programme improves. Which prospects deserve time and which should be dropped; what to ask before proposing; how to position value against a lower-priced competitor; what can be conceded in a negotiation and what should be traded; when to ask for commitment; and which accounts to grow.

How it is delivered. Twenty hours across five sessions, built around one running case: a business-to-business opportunity that participants take from first contact through discovery, proposal and negotiation to close. Role plays, call planning templates and peer feedback are used throughout.

In-house option. For organisations, the programme can be tailored to your own products, sales process, CRM stages and customer types, including government and tender-based sales, so that the whole team sells in a consistent way.

Who Should Attend

Sales representatives and executives in business-to-business and business-to-government sales

Account managers responsible for developing existing customers

Business development staff who identify and pursue new opportunities

Technical and pre-sales specialists who support the sales process

New sales team leaders who want a consistent method to coach their teams

Objectives

Describe how organisational buyers make decisions and who influences them

Build a prospecting plan using referrals, networking, social selling and outreach

Qualify opportunities against clear criteria and remove weak deals from the pipeline

Plan and conduct a discovery meeting that uncovers business needs and priorities

Write a value proposition that links the offer to the customer's outcomes

Prepare a proposal or tender response structured around the buyer's evaluation

Handle common objections with evidence rather than discounts

Plan and conduct a negotiation using interests, options and agreed concessions

Recognise buying signals and secure clear commitment and next steps

Manage a personal pipeline, activity plan and account development plan

Course Outline

The Modern Buyer and the Sales Professional

How buying has changed: informed buyers, committees and digital research
Transactional, consultative and strategic selling
The buying centre: decision makers, influencers, users and gatekeepers
Public sector and tender-based buying: what is different
Credibility, ethics and trust in long-term relationships
Personal sales strengths and development areas

Prospecting and Qualifying Opportunities

Defining the ideal customer profile and target list
Prospecting channels: referrals, events, networking and professional social media
First contact by phone, email and message
Qualification frameworks: budget, authority, need, timing and decision process
Pipeline stages and exit criteria
Using CRM data and AI-assisted research responsibly

Consultative Discovery and Value Propositions

Preparing a call plan and meeting objectives
Questioning to uncover situation, problems, implications and priorities
Active listening and confirming understanding
Translating features into benefits and business outcomes
Building a value proposition and differentiating from competitors
Presenting and demonstrating with impact

Proposals, Objections and Negotiation

Structuring proposals and tender responses around evaluation criteria
Handling objections on price, timing, risk and competition
Principled negotiation: interests, options and alternatives
Planning concessions and trading rather than giving
Negotiating with procurement teams
Cultural considerations in regional business negotiations

Closing, Account Growth and Self-Management

Buying signals and closing techniques that respect the buyer
Securing commitment and agreeing next steps
Handover, onboarding and early customer satisfaction
Account planning, cross-selling and renewals
Managing time, activity and pipeline metrics
Personal sales development plan

Competencies

Organisational buying behaviour and buying-centre analysis

Prospecting and opportunity qualification

Consultative discovery and needs analysis

Value proposition development

Proposal and tender response writing

Objection handling

Principled sales negotiation

Closing and account development

Pipeline and CRM management

Istanbul

Train in Istanbul with access to Elite Academy’s full portfolio of professional programs. In a city known as a major international business crossroads connecting Europe, the Middle East and Asia, organizations and professionals can join upcoming courses or request any program to be arranged locally. Professional training in Istanbul is not limited to a specific group of subjects. Elite Academy makes its complete portfolio available in the city across management, business, technical and industry-focused disciplines. With a major international business crossroads connecting Europe, the Middle East and Asia, Istanbul provides an effective setting for international learning. Use the schedule below to view courses already planned for the destination, or contact our team to request another program and preferred dates in Istanbul, subject to scheduling and delivery requirements.