Students from the Sharia Business Management (MBS) program at STEI SEBI Depok organized a workshop titled "Strengthening Persuasion Techniques, Closing, and Handling Rejections" on Wednesday, July 31, 2024.

This workshop aimed to enhance the students' sales skills by inviting Coach Meidy Ferdiansyah, a Business and Performance Coach certified in EPC, CPBC, CPEC, CPLC, and CPPC. This event was part of STEI SEBI's efforts to enrich the curriculum with practices relevant to today's business world.

The event began with a welcoming speech by Athiyah Fitri, S.Sos, M.Si, a faculty member who also facilitated the workshop. In her address, Athiyah expressed her hope that the workshop atmosphere would be different from that of a regular classroom. She emphasized that the workshop aimed to provide a more in-depth learning experience regarding sales material. "We want to offer a different experience from regular classes to help students better understand sales material. Hopefully, this session will provide useful insights for you as future professionals in the business world," said Athiyah.

Following her, Fahmi Syahbudin, SEI, MM, the Deputy Head of STEI SEBI and also a lecturer in the Sales in Business course, highlighted the importance of this workshop as part of the curriculum. He explained that this workshop was a breakthrough in completing the sales course. "This workshop is part of our efforts to enhance the dynamics of the course so that MBS students can be more mature and ready to face the challenges of the business world ahead," explained Fahmi.

The moderator opened the workshop session by introducing Coach Meidy Ferdiansyah, who would share knowledge and skills about sales techniques. With his extensive experience and professional certifications, Coach Meidy began his material by explaining the importance of sales skills in the current disruptive era.

Coach Meidy revealed that the sales world is undergoing significant changes due to various types of disruptions, including digital disruption, millennial disruption, pandemic disruption, and augmented reality (AR). He cited concrete examples such as TikTok, which is part of digital disruption, as well as shifts in consumer behavior driven by technological advancements and the pandemic.

"The future may seem confusing, but sales remain a crucial skill because all institutions need experts in offering solutions to those who need them," explained Coach Meidy.
He also outlined the concept of the learning ladder in sales, which includes four levels: unconscious incompetence, conscious incompetence, unconscious competence, and conscious competence. Understanding one's position on this ladder can help design more effective learning strategies.

One of the key concepts discussed was The Selling Triangle, consisting of three essential elements: selling, communication, and trust. Coach Meidy emphasized that fundamentally, sales is communication, and effective communication leads to buyer trust.

"Good communication in sales will build trust, which is key to making buyers feel confident and comfortable in making transactions," he explained.
He also discussed the seven principles of persuasion from the book "Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion" that can be applied in sales techniques. These principles are:

1. Scarcity – Making a product appear rare or limited, such as in flash sales, to encourage quick purchases.
2. Authority – People tend to trust individuals who have authority or expertise in a particular field.
3. Social Proof – Using the decisions of others as a reference, such as testimonials or reviews, to show that a product or service is widely accepted.
4. Liking – Increasing the likelihood of purchase by building positive and likable relationships with potential buyers.
5. Reciprocity – The principle of mutual benefit, where people tend to return the kindness or offer given to them.
6. Consistency – Leveraging people's desire to be consistent with their statements, beliefs, and attitudes.
7. Unity – Creating a shared bond or identity that makes potential buyers feel emotionally connected to the product or service.
Coach Meidy also identified several reasons why sales failures often occur, such as offers that are not timely or do not meet consumer needs. To overcome these failures, he provided strategies including broad prospecting, consistent visits, regular sales activities, and initiatives in creating consumer needs.

The workshop concluded with an emphasis on the importance of having a growth mindset rather than a fixed mindset. Coach Meidy stressed that an open attitude towards challenges and processes is key to achieving success in sales. "A growth mindset helps us embrace challenges and appreciate the learning process, while a fixed mindset often avoids effort because it feels futile. Take successful people as inspiration, not as a threat," concluded Coach Meidy.

With the enthusiasm and active participation of the attendees, this workshop successfully provided new knowledge and skills beneficial for the future careers of STEI SEBI students. STEI SEBI is committed to continually providing relevant and innovative education to prepare students for the challenges of the global business world.