From Guests to Growth: Rob Purfield’s Sales Workshop Boosts FEO Members and Their People

FEO members know that our events and workshops are designed to provide quality time away from the business to focus on learning and development, but the benefits don’t stop with the business owner. When members bring their teams along, their employees also gain access to world-class insight, practical tools and renewed motivation that they can take straight back into the business. This sales masterclass with Hull-based performance coach Rob Purfield was a perfect example.

Learning sales from a master

Originally from Merseyside, Rob is a coach, trainer and business consultant who specialises in leadership psychology, sales performance and organisational development. Rob brought his trademark high energy and straight‑talking style to the five‑hour interactive session, keeping the room fully engaged from start to finish.

Going right back to basics, Rob refreshed the brains of seasoned salespeople and newer team members alike. He focused on understanding the psychology behind the sales process - what really drives decisions - and how to get the sale over the line so that everyone is happy, not just the seller.

Sales: art, science – or both?

Rob opened with a simple question: is selling an art or a science? The room agreed it was both, but Rob argued that mastering the science of selling delivers the best and most consistent results. Art, he suggested, is what you layer on top once you understand the fundamentals.

His credibility comes from experience. Rob started out in one of the toughest sales environments - double glazing - before moving into motor vehicles and then circling back to his roots in accountancy. When he once signed a large cheque to send his own sales force on a training programme, he decided to join them. That decision transformed his view of selling and taught him crucial lessons about the science behind it.

Words, energy and the power of positive focus

Throughout the workshop, Rob used a series of practical situations and real-world conversations, exploring how to respond in each case. He is a big believer in the language you use. When asked how he is, he’ll respond with “I’m fantastic” or “I’m amazing” - and the energy behind those words is exactly what he brings into the room.

“What you say matters,” Rob told the group. It’s important to focus on the positive, because whatever you highlight in a sales conversation is what the customer will focus on. Salespeople were encouraged to think carefully about the words they choose, the benefits they draw attention to and the mindset they bring into every interaction.

Micro-closing and the value conversation

One of the key techniques Rob shared was micro-closing - asking small, simple questions throughout the conversation to gently move people towards the sale. Rather than leaving all the pressure to a single “big close” at the end, micro-closing helps build agreement step by step and keeps the customer engaged.

He also urged teams to ask great questions and treat every conversation as part of an ongoing learning process. If something doesn’t work, try again and refine the approach. Failure, in this context, becomes feedback.

Rob challenged a common assumption too: “nobody buys on price,” he said. Instead, people buy within their budget, at a price they can afford, when they can clearly see the value. The job of the salesperson is to build that value so the price makes sense.

Scripts, structure and 20 ways to close

For Rob, scripts are a way to refine the message. They’re about consistency and confidence but his advice was clear: learn the content and fundamentals of a script thoroughly before you start tailoring it to suit your personality. The content is the content; your delivery is where you put your own stamp on it.

He also shared more than 20 different approaches to closing, giving the room responses for almost any customer reaction. That toolkit helps salespeople feel prepared rather than stuck, and gives business owners confidence that their teams can handle a wide range of situations.

Above all, Rob urged every business to have a clear sales process and strategy that the whole team understands and follows. When everyone knows the steps, it’s easier to train, coach and improve together.

A showroom case study – for every business

To bring the learning to life, Rob used a car showroom as a case study - but his principles apply to any organisation.

In Rob’s model:

• All visitors are treated as guests
  
• Every guest is warmly received and welcomed
  
• Salespeople are always prepared, with an agenda and a clear understanding of the features and benefits of their product or service
  
• Guests are offered a drink and a test drive
  
• They are escorted to their car, with a brolly held above their head if it’s raining – just as you would look after a guest in your home
  

It’s a simple framework, but a powerful reminder that great sales experiences are built on respect, preparation and thoughtful touches.

Why this matters for FEO members and their teams

Workshops like Rob Purfield’s show the added value of FEO membership. It’s not just the business owners who benefit from the expertise in the room – their employees gain new skills, fresh ideas and renewed enthusiasm for their roles. By learning directly from specialists at the top of their game, teams become more confident, more effective and better equipped to drive growth.

That’s what FEO is all about: entrepreneurs helping entrepreneurs – and their people – to start, adapt and grow.

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