| Instead of holding regular sales meetings, consider | | | | into the process. Talented salespeople have |
| holding sales training classes instead. And instead | | | | thought their way right out of the profession |
| of having your sales manager conduct the | | | | because they focused on negatives. |
| classes, have the salespeople themselves take | | | | Be sure everyone has an equal chance to |
| turns doing it. | | | | participate. One way is to put the dates of |
| Successful salespeople learn their craft and | | | | upcoming sessions on slips of paper in a container |
| sharpen their skills through education. Continual | | | | and let each salesperson draw a date to be the |
| reinforcement in the form of training keeps those | | | | teacher. Or schedule alphabetically or by |
| skills in constant use. So instead of a regular sales | | | | seniority--any way you prefer as long as it's fair, |
| meeting where the sales manager talks and | | | | equitable and doesn't show favoritism. Provide |
| maybe allows each salesperson to report on what | | | | guidance on choosing a topic but let team |
| they did and what they're going to do, offer a | | | | members make the final decision on what they |
| class instead. Letting individual members of your | | | | present. |
| sales team participate as trainers allows them to | | | | Let the sales staff decide the time and place for |
| share their knowledge at the same time that | | | | training sessions. The old school Monday morning |
| they're further developing their skills. | | | | or Friday afternoon meetings often cut into |
| Topics covered in peer-to-peer sales training | | | | potentially productive sales time. Your salespeople |
| might include: | | | | may prefer evening, weekend, or even very |
| - Presentation skills. | | | | early morning sessions so that the training truly |
| - Prospecting techniques. | | | | enhances rather than conflicts with their sales |
| - Overcoming objections. | | | | efforts. |
| - Dealing with unusual situations. | | | | Sales managers know that it can be hard to get |
| - New product information. | | | | people motivated. They understand that one |
| - Pricing and estimating. | | | | person can't motivate someone else--you have to |
| - Project management. | | | | find out what's important to that person and then |
| - Proper documentation and reporting according to | | | | lead him or her to become self-motivating. |
| company requirements. | | | | Keep in mind that ownership can be a strong |
| - Goal setting and analysis. | | | | motivator. When people feel ownership, they care. |
| - Using selling skills in non-selling situations. | | | | And when they care, they produce results. Letting |
| - Time management and planning. | | | | your team teach others what they know is a |
| Keep the content positive-make it "Here's what | | | | great way to give them a sense of ownership in |
| you can do," not "Don't do this." Be encouraging | | | | the process and in the organization. |
| and supportive and don't let any negativity creep | | | | |