| Many sales training program fail the simple rope | | | | To pass the rope test requires the qualified |
| test. Maybe this is because the simple rope test is | | | | potential customer or client (a.k.a. prospect) to |
| just so simple that it continues to be ignored. | | | | literally pull the sales professional closer and closer |
| So what is the rope test? Take a three to five | | | | to her or him. For this action to happen requires a |
| foot piece of rope and give it to someone near | | | | different marketing approach that being education |
| you. Then you hold the other end. Walk away | | | | based marketing. When this approach is adopted, |
| from each other until the rope is right. Next push | | | | everything focuses on the potential qualified |
| on your end of the rope. What happened? | | | | customer. Hence the sales skills within the sales |
| Probably nothing other than a couple of smiles! | | | | training need to extend beyond the traditional |
| Sales Coaching Tip: The other person can be your | | | | learning objectives of: |
| potential new customer, strategic partner or | | | | - Overcoming stalls and objections |
| center of influence | | | | - Negotiating |
| The goal of sales training is to improve the sales | | | | - Presenting the case |
| skills of sales professionals so that the goal to | | | | And incorporate: |
| increase sales is achieved. Using the rope test, | | | | - Being the active listener |
| when you push on the rope, no matter how hard | | | | - Understanding emotional intelligence |
| you push, nothing changes, nothing improves. | | | | If you want your sales training dollars to deliver a |
| Failing the rope test suggests that the current | | | | positive return on investment, then make sure |
| learning and educational curriculum is far closer | | | | your program passes the rope test. This |
| aligned to product based marketing. The focus | | | | paradigm shift from focusing on technical sales |
| using this marketing approach is all on the selling | | | | skills where the focus is pushing the rope to more |
| professionals as illustrated by the rope test. Sales | | | | self-leadership talents that encourage pulling the |
| Coaching Tip: When the greater the focus is on | | | | rope. |
| you, the lesser dollars you will earn. | | | | |