| Businesses invest a lot in training their sales | | | | certain ways. |
| representatives, whether as part of a new | | | | - They also know what's different between your |
| product launch, or as basic training for new hires. | | | | product and the competition's. They keep up with |
| Much of that investment of time, money, and | | | | new developments in their field, so they can help |
| attention goes into training selling skills. This | | | | the sales force focus on features of the product |
| training, designed to make a better salesperson | | | | that distinguish your product in the marketplace. |
| out of you no matter what you are selling, is | | | | - They are often good representatives of |
| often developed and delivered by professional | | | | important "influencers" in the buying decision. To |
| trainers or hired consultants. | | | | win the sale, you probably have to have the |
| The rest of the training effort is devoted to | | | | support of the prospect's in-house experts -- e.g., |
| product knowledge, the "what" of the sale. And | | | | IT, medical, legal, or design staff -- even though |
| more often than not, the company turns to its | | | | the final decision may be made someone else. |
| internal experts -- programmers, engineers, | | | | Those in-house experts are likely to be very |
| attorneys, clinicians -- to share what they know | | | | similar to your own. |
| about the products and services they have | | | | But don't overlook the most common |
| created. They certainly know what they are | | | | weaknesses of in-house experts as trainers: |
| talking about. But they usually are not professional | | | | - They often think you have to know everything |
| trainers, and that means that they may not be | | | | they know to talk about the product. Not knowing |
| very effective at sharing that knowledge. | | | | what to leave out is one of the most common |
| After all, there is a big difference between | | | | failings of the expert who is too close to the |
| knowing how to do something, and teaching | | | | product. |
| someone else to do that same thing well -- as | | | | - They may not be good at explaining things. |
| any parent, teacher, coach, or manager can | | | | They were probably hired for other skills (like |
| attest. | | | | research). If you've ever had a math or French |
| More often than not, a little professional help -- | | | | teacher who was very knowledgeable, but unable |
| from internal or external resources -- can do a lot | | | | to teach you anything, you know what I'm talking |
| to maximize the impact of the experts' portion of | | | | about. |
| the training. Some instructional aids, handy | | | | - They sometimes aren't terribly familiar with the |
| take-away summaries, and professional | | | | practitioner's point of view -- e.g., a medical |
| instructional design can significantly increase the | | | | researcher who leads a great product |
| return on investment in product knowledge | | | | development team, but has never been a |
| training. | | | | practicing physician who is running a business. |
| If your company is developing training around a | | | | They know what new features they've built into |
| product or service, keep in mind the strengths | | | | your product or service, but they don't always |
| and weaknesses of the in-house experts as sales | | | | know where the real benefits for the customer |
| trainers. | | | | are to be found. |
| Among the strengths, beyond their obvious | | | | Your company has invested a lot in developing |
| technical knowledge about the product: | | | | expert knowledge around your products and |
| - Your experts are often keenly attuned to the | | | | services, knowledge that you must draw on to |
| risks of overpromising or misrepresenting the | | | | train truly effective sales representatives. Just |
| product or service. Legal liability, regulatory action, | | | | don't leave all the product knowledge training to |
| and the anger of clients who believe they were | | | | well-intentioned amateurs. Make sure you consider |
| promised more than was delivered can all be | | | | their skills before tossing them into the classroom, |
| avoided by being aware of the "hot spots" that | | | | and get them the professional help they need to |
| bring risk to the company. Pay attention | | | | ensure that your sales forces brings in the |
| whenever your experts insist on saying, or even | | | | customers you are looking for. |
| more importantly, not saying, certain things in | | | | |