| Everyone knows that, in today's marketplace, it's | | | | price, and whether or not this is the right time to |
| not enough to have a great product or service. | | | | buy. Any sales training program that does not |
| You need a stellar sales team that knows both | | | | recognize and build upon this decision making |
| your company and the needs of your potential | | | | process simply won't deliver. |
| customers. All too often, though, companies lack a | | | | Sales techniques that build upon the sales skill of |
| sales management training process that their | | | | your staff are just one part of the sales training |
| salespeople and new hires can learn and follow. | | | | equation. The other involves how that training is |
| Instead, many companies have sales training | | | | delivered. Optimally, you should choose a program |
| programs that essentially teach salespeople about | | | | that starts by assessing the current skill level of |
| the product or service and then how to reiterate | | | | each salesperson and uses that as a benchmark |
| that presentation to the customer. What's | | | | by which to measure progress. Then, the |
| missing? A sustainable process based on | | | | program should offer a two-day seminar that |
| understanding the real needs of the customer | | | | teaches critical sales skills and an implementation |
| that becomes a roadmap for salespeople to use | | | | approach designed to deliver. But, it shouldn't stop |
| over and over again to gain commitment. | | | | there. You should select a program that follows |
| Sales training seminars and programs often | | | | up with reinforcement training - either in person or |
| approach sales executives and business owners, | | | | online - in the form of skill drills. This is really the |
| and then promise the moon and don't deliver. | | | | only way that you can ensure that your sales |
| Those in sales management want to find the one | | | | staff's newly learned skills will transfer to the field. |
| program that will help ratchet up sales and | | | | Ultimately, though, you shouldn't simply take a |
| produce the highest ROI possible - and who can | | | | sales training company's word about their |
| blame them? But when it comes to sales training | | | | program's effectiveness. Instead, you should ask |
| programs, how do you tell the best from the | | | | to see the metrics, and the company should be |
| rest? | | | | able to deliver research that demonstrates its |
| First, the best programs identify four or five | | | | program's efficacy. For example, the program |
| critical sales skills, such as the buyer-seller | | | | should be able to show that those trained using |
| relationship, sales call planning, questioning skills, | | | | their process sell four, five, or even six times |
| sales presentation skills, and gaining commitment. | | | | more than those who have not been trained using |
| The program should then combine these skills into | | | | that method. |
| a replicable procedure that is completely natural | | | | A well-trained sales staff that focuses on the |
| and that builds on every buyer's decision-making | | | | buyer-seller relationship will not only sell your |
| process. | | | | products and services, but will ensure that your |
| Research has demonstrated that a buyer's first | | | | customers keep coming back. This paves the |
| decision is whether or not he likes and can trust | | | | way for repeat business, for upselling, and for |
| the salesperson. Next, he decides if the company | | | | referrals. Finding the right sales training program is |
| is a good match to his needs. If both of those | | | | a surefire way to maximize ROI through |
| criteria are met, he then reviews the product, the | | | | implementing a replicable, sustainable process. |