| Part of successful sales team training is teaching | | | | look for elements of your product or service that |
| your team about the competition. Failing to know | | | | are superior to those of your competitions. When |
| the competition or to teach your sales teams | | | | you add all of the things that differentiate you |
| about the competition can put your group at a | | | | from the competition you will then see the unique |
| severe disadvantage. Without knowledge of your | | | | advantage you are bringing to the marketplace. |
| competitors your sales representatives will not be | | | | Another way to gather information about your |
| able to put together a solution for their prospects | | | | competition is to get it from customers of your |
| that differentiates your products and services | | | | competitors. As your team goes out into the field, |
| from your competitors | | | | they are going to be calling on prospects that are |
| In the majority of markets your challenge isn't to | | | | doing business with your competitors. Teach your |
| try and convince the customer to buy your | | | | team to ask the right questions to these |
| product or service. In most markets, the | | | | prospects. Two very key questions that you |
| customers are already buying a product or | | | | want to ask are:a) What do you like best about |
| service similar to what you are offering. The | | | | doing business with my competitor?b) What do |
| challenge is to show how your product or service | | | | you like least about doing business with my |
| provides a greater value than that of your | | | | competitor? |
| competition. In some cases it's also showing your | | | | Knowing the answers to these two questions can |
| prospect why certain companies aren't even | | | | be very powerful for your sales team. This will |
| competitors of yours, although they are seen as | | | | give you a customer's viewpoint as to the |
| competitors by your prospective clients. | | | | strengths and weaknesses of your opponent's |
| One of the best ways to get your team to know | | | | product offering. Armed with this information your |
| the competition is to teach your team how to | | | | sales representatives can learn how to frame |
| research your competitors. Instruct your sales | | | | their presentations so that they can minimize the |
| reps to spend some time checking out the | | | | competitor's strengths and maximize their |
| websites and marketing materials of your | | | | weaknesses compared to your company. |
| competitors. Show them how to look at the | | | | By taking the time to provide sales team training |
| competitive product offering and compare it to | | | | on your competition, you give your sales |
| the product offering that your company provides. | | | | organization a huge leg up in the marketplace. This |
| Once you have analyzed the competition's | | | | will allow you to make more sales, retain more |
| product and service offering, then you can focus | | | | customers, and help your company generate |
| on how your team is going to differentiate your | | | | more profits over the long haul. |
| company from the competition. The key is to | | | | |