| Sales Training is one of the most effective ways | | | | to be implemented, monitored and discussed on |
| of maintaining a motivated and results oriented | | | | an ongoing basis to be effective. |
| team of sales professionals. However, salespeople | | | | However, attendance at these sort of events |
| training is also known to have an impact for only | | | | needs to be ongoing, at least quarterly, to be |
| up to 90 days, or for one quarter of the year. | | | | effective, all management also needs to get |
| For sales training to be effective, measurable | | | | involved in them. |
| against results, in today's economy, it has to be | | | | Then there is the ultimate of sales training based |
| ongoing and consistently re-enforced. The more | | | | on partnering program with a reputable |
| ongoing and consistent it is, the better the results | | | | salespeople training organization. This is where an |
| and the better the return on training investment | | | | in house, customized on going sales management |
| (R.O.T.I.). | | | | training program is developed and adopted by the |
| Salespeople training is not product, service or | | | | organization as their complete salespeople training |
| company information training. That is product | | | | program. |
| knowledge, which is necessary but needs to be | | | | In other words, the end results is that the |
| properly positioned in the entire training process. | | | | organization takes ownership of the sales training |
| Sales training will prevent sales executive from | | | | program and carries on without the entire training |
| talking too much about what they know, when | | | | organization after an established period of time. |
| they should be demonstrating empathetic listening. | | | | The development of this sort of training takes |
| It will allow salespeople to do their job more | | | | more time, but will have a greater R.O.T.I. than |
| effectively by first building trust, setting | | | | other formats because of it's partnering approach |
| parameters, qualifying opportunities and | | | | to customization, bottom line contribution and in |
| summarizing. | | | | house ownership. |
| Only after qualifying and summarizing would they | | | | When developing an in house customized sales |
| know if there is an opportunity for their products | | | | professional program it takes all factors into |
| and services and if so, they can then reveal what | | | | consideration - Organization mission and vision, |
| they know in the form of a prescription. | | | | management objectives, participant needs, |
| Sales professional training is available in many | | | | industry, language, the market, competition, |
| different formats depending on size of | | | | seasonality trends, sales targets, methods of |
| sales-force, sales targets, management | | | | monitoring and measuring, etc. |
| objectives, participant needs, time allocations, | | | | Once the salespeople training program is |
| budget, R.O.T.I., etc. | | | | developed, a train the trainer program could follow |
| For a small sales-force with a limited budget, it | | | | for in house delivery. Then there is Sales |
| can be from simply providing each sales | | | | Management training which should also be |
| professional with a book, audio, video or online | | | | developed supporting the sales training program. |
| program on sales. | | | | There is no sense just training the sales executive |
| The main messages should be presented, | | | | as they will only do what they see - monkey see, |
| discussed and re-enforced at each weekly sales | | | | monkey do. The same customization approach |
| meeting. This is basic, but still important training to | | | | would need to take place with more focus on |
| keep the team motivated and learning new | | | | coaching, mentoring, managing and motivating |
| techniques in today's uncertain economy. | | | | while demonstrating the appropriate skills that |
| It can also be in the form a keynote address or | | | | they would like to witness in their salespeople. |
| workshop at a sales conference or public sales | | | | Sales training in today's uncertain economy is |
| event. These are also great training opportunities | | | | needed more than ever. Whatever format you |
| to network and to learn different or new sales | | | | choose to conduct sales training, just make sure it |
| techniques. | | | | is not the flavor of the month, that it is ongoing, it |
| However, these sorts of training need to be | | | | is consistently re-enforced with methods to |
| followed up on with a debrief and sharing of | | | | monitor and measure it's R.O.T.I. |
| lessons learned. Those lessons learned then need | | | | |