| Pundits - (experts), write most sales training | | | | Interestingly enough is the surveys that have |
| manuals. Most manuals would include the follow as | | | | been done on coaches and training companies to |
| chapters: | | | | determine why training fails. These surveys point |
| Company History, Mission Statement, Opening | | | | out the number one reason why training does not |
| Procedures, Closing Procedures, Handling | | | | "take". That reason is management. The |
| Objections, and Daily Tasks. | | | | management leaves everything to the trainer, or |
| Alas, sales training manuals and sales training in | | | | to the training company, and they have no |
| any form have little impact for most. This is | | | | ongoing coaching. The trainer, coach or training |
| backed up by a number of studies that confirm | | | | company delivers the training, leaves and |
| that training does not change the behavior, | | | | everything stays the same. |
| attitudes, or results of the vast majority of sales | | | | It should be known, that any new skills, from any |
| consultants. This is obviously a terrible Return On | | | | new training manual act as a paradigm for the |
| Investment. All manner of things have been | | | | students of these skills. Taking in, and absorbing |
| investigated to determine the cause of this -- | | | | information is one thing -- Putting information into |
| Everything from the trainer, to the material, to | | | | practice is quite another. Maximizing success |
| the methods, and even the sales consultants | | | | requires an observer to make sure that what |
| themselves. | | | | was said in a sales training manual is actually being |
| Now, we have learned over the years, that sales | | | | implemented in the real world. |
| psychology must be employed, in the sales | | | | A paradigm represents a modification from what |
| consultancy world, to become a peak performer. | | | | is now being done. Paradigms are difficult, as one |
| We also knew that coaching was required to get | | | | has to form new habits and replace the old habits. |
| the consultant to a point of smooth and effortless | | | | The exceptions are few, as most people getting |
| delivery. We knew that because we saw that | | | | new training, leave the training or read the sales |
| there were behavioral changes needed for the | | | | training manual with the best of intentions to |
| new processes. | | | | implement, but then slip back into the old habits |
| The same is true for the data in sales training | | | | and abandon the newly learned material in the |
| manuals and sales training in general. There must | | | | heat of battle. |
| be a coach. As sales consultants, we are not only | | | | Coaches, or sales managers are trying to create |
| trying to absorb information from anything new, | | | | a new comfort level for the new material. This |
| but we are trying to change some of our own | | | | takes time and discipline. If this is done the Return |
| basic behaviors - and that takes coaching from a | | | | On Investment will speak for itself. Transform |
| third party. After all, we are converting | | | | your training with good coaching on |
| informational data from either written or verbal | | | | implementation, and it will convert and transform |
| sources into action items. | | | | the mediocre into the extraordinary. |