| Sales are a continual process of acquiring | | | | rectangle the Sustainable Change KASH Drawer. |
| knowledge (learning) and applying knowledge | | | | What I know to be true as an experienced sales |
| (performance). I realized this once again as I was | | | | professional, trainer and a trained and degreed |
| reading a variety of posts as seasoned sales | | | | instructional designer (someone who knows how |
| professionals shared their thoughts about how to | | | | to write training programs and curriculum) is the |
| help a new sales representative. As I glanced | | | | real question to be asked is not if the participants |
| through the numerous top three to five | | | | know something, but rather do they want to do |
| recommendations to improve the sales approach | | | | it? |
| or increase sales, I saw each could be placed in | | | | For example, research suggests almost 50% of all |
| one of four buckets. | | | | sales leads are not followed up and left to wither |
| | | | on the vine. Additionally, 80% of all sales are |
| 1. Knowledge | | | | earned (a.k.a. closed) between the 5th and 12th |
| 2. Skills | | | | contacts. Most salespersons know that leads are |
| 3. Attitudes | | | | the beginning of the sales process and that |
| 4. Habits | | | | follow-up is critical to earning the sale. So the issue |
| Years ago one of my coaches (David Herdlinger) | | | | here is not more training to hone existing sales |
| put together a simple quadrant diagram that he | | | | skills, but rather a focus on developing the |
| called the KASH Box to show why so many | | | | necessary attitudes (beliefs) and habits |
| efforts to improve individual behaviors (a.k.a. | | | | (behaviors). Yet, most sales training is based upon |
| performance) fail. Research suggests up to 90% | | | | knowledge and skills with very little emphasis on |
| or even more of any training intervention fails to | | | | attitudes and habits. |
| deliver positive return on investment (ROI). | | | | If you want your sales training to deliver more |
| Take a piece of paper, draw a large square and | | | | bang for the buck, so to speak, then reassess |
| separate it into 4 quadrants. In the upper left one, | | | | your curriculum. Include how to develop positive |
| place the letter K for Knowledge. Below that in | | | | attitudes and habits as you look to improve |
| the lower left quadrant, write the letter S. On the | | | | specific sales skills. Again, remember to ask |
| right side, in the lower corner, place the letter H | | | | yourself this simple, but important question |
| and in the upper right hand quadrant write the | | | | specific to what buckets you are placing your |
| letter A. | | | | efforts: |
| After his presentation, I recognized the purpose | | | | Is the inability to increase sales due to a lack of |
| of training was to hold sustainable change as was | | | | knowledge and skills (Do they know it?) or |
| the purpose of the original cash boxes. So I | | | | because of poor attitudes and habits (Do they |
| modified his box by including a rectangle directly | | | | want to do it?)? |
| below the bottom two quadrants. I labeled this | | | | |