Apr24
Training Salespeople To Sell More Drives Success
Posted by Nick in Corporate Sales Training | 0 Comments
File under Sales Training
Why You Must Make Training Sales Reps A Top Priority
Many companies would like to spend more time training salespeople but still feel their development efforts earn a passing grade. Unfortunately, many of these companies train their salespeople on subjects that have nothing to do with sales skills. They lump all training in one bucket and that’s simply not good enough. Let’s get serious about training salespeople to sell more.
Training Salespeople Is The Key To Success
Product training is necessary but product training is not sales training. Training sales reps on how a product operates is very different than training salespeople on how to sell the product. Case in point, most product training comes from Product Management and not Sales Management. Training salespeople on a product is different than training salespeople to sell more of that product.
Process training is also very important. Salespeople need to know how to use all the systems and tools available to them. They need to know how to input orders, get pricing and track sales. However, training sales reps on processes has nothing to do with sales training that focuses on sales skills development. Training salespeople on powerful sales techniques is the key to sales success.
There was a time when companies placed great emphasis on training salespeople in the art of selling. Today, most of that type of training, if done at all, is limited to new hires. This economy put a dent in sales training programs on a Corporate level.
Training Salespeople In The Art Of Selling
Too many companies incorrectly link sales experience with sales skills. They feel that since they only hire experienced salespeople there is no need to train those salespeople in the art of selling. Nothing could be further from the truth. Even the most experienced sales reps can find themselves in a sales slump. For example, I’ve been playing golf for many years but I’m far from an expert on how to properly hit a golf ball. I know my playing partners will agree with me. Sales experience is not a substitute for sales training.
With increasing short term budget cutbacks due to the economy, I don’t see this situation getting better in the near future. I know managers understand their responsibility to supply employees with the tools needed to do the job. I just don’t think they feel sales skills are one of those tools. This short term strategy is a long term strategy for failure.
Training Salespeople Is Not a Luxury
All this places salespeople in a difficult spot. What can you do if you work for a company that feels training salespeople in the art of selling is a luxury they can’t afford? I urge these salespeople to take the bull by the horns and get their own sales training. This is not something salespeople need to do some of the time. This is something sales reps need to do all of the time. Skills development is a campaign, not an event. The key is to always be involved in some sales process training.
Please don’t get me wrong. Many companies put forth the time, funds and effort to continually train their sales reps on how to sell better. These companies know that having the best product at the best price will not guarantee sales success. The teams that have the best sales skills will always enjoy that success.
Well, there you have it… my position on training salespeople.
Nick Moreno
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