National Sales Center

Discover What To Do After Taking A Sales Training Course

There is an old joke about a pedestrian obviously looking for directions and stopping a New York City cab driver. The pedestrian asks, “What’s the fastest way to Carnegie Hall?” The cab driver replies, “Practice, practice, practice.”  Solid advice but not the directions the pedestrian was looking for. The same advice applies to sales training.

I have some advice for salespeople that just experienced some solid sales training. I know you are motivated to start using your new selling skills in the field. That motivation is often an overlooked benefit of sales training. However, you have to ask yourself if you are truly ready to put those new skills to work?

Just because you were exposed to some great sales training concepts doesn’t mean you are proficient at executing those concepts in the field. The cab driver reminds us, “Practice makes perfect”.

Sales Training Role Playing

I’m a big advocate of role playing as a post sales training activity. One sales rep plays the role of buyer giving another sales rep an opportunity to practices their new sales skills. Role playing provides a safe environment for sales reps to perfect their new selling skills. Who wants to practice new sales skills on a live opportunity when commissions are on the line?

I decided to make this point about role playing after participating in sales training programs because I just read that some sales trainer thinks role playing is a waste of time. This sales trainer felt that role playing scenarios were not true to life. I agree that they are not “real world” but that’s not a reason to give up on role playing after sales training. Role playing is just one way to master the steps in sales process.

I played organized baseball from the time I was seven and continued into College. I can’t imagine playing baseball and never taking batting practice. Batting practice has nothing in common with a real game. You can’t strike out. In fact, the pitcher is trying to deliver a ball you can hit. However, if you don’t take batting practice you’ll never succeed as a hitter. The same hold true when it comes to sales reps and role playing after sales training.

Advanced Role Playing After Sales Training

Let’s take sales training and role playing to the next level. Salespeople should video tape their role playing practice sessions. By studying the tapes, salespeople will discover additional ways to further develop their new sales skills.

Selling is not a game. Selling is a serious profession and professional skills are required to succeed. You’ll discover those skills by taking a powerful sales training program. You’ll perfect those skills when you participate in practice role playing sessions. I strongly make this point at the end of my sales training video, “The Progressive Sales Process”.

I hope you’ll take my advice about role playing after sales training.

I wish you great sales success!

Nick

Tags: Sales Training