The missing piece in sales training
If the purpose of sales training is to share information, then using a classroom or online learning is the appropriate forum. However, watching, reading and taking notes is passive learning and will not achieve sales proficiency. Added to this, the generic nature of most courses makes it difficult for a salesperson to relate the course to their sales environment. This often results in content rejection and old selling habits continue.
Small changes can make a difference.
Whether you use an internal company resource, such as learning and development, or an external provider, sales training must be tailored so that there is greater acceptance and openness to adopt new behaviors. A competency-based structure with specific assessment criteria is essential and a variety of learning methods used to meet individual needs. With clearly articulated evaluation criteria for each session, a salesperson will know what to expect in advance. This can help reduce or eliminate the mental search for ‘what’s next?’
Once structured classroom learning is completed and the salesperson is rated competent against the criteria, the real learning begins. To qualify does not mean that a seller is a sales expert. Learning to ride a push bike when we were young took time, continued practice, patience, and the confidence to ride a bike competently in a variety of situations. Developing sales competency requires the same level of commitment and determination.
Include field sales training
The next phase is crucial and depends on the structure of the sales function, whether it is predominantly business development or account management or a combination of both. The day is planned by the salesperson and accompanied by a sales coach who must also be a competent salesperson. The reason is that they will need to be able to demonstrate specific sales skills in relation to the objective(s) of the sales call and the skills to be developed. Prior to the sales call, sales interview protocols are reviewed to ensure the right environment is created for the customer. Throughout the day, the sales coach’s role can be passive, so they don’t get involved in the sales process. When the sales coach demonstrates a skill in accordance with the objective(s), it becomes a powerful learning experience for the salesperson. This is because they have witnessed the skill being applied and the result in a live sales situation. The experience is totally different from an RPG and in most cases it will motivate the vendor to want to try it out for themselves. The opportunity is the next sales call.
Behaviors That Defeat Effective Sales Coaching
1. I. This is when sales coaching is all about the sales coach. They get involved in parts of the sales process to show the customer their knowledge or experience. In most cases, the customer will begin to engage with the sales coach and not the salesperson. This clouds the learning environment.
2. Take charge when the sale seems lost. It’s tempting to save the sale, but sales coaching is about transferring skills, and saving the sale is counterproductive. The emotional pain of losing the sale and the lessons learned will remain etched in your memory and the mistake will never be repeated. To quote Benjamin Franklin, ‘Those things that hurt instruct.’
The missing piece in sales training is a trained sales trainer who works in a structured way with the salesperson. Field sales coaching has the potential to provide a strategic advantage for the organization, resulting in increased sales and profitability.
