21Nov/111

Outline for a Sales Training Manual

Every now and then, we get requests for an outline for a sales training manual. We usually respond in the same way:

What prompted your interest in a sales training manual?

Typically, it's because someone told someone else to come up with some sales training. If we've learned one thing after 35 years of sales training experience, it's this: There's a lot more to a successful sales training initiative than the manual.

Simply building a sales training manual -- even a really good one -- won't do any good. The secret to successful sales training is in bringing it alive. Experienced sales trainers can do that. In order to be effective, sales training needs a lot more than a manual.

We've delivered sales training to salespeople all over the world. So that means we've been involved with a lot of sales training programs.

Here's what the successful ones have going for them:

  • They're proven by real-world results. Sales training that's all "theory" just doesn't cut it. Salespeople are too cynical to be fooled by sales theory. Instead, they're looking for examples of tactics and principles that have been used in their industry, by their peers successfully.
  • They're backed-up by research. Naturally, "back of the envelope" sales tactics aren't going to work anymore, either. Sales leaders expect proof of the effectiveness of training initiatives. And now, more than ever, sales skills can be tested. In fact, this is a tremendous benefit of the Sales 2.0 movement.
  • They're individualized. Everyone inside a sales organizations sells in different ways. No matter how much effort is put into "competency modeling" or "benchmarking," there's a certain element of art in sales. And that means training needs to reflect the artists on your team. That takes more than a one-size-fits-all process.
  • They're customized to your unique environment. Your selling environment is different than your competitors'. And the sales process they follow will probably be a bit different than theirs. Sales training can't be a one-size-fits-all solution. A truly impactful engagement needs to map to your existing best practices. Not ignore them.
  • They're delivered by experienced salespeople and managers. Sales trainers can't tell salespeople what to do unless they've already done it, themselves. Salespeople are quick to pick up on the "Do as I say, not as I do" mantra.
  • They're reinforced beyond the training engagement. Changes in behavior do NOT come from a 2-day event. Instead, meaningful sales behavior growth and change must come from a longer-term, reinforced engagement with follow-up coaching.

So, you see, a manual, by itself, simply can't generate the effective change that a customized sales training program will.

- @JebBrooks

Filed under: IMPACT Selling 1 Comment
17Jun/110

Sales Skills Audit

Dear Sales Evolution Readers,

The most successful salespeople are the most self-aware. That means they can identify both their strengths and their weaknesses. Here at The Brooks Group, we set out to help salespeople to do that.

That's why we've created a gift for you.

It's a short, self-scoring audit. We'd like to invite you to "give it a go." It's important that you're honest. After all, the only way to improve is to have a good baseline. Once you finish, you'll have access to some additional (free) resources you might find helpful.

Click here to see how you stack up!

In the meantime,

Happy Selling!

 

 

 

@JebBrooks

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23Jun/100

What’s IMPACT Selling?

It turns out that there are a few of you out there who watch our blog, but aren't sure what we do here at The Brooks Group! Please let me fix that!

We help organizations improve their sales performance. We do that by providing sales and management assessment, training, and retention tools. The customer-focused sales process we tailor to our clients is called IMPACT Selling®. And we've been teaching, coaching, and reinforcing it for for a long time. It's won awards and helped salespeople open and "tie up" an untold number of sales on behalf of thousands of our client organizations. We're proud of the work we do helping salespeople, their managers, and their companies grow.

So, even though it's a shameless plug, I thought I'd post a link to more information about IMPACT because it might be interesting to some of you.

Also, keep your eye on us here at "Sales Evolution" to see sales and sales management content, questions, and ideas. (by the way, are you subscribed to the RSS feed)?

@JebBrooks

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2Jun/100

IMPACT Selling Video

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13Jul/073

39 Tips for Keeping the Sale on Track

Whether you're just getting started or you've been selling for years, it's important to remember sales don't just happen. They're the result of pursuing the right activities at the right time. Keep your selling career on track with this handy checklist of essential sales activities.

Pre-Call Planning

  1. Are you talking to qualified prospects?
  2. Timing: Are you in front of your prospects when they are ready to buy, not when you need to make a sale?
  3. Prospecting: Do you prospect regularly and consistently?
  4. Positioning (PDF): Do you define how you want your prospects to perceive you, your organization and your products or services?
  5. Gather in-depth data about: your prospect's business drivers, purchasing process, decision-makers, challenges, problems, organizational structure, and competition.
  6. Have you identified key players within your prospect's organization?
  7. Time: Choose your daily activities wisely and treat time like inventory that's too valuable to waste.

Meeting with Prospects and Establishing Rapport

  1. Confirm your appointment (don't assume that your prospect will remember your appointment).
  2. Double-check for materials (business cards, list of satisfied customers, brochures, pens, notebook, calculator, delivery schedules, etc.).
  3. Pay attention to your prospect's personality/behavior style.
  4. Pay attention to non-verbal cues.
  5. Credibility: You have only seconds to convince your prospect that time spent with your will be valuable.
  6. Don't start your conversation with unsolicited small talk (PDF).
  7. Trust: Do your prospects believe you and your organization are credible and you will deliver on every promise or commitment?

Presenting and Asking Questions

  1. Forget about generic product demonstration
  2. Choose the most appropriate product or service for each prospect
  3. Tailor your presentation to your prospect's needs and wants
  4. Focus on benefits, not on features or price.
  5. Clear up any misunderstandings that your prospect may have
  6. Don't confuse your prospect or overwhelm them with too many options
  7. Ask the right questions
  8. Then listen. Listen actively and take notes.
  9. Find out: What he/she will buy, how he/she will buy it, why he/she will buy it, and under what conditions he/she will buy it.
  10. Don't focus on what you want to have happen at the end of your sales call.
  11. Instead, focus on what your prospect wants to have happen.
  12. Do you get feedback from your prospect and make sure that your presentation is on-target?
  13. Don't make price an issue.
  14. Remember: Success in sales is driven by margin and volume.
  15. Present price after you create perceived benefits that exceed price and perceived emotional cost.

Closing the Sale

  1. Never make a claim you can't back up with facts.
  2. Do you provide testimonials from your customers?
  3. Try to involve happy customers with your prospect
  4. Convince prospects that what you say is true and that the benefits of your product/service outweigh its price.
  5. Handling the details: Try to work out any objections or problems.
  6. Don't give them canned responses to objections
  7. After the sale I: Do you tell the prospect they've made a wise decision?
  8. After the sale II: Do you invite your customer to buy more?
  9. After the sale III: Do you service your accounts as enthusiastically as you sell them?
  10. Be responsible and accountable for your own sales results.
Filed under: IMPACT Selling, Positioning, Pre-Call Planning, Professional Selling, Prospecting 3 Comments
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