Introduction
Every sales professional will tell you that sales training is critical to staying on top of the “selling game.” However, those same business persons are also notorious for calling sales training a “waste”, therefore finding reasons that they “can’t” attend a sales training. This conflicting feeling about sales training needs to be nipped in the bud in order to move your sales team from good to phenomenal. Here are some ways you can make sales training more palatable to your colleagues.
1. Hire a good sales training leader.
This is one of those times where paying a little could end up costing you more in the long run, so don’t look for the sales training “low bidder.” Instead, hire the best sales training professional that you can afford. Look for a sales training leader who has a reputation for sales trainings that are both exciting and informative. If you’re not sure who to pick to lead your sales training, get in touch with one of your local business associations, such as the Chamber or a sales-related organizations and ask for their sales training leader recommendations.
2. Make the sales training an expectation.
Don’t allow your sales professionals to keep skipping sales training meetings. Instead, make it mandatory that each of your sales team members attends a certain number of sales trainings per quarter. That way, they can pick and choose which sales training seminars you offer (unless you only offer one sales training, in which case they’d better make it there), but in the end they’ll still be getting the sales training.
3. Reward sales training attendees.
If you’re still having a problem convincing some of your team members that sales training is an important part of life as a sales expert, why not reward those who attend sales trainings? You can offer a bonus or an extra half day of vacation for every sales training that your staff goes to. This will encourage those who have been reticent to sign up for sales trainings to reconsider. However, you’ll need to make sure that they are going to sales trainings that make sense for their positions and your overall company’s product or service.
4. Have an in-house sales training.
One of the best ways to ensure that your coworkers attend a sales training is to have it “on site.” That way, the sales training will be very difficult for them to avoid. Be certain to remind them of the sales training on a regular basis and send out information on the sales training leader (such as his or her resume or biographical information) to keep them interested in the sales training. On the day of the sales training, have plenty of coffee, sugary treats, and perhaps even a luncheon to thank them for all attending the sales training.
5. Offer a “virtual” sales training.
In today’s cyber world, there are sales training videos available online. You can purchase these videos and your sales team can “attend” sales trainings via their computers. Many professional organizations are doing this, and it’s truly a “craze” right now. However, you do have to be cautious. Have a quiz after the sales training to see who really was listening to the sales training and not just pretending to pay attention. (Some people will turn down their computer’s sound and get on the phone to do calls instead of listening to the sales training information.)
6. Have a sales training in conjunction with a new sales process.
Are you considering installing in a sales management software program like Prophet (available at Avidian.com)? If so, why not offer a sales training in conjunction with the installation? In fact, there are plenty of sales training professionals out there well-versed in both Prophet and the latest selling techniques. This way, you can give your sales team both a tool (Prophet) and valuable data (the sales training info) at the same time.
7. Ask a member of your team to head the sales training.
Do you have a colleague who would be perfect as a sales training leader? Ask him or her if he or she would be willing to give a 1-2 hour sales training presentation to everyone in the department. Not only will you be giving him or her a “nod” for being so successful, you’ll also be offering him or her a way to build his or her resume. That’s because leading a sales training can sound very impressive and looks terrific as an achievement. Just make sure that you know what your team member plans to discuss during the sales training before it begins. Sometimes, your best sales professional might not know as much about selling as you had hoped; thus, it will behoove you to sit down with him or her to discuss the sales training beforehand.
8. Pass around sales training materials.
If your team members truly do not have the free time to attend a sales training, look for opportunities to pass around materials in lieu of attending an ACT ual sales training. For instance, if you read a sales-specific article in your trade magazine or the Wall Street Journal, photocopy it and send it around. Is it as good as a sales training? Maybe not. But it’s the next best thing to a sales training in terms of giving your sellers some new ideas or sales facts to think about.
9. Make sure your colleagues know about sales trainings.
It’s ironic, but some of the best sales professionals don’t realize when sales trainings are occurring! If you hear about a sales training coming up in or near your area, pass around the information to your team. That way, if anyone is interested in going to the sales training, he or she will be able to do so. It’s just another way of keeping everyone in the proverbial loop.
Be creative, be open, and be successful!
By looking for sales training opportunities, you’ll be helping to make your company a more prosperous and personally/professionally rewarding place. There are plenty of sales trainings out there; you just need to keep your eyes open or make your own sales training possibilities. Be innovative, ask your sales colleagues for their thoughts on the topic of sales trainings, and enjoy the benefits!
(TOP)
See Also:
Sales Cycle
Sales Force Automation
Sales Force Management
Sales Lead
Sales Lead generation
Sales Lead Management
Sales Lead Management System
Sales Lead Tracking
Sales Leads
Sales Leads Software
Sales Management
Sales Management Software
Sales Management Tools
Sales Manager
Sales Marketing Software
Sales Opportunities
Sales People
Sales Process
Sales Process automation
Sales Report
Sales Software
Sales Tracking Software
Sales Training
Saleslogix
Direct Sales Opportunity
Compare Salesforce
ROI calculator
Help increase my internet Sales
How to increase Sales
Increase Sales