| Most money spent on sales training is money wasted. | | | | Targets and what these customers require in a |
| The longed for improvements in sales performance | | | | relationship with the selling organization. |
| never arrive and the expectations raised by | | | | Finally, a sales strategy needs a Sales Process - the |
| expensive training programmes are often | | | | steps that a selling organisation needs to take to help |
| subsequently dashed through lack of sales | | | | customers move through their buying process.. |
| management follow-up and support. | | | | The Importance of Sales Competences |
| Wrong Diagnosis | | | | Having a sales strategy helps to define what kind of |
| Most sales training is based on a poor diagnosis of | | | | salespeople are required. What Knowledge they need, |
| the essential training need. The lack of a training | | | | what Skills they require and what Behaviours are |
| needs analysis or at least some kind of meaningful | | | | important. |
| evaluation of any sales performance issues, reduces | | | | The Knowledge, Skills & Behaviours required to deal |
| sales training to an act of faith. | | | | with professional buyers of large global organizations |
| As a result, sales training is often undertaken without | | | | are very different from those needed to deal with |
| any real objectives or strategy and is often reduced | | | | small local businesses. |
| to giving the guys an enjoyable experience - hardly a | | | | The Requirement for a Development Plan |
| measure of success. | | | | Any training should therefore be part of an overall |
| Missing the Mark | | | | Development Plan that specifies the most important |
| As a consequence of failing to understand the real | | | | Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours required for sales |
| sales performance issues, most sales training is | | | | success, but which also identifies the individual and |
| doomed to fail. There are many factors responsible | | | | collective development needs for the organisation. |
| for sales performance, but too often it only focuses | | | | The Crucial Role of Sales Management |
| on some of the more obvious ones such as a | | | | Sales management support is then necessary to |
| perceived lack of closing skills or poor objection | | | | ensure that any training results in improvements in |
| handling. | | | | sales performance. |
| However, most sales performance issues are often | | | | Motivation and Coaching are two of the most |
| more likely to be found at the front end of the | | | | important elements of this support. Motivation |
| customer engagement process, in the areas of | | | | provides the need for achievement through the |
| customer understanding and in the creation of | | | | provision of appropriate incentives and rewards, |
| rapport and credibility. | | | | whereas coaching develops the abilities of salespeople |
| The Need for a Sales Strategy & Sales Process | | | | to sell and to account manage their most important |
| A sales training need can only derive from a sales | | | | customers. |
| strategy and process that defines how salespeople | | | | Conclusion |
| can best engage their customers to ensure success. | | | | Sales training is only effective if it is conducted |
| A sales strategy needs to consist of a thorough | | | | against the background of a thorough understanding |
| understanding of the organization's Value Proposition | | | | of the selling job required, together with the essential |
| i.e. the value to customers of the organization's | | | | sales competences that salespeople require. It also |
| product and service offering. It also needs an | | | | requires the full support of sales management in |
| understanding of the most important Customer | | | | creating the overall culture of sales success. |