As you know, selling products or services is a complex task that requires the right blend of technique and instinct. There’s no question that experience can help salespeople refine their skills, but effective sales training can teach them the essential components of ethical sales and some useful processes that can help them succeed. So, what exactly is sales training?
Most companies will tell you that they use some type of sales training to help new salespeople get familiar with their working environment, but that is often where their relationship with sales training ends. This is a big mistake – sales training can also shake things up when a company or salesperson is noticing inconsistent sales performance or dropping sales.
In fact, data from ATD shows that companies offering comprehensive training have a 24 percent higher profit margin than those who do not spend much on training. What could your business do with 24 percent higher profits?
Of course, choosing the right program can make all the difference. No two sales training programs are alike – or at least, they shouldn’t be. Stay away from cookie-cutter programs and look for tailored options that suit your industry and goals.
A good sales training program will offer various exercises and more engaging forms of instruction to give students a deeper understanding of the sales process. For example, they might use role-playing exercises that teach those who work in sales how to work through problems that can arise during the kind of interactions they’re likely to encounter in day-to-day business.
No one likes being rejected, but customer resistance exercises can help salespeople better deal with rejection and any negative issues that arise with customers. This can go a long way toward boosting employee retention and keeping spirits up.
Objectives Of Sales Training For Sales Teams
One of the most popular approaches to sales training is group classes with customer-facing professionals from the same company. This is a great option for covering the types of scenarios that are likely to arise in a particular industry.
Training can also take place in groups of customer-facing professionals who are in the same industry but not necessarily working for the same company. In this type of environment, students can learn not only from their instructor but also from each other. This provides a valuable opportunity for getting feedback on ideas from peers and hearing the perspective of others in the same industry.
Sometimes, sales training will be given to groups of salespeople who have assorted roles and work across different industries. This can give students a broader perspective of the sales profession as a whole. It also gives them the chance to learn new techniques that can help with the challenges they face in their specific industry, not to mention valuable opportunities for networking.
No matter which approach is taken, most sales training will have the same basic objectives at its core: selling ethically, building long-term relationships with customers, identifying clients’ needs, approaching opportunities confidently and continuously improving.
How To Ethically Sell
We’re all familiar with the stereotype of a salesperson who will say or do anything to close a deal, but the truth is that dishonesty can destroy a salesperson’s career. Although it is true that sales environments can be competitive, those who use dishonest tactics often find themselves losing the trust of their customers and coworkers.
That’s why a solid sales training program shows people how to interact ethically with clients and peers alike. Good training will also explain why taking the high road can actually end up being more profitable over the course of a salesperson’s career.
Ability To Build Long-Term Relationships With Clients
Good salespeople know that trust is everything in this industry. Put simply, people buy from people they like. According to a survey by HubSpot Research, just 3 percent of people think salespeople are trustworthy. This is something that salespeople must work hard to overcome. Sales training can show salespeople how to engage with clients and build the type of rapport that will lead to long-term relationships.
Confidence When Approaching Potential Sales Opportunities
Successful salespeople often exude confidence, but there’s a good chance this attitude didn’t happen overnight. Most salespeople have had to overcome confidence struggles at some point in their career, and a good sales training program covers how to confidently engage with people from the first contact to the final steps of closing the sale.
Continuous Improvements For Sales Techniques
In a fast-paced business world, salespeople have to constantly refine their selling cycle to keep up. Sales training can help salespeople spot problem areas in their sales cycle and make some positive changes.
Don’t overlook the importance of data. Training can help salespeople learn how to analyze trends in their industry so they can better help their customers and provide useful information to them as they make their way through the buying process.
Ability To Identify Client Needs
Part of being an effective salesperson is understanding the customer’s needs and expectations. Although customers can’t always put their needs into words, savvy salespeople know how to discern the problems their clients need to overcome and show them how they can solve them.
Speak To An Experienced Sales Consulting Firm
Whether your sales team is currently on a roll or sales have been lagging, sales training can give your business a nice boost. If you’re looking for sales training opportunities, speak to the experienced sales consulting firm at RCG Workgroup to learn how their unique training can be tailored to help your business better meet its goals. Fill out their consultation form to get your team started down the path of successful sales training.
