Title: Continual Development of the Sales Force: Sales Training
1Continual Development of theSales Force Sales
Training
2TWO BASIC TYPES
- INITIAL NEW EMPLOYEE
- ONGOING PULSED OR CONTINUOUS (REFRESHERS)
- RATIONALE
- OUTSIDE OF MOTIVATION THE CAUSES OF SALES FAILURE
CAN BE CORRECTED - THRU TRAINING
3YET
- 70 OF BUYERS RATE SALES PERSONNEL AS MODERATELY
EFFECTIVE TO INEFFECTIVE - WHY?
- BUYERS NEEDS OFTEN NOT INCORPORATED INTO TRAINING
- LACK OF REINFORCEMENT BY MANAGEMENT
- (87 KNOWLEDGE LOSS AFTER 30 DAYS.)
4ASSESSING THE NEED
- WHO NEEDS IT?
- HOW MUCH DO THEY NEED?
- TRAINING PROGRAMME OBJECTIVES?
5Assess Training Needs
- Determine desired skill set and levels of
performance - Assess salespersons actual skill set and levels
of performance - Analyze gap between desired and actual to
determine training needs
6Common MistakesSales Training Addresses
- Ineffective listening and questioning
- Failure to build rapport and trust
- Poor job of prospecting for new accounts
- Lack of preplanning of sales calls
- Reluctance to make cold calls(without an
appointment)
7Common MistakesSales Training Addresses
- Lack of sales strategies for different accounts
- Failure to match call frequency with account
potential - Spending too much time with old customers
8Common MistakesSales Training Addresses
- Over-controlling the sales call
- Failure to respond to customers needs with
benefits - Giving benefits before clarifying customers
needs - Ineffective handling of negative attitudes
- Failure to effectively confirm the sale
9TRAINING PROGRAMME OBJECTIVES
- INCREASED SALES PRODUCTIVITY
- SPIN OFFS(ANCILLARY BENEFITS)
- LOWER TURNOVER
- BETTER MORALE
- IMPROVED COMMUNICATION
- IMPROVED CUSTOMER RELATIONS
- IMPROVED SELF MANAGEMENT
10WHO NEEDS IT?
- NEW EMPLOYEES
- EXISTING EMPLOYEES
- FOR
- NEW PRODUCTS
- NEW TERRITORIES
- NEW BUYERS
- INDEPENDENT REPS DISTRIBUTORS
- Best ROI by focusing on the pack
- (the middle sixty percent)
11SET SPECIFIC TRAINING GOALS
- FACILITATES FOCUS
- ENABLES PRIORITIZING
- ESTABLISH A BENCH MARK
12Typical Sales Training Needs
- Sales TechniquesSalespeople have an ongoing
need to learn how to sell - Product KnowledgeSalespeople must know their
product benefits, applications, competitive
strengths, and limitations
13Typical Sales Training Needs
- Customer KnowledgeSalespeople should know their
customer needs, buying motives, buying
procedures, and personalities. - Competitive KnowledgeSalespeople must know
competitive offerings in terms of strengths and
weaknesses.
14Typical Sales Training Needs
- Time and Territory Management Salespeople should
learn to maximum work efficiency.
15INPUT FOR WHAT TRAINING IS NEEDED
- SENIOR MANAGEMENT
- SALES VOLUME ANALYSIS
- NUMBER OF CALLS
- SELLING CLOSURE RATES CALL TIMES
- CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS
- CUSTOMER QUESTIONNAIRES
- EXPENSES
- DIFFICULTY ANALYSIS
- IN FIELD ANALYSIS OF JOB FUNCTION TO DETERMINE
PROBLEM AREAS
16PROGRAMME DESIGN Who does the training?
- A) LINE MANAGERS ?
- NO TIME,
- CANT TEACH
- But trainees pay attention improves rapport!
- B) STAFF FUNCTIONARIES?
- COST,
- CREDIBILITY
- CONTROL
- C) OUTSIDE SPECIALISTS
- COST
- ADEQUATE PRODUCT SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE
- CORPORATE CULTURE,
- PROGRAMME CUSTOMIZATION?
17INSIST UPON, DELINEATED SPECIFIC OUTCOMES FROM
THE TRAINING INVESTMENT!ITS YOUR BUDGET!!
18WHEN?
- NEW EMPLOYEES
- BEFORE OR AFTER FIELD EXPOSURE?
- BEFORE!
- WHERE?
- DECENTRALIZED
- LESS EXPENSIVE
- LESS TIME PRESSURE
- LOCAL MANAGEMENT INVOLVED
19CENTRALIZED (HEAD OFFICE)
- CAN HANDLE LARGE NUMBERS
- ENSURES STANDARDIZED CORPORATE DELIVERY CONTENT
- Away from home improved concentration ?
- Time limitations
- Expensive
- Meet the honchos
20CONTENT?
- INSTILL ENTHUSIASM FOR THE PROCESS IN THE
TRAINEES - HISTORY AND CURRENT MISSION OF THE COMPANY
- POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
- BASIC BUSINESS KNOWLEDGE SKILLS
- INDUSTRY / COMPETITIVE AWARENESS
- PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE AND HOW TO USE IT
- PERSUASIVE COMMUNICATION SKILLS
- RELATIONSHIP-BUILDING SKILLS
- TEAM-SELLING SKILLS
- TIME-MANAGEMENT SKILLS
- COMPUTER ASSISTED SELLING
- SELLING LEGALLY
21TRAINING TECHNIQUES
- DISCUSSION
- ROLE PLAYING
- SELF-DIRECTED
- LECTURES
- 5. INTERACTIVE PROGRAMMES (TAPES, CDs, SOFTWARE)
- Have the best rate and retention
- But
- Have high development costs
- BUSINESS TV (TRANSNATIONALS')
- IBM, FEDEX, KODAK ON-THE-JOB
22REINFORCEMENT IS THE KEY!WITHOUT IT THE MONEY IS
WASTED
23Role of Sales Training inSales Force
Socialization
Sales training helps socialize the new hires,
providing them with a positive
- Initiation to Task The degree to which a sales
trainee feels competent and accepted as a working
partner - Role Definition An understanding of what tasks
are to be performed, what the priorities of the
tasks are, and how time should be allocated among
the tasks.
24Sales Training as a Crucial Investment
- Most organizations see a link between sales
training and salesperson productivity - U.S. companies spend approximately 8.7 billion
annually on training - The need for sales training is continual
- Sales managers play a crucial role in the
training process
25Managing the Sales Training Process
26Training Objectives
- Increase sales or profits
- Create positive attitudes and improve salesforce
morale - Assist in sales force socialization
- Reduce role conflict and ambiguity
27Training Objectives
- Introduce new products, markets, and promotional
programs - Develop salespeople for future management
positions - Ensure awareness of ethical and legal
responsibilities
28Training Objectives
- Teach administrative procedures
- Ensure competence in the use of sales and sales
support tools - Minimize sales force turnover rate
- Prepare new salespeople for assignment to a sales
territory - Improve teamwork cooperative efforts
29As the training is being conducted, the sales
managers primary responsibility is to monitor
progress of the trainees and to ensure adequate
presentation of the training topics.
30Conduct Follow-Up and Evaluation
It is always difficult to measure the
effectiveness of sales training. Nevertheless, a
reasonable attempt must be made to assess whether
current training expenditures are worthwhile and
whether future modification is warranted.