Continual Development of the Sales Force: Sales Training

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Continual Development of theSales Force Sales
Training

• Module Six

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Learning Objectives

• Understand the role of sales training in sales
  for socialization.
• Explain the importance of sales training in the
  sales managers role in sales training.
• Describe the sales training process is a series
  of six interrelated steps.
• Discuss six methods for assessing sales training
  needs and identify typical sales training needs.

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Learning Objectives

• Name some typical objectives of sales training
  programs, and explain how city objectives for
  sales training is beneficial to sales managers.
• Identify the key issues in evaluating sales
  training alternates.
• Identify key Africa legal issues and sales
  training.

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Setting the Stage
Sales Training at UPS from Selling Rates to
Selling Solutions

• What are the three objectives UPS hopes to
  accomplish with its new training program?
• Why does UPS spend more money to bring
  salespeople to the training? What activities do
  UPS salespeople do during training?

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Role of Sales Training inSales Force
Socialization
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Sales 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

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Managing the Sales Training Process
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Assess 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

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Assess Training Needs Methods

• Sales Force Audit
• Performance Testing
• Observation
• Salesforce Survey
• Customer Survey
• Job analysis

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Typical 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

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Typical 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.

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Typical Sales Training Needs

• Time and Territory Management Salespeople should
  learn to maximum work efficiency.

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Competencies ofSuccessful Salespeople

• Aligning customer/supplier strategic objectives
• Listening beyond product needs
• Understanding the financial impact of decisions
• Orchestrating organizational resources
• Consultative problem solving

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Competencies ofSuccessful Salespeople

• Establishing a vision of a committed
  customer/supplier relationship
• Engaging in self-appraisal and continuous learning

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Common 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)

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Common 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

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Common 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

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Training Objectives

• Increase sales or profits
• Create positive attitudes and improve salesforce
  morale
• Assist in sales force socialization
• Reduce role conflict and ambiguity

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Training Objectives

• Introduce new products, markets, and promotional
  programs
• Develop salespeople for future management
  positions
• Ensure awareness of ethical and legal
  responsibilities

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Training 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

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Evaluate Training Alternatives

• Selecting Sales Trainers
• Internal
• External
• Selecting Sales Training Locations
• Decentralized (e.g., district or regional
  offices)
• Centralized (e.g., corporate headquarter)

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Evaluate Training Alternatives

• Selecting Sales Training Methods
• Classroom/Conference Training
• On-the-job Training (OJT)
• Mentoring
• Job rotation

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Evaluate Training Alternatives

• Selecting Sales Training Methods
• Behavioral Simulations
• Absorption Training
• Selecting Sales Training Media
• Internet
• Computer-Based (e.g., CD-ROM)
• Paper-Based

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Design the Sales Training Program

• Finalize the Training Program
• Schedule Training Sessions
• Make Necessary Travel Arrangements
• Make Necessary Accommodation Arrangements

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Perform Sales Training
As 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.
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Conduct 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.