9 years ago
January 7, 2015

Grow Your Business with Better Sales Training

As the economy continues its slow and bottomless recovery, the mindset of most managers and owners becomes survivalhow to stay in business, wit

Rhys Metler

Sales Training GrowthAs the economy continues its slow and bottomless recovery, the mindset of most managers and owners becomes survival—how to stay in business, with no focus on growth and expansion. In reality, the companies that thrive regardless of economic conditions are companies that view sales as their driving force. Training and developing your sales team with the qualities needed for success will guarantee increased profits now and even greater profits when the market “bounces back.”  Below are four sales training tips that can be implemented immediately to improve your sales team.

Develop a proven system and implement it

Good sales training is a necessity. The majority of sales processes can be tracked, documented and implemented into a system that all sales people can use.  The conventional approach of relying entirely on product knowledge to create rapport and close deals is a thing of the past. Customers now have more buying options due to the globalization of the economy and increasing competition. Additionally, profit margins have decreased in many industries, so the difference between thriving and just surviving lies in training your team using proven methods, thorough product knowledge and excellent communication skills.

Find the true motivation for each team member

One of the most important factors in developing a top-performing sales team is motivation. Knowing what motivates every individual on your team and coaching accordingly to trigger those motivators is vital for improving sales. Some individuals are motivated by making large sums of money and some are motivated by earning the recognition of colleagues and managers. Other people on your team might feel motivation when an incentive is offered once a goal has been reached, while others may only react to disciplinary action!  Lack of motivation is one of the main contributors to low performance, and a common trait among underachieving sales staff is often emotional.  Finding the emotional “button” for each of your team members—and triggering it often—is the key to reviving low performers and reassuring the great ones.

Overcome the 80/20 rule

Every member of your sales team should fully understand and stay in alignment with the goals of the sales team. The infamous 80/20 rule is accepted as reality; 20% of the sales staff will accomplish 80% of the sales results. However, there is no need to retain the other 80% of your staff who aren’t meeting their goals and objectives. Since everyone should receive the same sales training and everyone understands the expectations of management to meet their targets, everyone should be performing on the same level—adequate sales training can make that a reality.

Establishing measurable, achievable performance milestones is necessary for bringing each member of your staff to the same level of achievement. When management demonstrates a high level of personal accountability, effort and enthusiasm, morale will skyrocket and sales will ultimately increase.

Eliminate barriers within your sales team

Understanding the true barriers within your sales team is vital in order to solve any issues unrelated to your clients and customers. Oftentimes problems exist among members of the sales staff, causing the lack of motivation, stagnating sales, low morale, and various other income-killing conflicts. The perfect opportunity to learn of any barriers within your sales team is during one-on-one performance reviews, team meetings and after-work activities.

Communicating openly with your sales team and encouraging honesty will help to expose issues within your team that serve as barriers. You can then implement strategies to solve the issues and possibly prevent such problems in the future. Utilizing these four tips in your sales training plan can dramatically improve your results in the fierce world of sales.

Rhys Metler

Rhys is a tenacious, top performing Senior Sales Recruiter with 15+ years of focused experience in the Digital Media, Mobile, Software, Technology and B2B verticals. He has a successful track record of headhunting top performing sales candidates for some of the most exciting brands in North America. He is a Certified Recruitment Specialist (CRS) and has expert experience in prospecting new business, client retention/renewals and managing top performing sales and recruitment teams. Rhys enjoys spending quality time with his wife, son, and daughters, BBQing on a hot summer day and tropical vacations.

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