Some people may think that learning the very basics of sales is irrelevant today, for we have transitioned to digital sales that do not require direct salesperson-to-customer communication. It may be partially true; however, the foundation of selling is still the same. Physically or digitally, consumers will always need a little assistance to make sure they get what they need, and not regret their purchase. That is why training is vital for all businesses, big or small in-person or online.
Everyone knows what training entails, no matter what type it is. Generally speaking, anyone undergoing training is presumed to come out of it better and improved. After all, the purpose is to facilitate the learning of the novice and to refine the knowledge of seasoned professionals.
However, multiple studies confirm that not everyone truly believes in what good training is capable of. Therefore it already loses its potential in the process because just the mindset alone is necessary for effective practice.
This is especially prevalent in the world of business and sales, where the allocation of resources is stringent. Additionally, sales training focuses on the intrapersonal aspect of a sales representative. Unlike product training, where a more concrete result is perceived, it is usually immediately put in a perceived view of only being an additional expense and is intangible.
However, just as employers are averse with conducting training, employees deem training an unnecessary activity. At times they would most likely escape it if given the slightest chance. Why would you spend time venturing into something that’s held regularly but does not yield immediate results? As a person working in sales, there’s nothing more you would do with your time than close as many deals as you can.
Upon closer inspection, however, the majority hold this mindset simply because they have never experienced what good sales training is supposed to be. And good sales training is simply where both the employer and employee come out with a lasting insight they can apply to their daily sales process.
A simple search online can offer a list of what techniques will make for the best sales training, why it is as crucial as product training, and how a properly executed coaching session can lift a company more than what it’s usually given credit for. But here, let’s discuss the importance to the employees, employers, and the customers of conducting sales training.
Employees The first individuals in the line of being affected by the training would, of course, be the employees who are both the primary participants and the set of people expected to benefit from the practice. Only that the common problem of why conducted training never last in long term effect is because they are often only executed as mandatory participation training.
When suited to the wiring of an individual’s existing skillset, input in training does not become redundant nor unwanted. A sales representative can emerge with newly refined skills, increased confidence, better communication skills to sway opinion, and better leadership skills to uphold their teammates.
Furthermore, a properly executed sales training could also save a great deal of time in the long term. When every person in the room knows how they can present better or how they can pursue a client with increased success, more time is conserved. To put it simply, the more impressive the training is to employees, the greater the chance they will put the practices into place themselves.
In the end, not only would the employee have gone through a necessary training meant to help them as individuals in their own right, but they also become an indispensable resource to the company.
Employer Second to the list of sales training stakeholders would be the employers themselves. Not only are they the ones financing the training itself, but they are also at the receiving end of how their representatives turn out after implementation of the training
To a manager, sales training should be perceived as a necessary investment. As with anything else, a poorly incorporated training could only be a financial burden and a waste of time. But a good one will make for an improved salesperson that translates to an increase in closed deals and an added revenue.
Additionally, when workers are asked for input, enough to arrange training designed around them, the company will increase employee retention. It’s hitting two goals with one training. You retain your employees and improve their skills all at once.
Moreover, a combined effort from both sales representatives and the managers would create a culture of performance in the workplace. Representatives who do the frontline work and managers who provide the back-end support nurture one another by pushing each other to do their best and keeping a constant eye on the equally important thing, forward progress.
Just as this culture of performance will dwell in the spaces of the workplace, a thriving account will also significantly reflect on the company once faced by the last stakeholder, the customer.
Customers The customer as the last stakeholder becomes the tell-tale conclusion of how effective sales training has been. They receive the brunt end if it is good or bad.
Sales training should be able to teach the representative how to create an apt persona, to find the right opening, and to strike the appropriate deal. After all, dealing with customers can be quite tricky, as no two customers are exactly the same.
Customers lead different lives, prefer different things, and are approached in different ways as well. Hitting the right mark would need a wide range of skillsets to be prepared alone. Most of all, they are the endpoint of your work. What they say may not be the end-all-be-all of a deal, but it can positively frame how the rest of the negotiation will unfold.
However, when successfully pulled off, you end up pulling quite an array of things, all of which are great for you and the company you represent. You form a more established connection, produce a loyal customer, and in turn, usually secure a repeat sale for the company.
Sales training is more than just a compulsory activity to attend or organize. It gives room for molding and shaping important company values for the long-run; it is equally important to invest in proper sales training more than anything else.
