Tweet

Formula for Sales Templating

Written by: Andrew Wall

Article Overview: Sales templating is a technique that can help you develop a consistent sales process regardless of the background of your individual salespeople. What is sales templating? It is the technique by which you document the steps of the ideal typical sale. Sales templating allows you to capture the best practices and nuances of each of your salespeople to create a model sales process that all of them can follow. In addition to making your job as manager easier, sales templating will improve the performance of your sales force. By creating an overt, step-wise sales template or process, you give the salesperson the means to maintain control of the sales situation.

Formula for Sales Templating

Sales templating is a technique that can help you develop a consistent sales process regardless of the background of your individual salespeople. What is sales templating? It is the technique by which you document the steps of the ideal typical sale. Sales templating allows you to capture the best practices and nuances of each of your salespeople to create a model sales process that all of them can follow. In addition to making your job as manager easier, sales templating will improve the performance of your sales force. By creating an overt, step-wise sales template or process, you give the salesperson the means to maintain control of the sales situation.

Your entire sales force should participate in developing your department’s sales template. This involvement is vital if individual salespeople are to commit to using the template in their work. It also gives them a fuller understanding of the best way to sell your company’s products or service to their typical clients.

The first step is to identify a typical sale of your product. Pick a sale that is common to most, if not all, of your salespeople.

Next, ask each of your salespeople to analyze the process they follow in making the typical sale, step by step. Be aware that they may find this exercise difficult at first. They may be able to give you a big picture view of what they do, but only rarely can they give you an ordered, detailed account of what they do. You will also find that, even among the salespeople trained by your company, each person follows a slightly different process because of differences in personality and style.

When you have reviewed all the processes, identify the steps that make up the typical sale. For example:

Step 1: Analyze the marketplace and choose a target company.

Step 2: Research the target company.

Step 3: Set a meaningful appointment and identify your objectives for that appointment.

Step 4: Make the initial call.

Step 5: Write the proposal.

Step 6: Make the presentation.

With an outline in hand, fill in the details of each step with activities. This is where you and your salespeople need to evaluate all the material before you identify the "best practices." Don’t overlook details that seem too small to be important or ought to be "second nature." All too often, it is the little details that can make or break a sale, and what is second nature to one person can be a revelation to another. Documentation of each step should also include guidelines that your salespeople can use to determine whether they have completed the step. For example:

What questions have to be asked and answered? What qualifications does the prospect have to meet? What approvals are needed?

Now, you have a sales template—a model or map that your salespeople can follow for each and every sale they undertake. Keep in mind that the template is not carved in stone, in the sense that it may change as your product or marketplace changes. Also, it may need to be adjusted for those atypical cases that come along. But as a general rule, the basic outline and most of its details should work for everyone.

Related Articles
  Self Confidence
  9 Elements to Help Your Copy Connect with Your Ideal Customers
  Residual Income Business Opportunity – The Formula for Success!
  Handling the Greatest Source of Failed Closes
  The Trump Entrepreneur Initiative Blog

Article Tags: appointment, best practices, big picture, consistent sales, exercise, job, marketplace, model sales, nuances, personality, proposal, s sales, salespeople, salesperson, step 2, step 6, target company, typical clients



Related Forum Posts
Online Sales and Marketing vs Traditional - Hi Evan, I am noticing that many of the posts in the Sales/Marketing section deal with online marketing, SEM and and SEO and Affiliates. I was wondering if it might be a good idea to separate that section into two; 1) Online Sales and Marketing; 2) Traditional Sales and Marketing
Re: Online Sales and Marketing vs Traditional - [quote="ltrahan":31w9r2iz]Hi Evan, I am noticing that many of the posts in the Sales/Marketing section deal with online marketing, SEM and and SEO and Affiliates. I was wondering if it might be a good idea to separate that section into two; 1) Online Sales and Marketing; 2) Traditional Sales and Marketing[/quote:31w9r2iz] I second the request...
Sport: Formula 1 - Hi There, This year a new name arrived on the Formula One scene: Lewis Hamilton. He has had unparalelled success right in the first season of his racing career. There is just one race left and he stands to become World Champion. It is amazing. I used to watch the races in the past, now I tend to see the results and a little of the race. I think his driving colleague never anticipated for him to stand so often on the winners stage. Certainly his potential has been totally unlocked. Any comment about him from different angles. Kindest Regards Beat Mueller "Unlock People's Potentials!"
Racing car drivers - [quote:39rinmcm]This year a new name arrived on the Formula One scene: Lewis Hamilton. He has had unparalelled success right in the first season of his racing career. [/quote:39rinmcm] Car racing is not an activity I've ever gotten into... although rally car racing or "point to point" sounds kind of fun - I've never seen the point in driving around a circle 500 times... But, I'm always interested in people who do things well...especially when they're just starting out in their chosen profession. I'll check him out!
Hello From Marietta GA! - Hello All! My name is Tim Naylor and I am in Direct Sales! I am glad I have found EC's sites and I hope to learn and share a lot!


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Improve E-mail: Avoid the Quicksand

Ten Things You Can Do To Be a Better Leader

Designing Employee-Enhancing Training Programs

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.