Sales Manager = Sales Training Success
Sales Manager = Sales Training Success
As a result, many (if not most) sales training initiatives are feel-good, passing events that yield minimal lasting impact. They are hugely expensive (consultant fees, materials, travel expenses, and lost field productivity) and they lead to cynicism and frustration. Most regrettably, they rarely deliver sustainable revenue improvement.
SalesFulcrum's approach is to first focus on the Sales Manager. In fact, we would go so far as to say you could often SPARE the expense of training the entire sales force if you sufficiently train the Sales Management team on both your sales process and sales methodology, as well as invest in the development of their day-to-day coaching skills. This approach effectively weaves sales training into your very sales culture, yielding a profound impact on results AND reducing the total cost of training (TCT) by 50%…easily.
How? The Sales Manager is responsible for leading and coordinating the day-to-day action in the field, much like an army lieutenant in the trenches. Sales Managers often find themselves in their role based upon “battlefield promotion,” meaning they demonstrated a certain degree of sales excellence somewhere in their career and were then placed in this key area of responsibility without any formal training or preparation. Figuratively, they were a top performer on a Friday and were promoted to Sales Manager on Monday…and we ask you: what happened over the weekend to prepare them for their new role?
The Sales Manager’s job is to make their revenue plan through the collective results of their sales team. It’s that simple. Their on-going success is contigent upon their ability to translate the basic sales process (and it is basic: defining the territory focus; prospecting; needs discovery; presentation/demo/proposal; working the deal; negotiating; and closing), as well as the defined milestones or internal activities that are indeed unique to your company. The sales process is what your reps do to get the deal.
The effective Sales Manager then focuses on showing the sales reps how to run the process faster, better, and more efficiently. An effective sales methodology is how to accomplish such improvement in a repeatable, scalable way. Sales methodology is how you forecast in a common and consistent way; how you approach the customer to discover their priorities, issues, and needs; and how you handle objections and negotiate to a successful close.
To hire a consultant to train on a particular sales methodology is a huge waste of time and money if you and your Sales Managers do not first understand your own internal activities and how they map to the basic sales process. Its like installing a GPS system on a high performance sports car without first learning how to drive with a clutch.
Once the Sales Managers command their own sales process, they can actually unleash incredible gains in productivity. Further, they are better prepared to recruit candidates that possess the appropriate fit and fitness required for your particular sales process. By translating the process in a common language and methodology, the Sales Manager accelerates the new hires’ learning curves and shortens their ramp times. Inspecting the reps’ pipelines in a disciplined way enables the Sales Manager to diagnose issues and coach the reps to develop their individual selling skills. The benefits of focusing and defining on sales process with the Sales Managers as the first step in sales training are numerous.
When done with the buy-in and ownership of the Sales Manager, “sales training” actually becomes a daily ritual versus a short-lived, ineffective, and expensive event. Effective sales training is actually effective sales manager training.
Sales Manager Sales Training Success - To learn more about this author, visit Jay Crookston's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
Most sales training initiatives are well intentioned, are grand in scope, and are targeted at improving results. However, rarely are they planned with a quantified, measurable, and specific objective in mind and, even more rarely, are they planned with the sales management team’s role in mind.
As a result, many (if not most) sales training initiatives are feel-good, passing events that yield minimal lasting impact. They are hugely expensive (consultant fees, materials, travel expenses, and lost field productivity) and they lead to cynicism and frustration. Most regrettably, they rarely deliver sustainable revenue improvement.
SalesFulcrum's approach is to first focus on the Sales Manager. In fact, we would go so far as to say you could often SPARE the expense of training the entire sales force if you sufficiently train the Sales Management team on both your sales process and sales methodology, as well as invest in the development of their day-to-day coaching skills. This approach effectively weaves sales training into your very sales culture, yielding a profound impact on results AND reducing the total cost of training (TCT) by 50%…easily.
How? The Sales Manager is responsible for leading and coordinating the day-to-day action in the field, much like an army lieutenant in the trenches. Sales Managers often find themselves in their role based upon “battlefield promotion,” meaning they demonstrated a certain degree of sales excellence somewhere in their career and were then placed in this key area of responsibility without any formal training or preparation. Figuratively, they were a top performer on a Friday and were promoted to Sales Manager on Monday…and we ask you: what happened over the weekend to prepare them for their new role?
The Sales Manager’s job is to make their revenue plan through the collective results of their sales team. It’s that simple. Their on-going success is contigent upon their ability to translate the basic sales process (and it is basic: defining the territory focus; prospecting; needs discovery; presentation/demo/proposal; working the deal; negotiating; and closing), as well as the defined milestones or internal activities that are indeed unique to your company. The sales process is what your reps do to get the deal.
The effective Sales Manager then focuses on showing the sales reps how to run the process faster, better, and more efficiently. An effective sales methodology is how to accomplish such improvement in a repeatable, scalable way. Sales methodology is how you forecast in a common and consistent way; how you approach the customer to discover their priorities, issues, and needs; and how you handle objections and negotiate to a successful close.
To hire a consultant to train on a particular sales methodology is a huge waste of time and money if you and your Sales Managers do not first understand your own internal activities and how they map to the basic sales process. Its like installing a GPS system on a high performance sports car without first learning how to drive with a clutch.
Once the Sales Managers command their own sales process, they can actually unleash incredible gains in productivity. Further, they are better prepared to recruit candidates that possess the appropriate fit and fitness required for your particular sales process. By translating the process in a common language and methodology, the Sales Manager accelerates the new hires’ learning curves and shortens their ramp times. Inspecting the reps’ pipelines in a disciplined way enables the Sales Manager to diagnose issues and coach the reps to develop their individual selling skills. The benefits of focusing and defining on sales process with the Sales Managers as the first step in sales training are numerous.
When done with the buy-in and ownership of the Sales Manager, “sales training” actually becomes a daily ritual versus a short-lived, ineffective, and expensive event. Effective sales training is actually effective sales manager training.
Sales Manager Sales Training Success - To learn more about this author, visit Jay Crookston's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
 | |
 |
No article feedback found. |
| |
Leave Your Feedback |
 | |
| |||
Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
|||
Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
|||
David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
|||
John BrennanJohn Brennan Ed.D. Dr. Brennan is President of Interpersonal Development, LLC, a training and development firm. Interpersonal Development has provided sales training and coaching to more than 3,000 sales reps from over 100 companies. A native of Australia, Dr. Brennan received his doctorate from the University of Rochester. His dissertation researched the effectiveness of Behavioral Modeling Technology in training people in interpersonal skills. While he has spent most of his career designing or delivering training, he was also a Vice-President of Sales of a training and development franchise with operations in 25 markets. Dr. Brennan has designed and delivered sales training in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. He has been a guest speaker at numerous national and regional professional conferences. When Microsoft wanted Best Practices articles on sales for their web site, they called Dr. Brennan. The results are at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011387391033.aspx His firm’s clients have included Volvo, The Prudential, Merrill Lynch, Eastman Kodak, Gannett, Equifax Europe, the Economist Group and countless small businesses. - Visit John Brennan's Website |
|||
Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
|||
George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
|||
Anne BarrAnne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
|||
John AlexanderJohn has taught keyword research and SEO skills to small groups of business owners and Webmasters from over 80 different countries world wide since 2002. John is also the Director of Search Engine Academy ; Co-director of Training at Search Engine Workshops offering live, SEO Workshops with his partner SEO educator Robin Nobles, author of the very first comprehensive online search engine marketing courses at SEO Training Online and the SEO Workshop Resource Center. I look forward to hearing from you! - Visit John Alexander's Website |
|||
|
To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us. | |||
 | |
|  |
Subscribe to Jay's articles
 | |
|
|  |
 | |
|
| |
 | |||||||
|
 | ||
 |
||
 |
||
|
||
|
| ||
 |
| Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details. |
|
|
 |
| Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media |
|
|
 |
"Learn straight from Evan how you can Make a Full Time Income (And More) from a Website"
Click Here To Learn More |
|
|
|
|
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
|
|
|
 Online Marketing Tools Making SEO Decisions Professional Networking The Leadership Edge Managing Customer Relationships |
|
 | ||
 |
Top 50 Marketing Blogs
Top Blogs To Watch In 2008 | |
 |
More PR Resources
Press Release Builder | |
| ||
 | ||||
| ||||
|
| ||||
| ||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||
|
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 and Sean Combs!
|
|
|
