When it comes to training sales professionals, I have found that the eventual implementation of any training is linked to one key factor; how easy the new skill is to make part of our daily routine.
Sales professionals, in general, have more information available to them today than ever before. With the internet, books, tapes, CDs, videos, articles, workshops, seminars, motivational speakers, and training programs, we are literally overwhelmed by what we should do. There is just so much great stuff out there; it is really a blessing. Anyone can learn what he needs to know to be the best he can be.
Why then do so many sales people attend training yet never implement the new skills? Some people simply don’t want to change. As a trainer I just have to accept that fact and move on.
But for the majority who want to improve, we trainers sometimes make it harder than necessary. This leads to what I refer to as Lo K S - Low Key and Simple.
When I go into the field with a salesperson to help implement training, I find that there are many "things" going on in that person’s career and life. Anything new I want them to do is going to have to be easy. Think for a minute. How many of you have time to commit to a new learning experience? If you are like me, when I have a few free moments, I want to shut off my brain and relax, not try to learn something new. That would require me to think, yuck.
When I first confronted this situation I thought that my ability to focus the individual’s attention to their new learning would be the only important element in their implementing new actions. They would see the critical importance of what I was teaching and then take all the necessary steps to change their lives. Wrong!
I feel the most important responsibility we have as trainers is to break the training down into "easy to learn" bits.
Just make the material simple. The development of training should be designed with the idea of having the material implemented by the field sales force as soon after the training as is possible.
A key element in Lo K S is segmented learning. You have probably used segmented learning for years, especially in sports or music. You take an overall activity; break it down into easy to learn actions then, when they are all learned, put them together for the complete activity. Why not use this for sales training?
In our prospecting workshops we segment the prospecting skills into simple steps for the participants. This makes actual field implementation easier.
An additional tool we have to assure training gets implemented is to work with the sales managers to get them to support the training effort. This can be a great training reinforcement, but can also bring more burdens to many overloaded managers, so we have made the managers part of our training Lo K S, also.
By Low Key I mean that the sales team should not be required to make a major adjustment in their daily activities as a result of the training. [Unless, of course, a dramatic change is needed.]
Also, as much as is possible, the workshop should be a complete learning experience, not just the start of learning that needs to be pursued afterwards.
I refer to these as "skill based training" workshops. In this type of workshop the participants leave with skills they didn't have when they entered or with enhanced skills that they brought into the workshop.
We use this method in workshops for our BLITZ CALL?System of prospecting.
Many sales people do not like to prospect, regardless of their experience. But with the new global economy, we find that even many "old pros" have to open new markets, penetrate new territories, or even increase their customer bases.
I find there seem to be three universal feelings about prospecting: it is essential, not taught, and painful.
Prospecting requires that we expose ourselves to the greatest opportunity for rejection. As a result, many people think that sales people are really aggressive and outgoing. I have found that salespeople are no different than anyone else. That is probably why most of us do not like to prospect. It is not pleasant to be rejected.
We are faced with a dilemma. We know we have to grow our business and that prospecting is the basic tool we have, so how can we overcome this conflict of knowing what we need to do, but not liking doing it?
A Low Key and Simple method of prospecting is the answer. The fact that the method we suggest has proven effective for everyone who has implemented it also helps.
The BLITZ CALL System takes into account some simple facts about Prospecting.
?First, sales are made after the 3rd call. Therefore, initial contact need only be an introduction.
?Second, you need a system that is easy to learn, repeatable, and measurable.
?Third, follow up is critical. So a system for follow up must accompany any Prospecting program.
?Fourth, systematic Prospecting will keep your “pipeline?full and your customer base growing.
?Fifth, the more you Prospect the better you will get at it. Therefore, you will find it easier and easier to do. So you will actually Prospect regularly.
That is all there is to Prospecting our way. So learn a system and keep using it.
Copyright 2006 WJ Truax
Bill is a Sales Management and Field Operations Consultant based in Cleveland, OH. He has 3 books and 2 CDs on prospecting, he also trains managers, conducts seminars and workshops, and makes calls in the field with sales professionals - all detailed on http://www.BlitzCall.com