Are You Providing the Right Training for Your Sales Professionals?

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Just as in sports, training makes the difference between a sales team that stays strong through the finish line and one that falters in the stretch.

As a team grows, however, the training methods that worked at the beginning don’t always scale. Adding new team members can make your team’s methods and focus worse instead of better.

Here’s how to assess and develop the training you provide to your sales team.

Be honest about your team’s strengths and weaknesses.

Can your team members clearly explain why customers should choose you over a competitor? Do they follow a clear, defined sales process? How does your cost of sales stack up to your results?

The more honest and thorough these answers are, the easier it is to identify where training is needed.

Explore different formats for training.

Different people learn in different ways, depending on their own characteristics, where they are in their career, and what they need to learn. By offering training in multiple formats, sales leaders can reach all their team members and reinforce the message in various ways.

Popular formats for sales team training include:

  • Classes, seminars, or training sessions, in-person or online,
  • Inviting outside consultants to share knowledge,
  • Conferences, trade shows, and industry seminars,
  • Team-generated knowledge bases, like a database or wiki.

Identify top skills every sales team member needs.

 Regardless of their background, experience, or approach to sales, every sales professional needs a core set of key skills. Training that helps team members build these key skills can benefit everyone in sales – and the benefits reach customers as well.

Core skills essential for sales professionals include:

  • Active listening,
  • Focus on problem-solving and building empathy,
  • Using tried and true processes to guide the sales process and address common problems,
  • Spotting red flags in growing customer relationships,
  • Communicating with potential customers through phone, email or in person.

These skills are essential to success in sales, making them essential for sales training as well.

Looking to Build the Right Sales Team?  SRM Group Can Help

Building the right team can be tough, but you don’t have to do it alone. https://www.smrgroupltd.com/contact-us/At SMR Group, we focus on connecting our clients in the biotech, pharmaceutical, and medical device industries to top sales and marketing talent nationwide. To learn more, contact us today.


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