In sport, majority of an athlete’s time is spent training and developing their skills. with only a fraction performing.
In sales, it’s usually the other way around, focusing more on achieving results. However, this model needs to be revised since the key to consistent performance is sales organisations embracing a continuous training approach.
Adopting this approach provides an opportunity to review, reflect and gain a deeper understanding of the essential skills, mindsets, and perspectives needed to overcome challenges and create differentiation.
Let’s discover how continuous sales training turns a sales team into an all-round sales force.
For a sales professional, change is a constant, be it internally, personally or within the buyer’s organisation. Whilst change is inevitable and can have a huge impact, it’s often an opportunity.
If there’s a superpower in selling, it’s understanding and adapting to change.
Being aware of the change, positioning themselves within it, reducing its harmful effects and, ultimately, finding the opportunities that arise from it are vital instincts of successful sales reps. These instincts are not innate and can be acquired with experience, continuous training and adopting an open mindset.
Small and consistent improvements generate a ripple effect and build momentum over the longer term.
As your team continually evolves, they gradually increase their understanding of their customers and serve them better, their self-confidence increases, and they engage in better dialogue throughout the sales process.
This momentum not only helps them improve their performance but also creates motivation for them to excel in their sales careers.
Team members aiming for managerial and leadership positions push their limits to reach their best form. And if supported by sales management training programmes, they can become the future generation of sales leaders who will add value to your organisation.
The Traditional Approach to Sales Training
Traditionally, sales training is delivered in classroom settings and via intensive sessions. These sessions are great for kickstarting a sales transformation or change programme, as they bring salespeople across the company together to learn and share. The challenge, however, is that organisations often do not plan to consistently reinforce the learnings in the long term and give little consideration to what sales teams may need for the best learning experience. Organisations that consider utilising complementary training methods can unlock the hidden potential of sales training by realising that a strong growth mindset can only be developed through continuous training.Why It’s Important to Realise the Potential of Sales Training
“You cannot teach people anything. You can only help them discover it within themselves.”
Galileo Galilei
There is a big difference between planning sales training as a one-time exercise and designing it as a long-term strategy. Salespeople at all levels can gain essential selling skills through training. However, only through continuous learning and reinforcement will they develop the mindset and depth of understanding needed to adapt in sales conversations to increase their chances of success. According to Deloitte, the half-life of new skills is only 5 years. So, for example, if you organise a one-off training session when you want the team to adopt a new sales methodology, the chances of them retaining all the information will be low, and the probability of them defaulting back to old habits, in the short-term, will be high. However, when their learning is supported by a long-term training plan, they not only perfect their sales approach but also prepare for the upcoming changes. Especially in challenging times, salespeople who constantly expand their perspectives with sales training naturally apply this mentality, identify solutions and create opportunities more quickly. It takes time and effort to awaken this instinct.Benefits of Sales Training Beyond Skill Development
Creating the environment for your team to learn new skills is critical. Increasing their awareness and skills toolkit enables them to adjust their approach to changing conditions. However, applying the appropriate strategy at the right time requires greater experience and expertise. Continuously supported sales training provides the following benefits, enabling your team to use sales skills they have gained in the most strategic way.1- Understanding and Focusing on the Bigger Picture
Successful salespeople should be able to understand the internal sales structure but also need to appreciate the customer’s organisation, the market and the macro-economic factors that impact it. Only in this way can they fully grasp the potential of their role. So, how does understanding the big picture allow salespeople to understand their customers & create trust? Sales training gives teams a holistic approach. It helps salespeople build trust-based relationships by understanding customers’ pain points throughout the entire buyer’s journey. It also enables them to qualify deeply and discover the goals and needs of their organisation to create new or recurring business opportunities.2- Managing Change
For a sales professional, change is a constant, be it internally, personally or within the buyer’s organisation. Whilst change is inevitable and can have a huge impact, it’s often an opportunity.
If there’s a superpower in selling, it’s understanding and adapting to change.
Being aware of the change, positioning themselves within it, reducing its harmful effects and, ultimately, finding the opportunities that arise from it are vital instincts of successful sales reps. These instincts are not innate and can be acquired with experience, continuous training and adopting an open mindset.
3- Connecting With People
Sales training enables teams to make it a habit to communicate with people with the right intent and mutual value. Because the more you learn, the more curious you become, and you begin to understand the key questions that will help direct the conversation. When salespeople actively listen and use their emotional intelligence, they can intuitively ask questions that will create engagement and connection. The deeper the understanding of the challenge, the better the opportunity to build rapport and credibility by sharing relatable stories.4- Creating Momentum and Motivation
Small and consistent improvements generate a ripple effect and build momentum over the longer term.
As your team continually evolves, they gradually increase their understanding of their customers and serve them better, their self-confidence increases, and they engage in better dialogue throughout the sales process.
This momentum not only helps them improve their performance but also creates motivation for them to excel in their sales careers.
Team members aiming for managerial and leadership positions push their limits to reach their best form. And if supported by sales management training programmes, they can become the future generation of sales leaders who will add value to your organisation.
