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FOCUS BUSINESS ON: MONITORMOTORSPORT
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regular basis.
When you look at training providers you find
that there are lots of different approaches. Each of
them has an ethos - and you should be clear that
it is one you agree with. Some focus on a highly
structured approach; others address the
psychology of the individual. You’ll be buying from
persuasive sales people so be sure you understand
and like what they are proposing. You are also
responsible for ensuring that they have as good a
brief as possible of the problems and
opportunities you face. The old computer phrase
‘rubbish in, rubbish out’ applies to training as
well.
Courses vary in structure. There’s the ready to
go package with a fixed agenda where you have
people from different businesses training together.
Then there’s the tailored version which is a
standard structure adapted to fit an industry.
Thirdly you have a completely bespoke format for reacting to the answers, it’s about a mental success. A course must be practical, enabling
an individual company. You should be clear which attitude - that the customer is just fodder for this delegates to see how selling is done. Follow-up
you want. month’s sales target. after the course is important as is post-course
So what are the opportunities or weaknesses Interestingly, trainers agree that the specific support – enabling people to ask: “where did I go
which prompt businesses to buy sales training? weaknesses which businesses recognise in wrong here?”
MTD Sales Training say the two big issues themselves are often not the core problem. Take Bill Osmond of Phoenix Training says a small
highlighted are dealing with objections and dealing with objections and closing. The problem group, typically 6-8 people, is essential. Any more
closing. Phoenix Training and you lose the interaction
agree that the ‘bad at that is vital. It should be a mix
closing’ line is quoted of listening and practise –
most often. The three
shortcomings which
Advance see most “
My own personal bugbears are two:
you’ve got to learn how to
lousy preparation and presumption. In a 21st
get it wrong before you get it
right. Currently, a back to
commonly are a failure to
highlight need, failure to
century web based world, not to know
basics approach is proving
very popular. Relevance is
get commitment and a
something about a business before you arrive
essential (some courses
lack of qualifying of the include daft role play
opportunity. Reed is unforgivable
Learning list all the above
and many others but
”
elements that put delegates
backs up). Involvement is key;
Osmond says: ”Delegates
highlight two should be working as hard as
interconnected sins: not listening and talking too is at the front not the back because salesmen the trainer.”
much, without saying anything to a purpose. don’t address the right issues and haven’t asked Miles Bentley director of Advance says that
Quadrant Learning Services say that, if they could enough questions. success is not just about teaching sales skills. First
change two things in European sales practise, they Sean McPheat MD of MTD Training says that in you have to understand the pattern of a sale.
would be to encourage more questioning and a recession businesses go into “thrive mode or Advance teach people to map a sale, define the
more listening. Tack operate an annual survey of survive mode”. A training budget is sitting waiting sequence and break it down into its various
buyers: 70% of them say that salespeople’s for the axe, but success is achieved when people elements. Bentley says that if you don’t
assessing skills are either fair or poor; they also are motivated, which training delivers. They also understand that structure, you won’t know why
cite a salesperson’s questioning and listening skills succeed because their competitors aren’t trained, you won or lost – and most people don’t. Bentley
and knowledge of the customer’s business as the aren’t motivated. The winners are those who give says defining and qualifying need is key to the
key determinant of who to buy from more often themselves the best shot. Note too that a business process – learning to ask those difficult why
than any other factor. If none of the above is which has had to make some redundancies really questions. Advance run the first strategic sales
ringing bells, good luck to you. needs to re-motivate the rest of the staff. How programme accredited by a UK university, Leeds
For what it’s worth, my own personal bugbears better than to invest in them? Metropolitan, which is an interesting and
are two: lousy preparation and presumption. In a What makes for a successful course? MTD encouraging development, because sales needs to
21st century web based world, not to know stress that the people going on it should give be part of the educational mainstream.
something about a business before you arrive is input up front to make it relevant and to avoid the Hugh Greenway of Reed Learning says the key
unforgivable. Presumption is worse: the salesman folded arms brigade. The course leader has to is to change behaviour in the required way.
knows what you want and proceeds to sell it to have kudos with the trainees, for instance a
you. This is about more than asking questions and successful career in a company noted for sales continued on page 24
| 22 | March 2009 www.printwearandpromotion.co.uk
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