Sales Training Courses:

Sales Training America is a world class sales training and custom development training company specializing in sales training and sales skill development of our client's sales force. At Sales Training America we help our clients improve their sales profitability through the development of their sales management and sales efforts through SalesForce.com implementation. Sales Training America offers both public (open enrollment) sales training courses well as the development of customized sales systems and sales courses for Fortune 1000 companies across United States and Canada.

Are you one of the many corporations now focusing on core sales activities while implementing SalesForce.com while outsourcing non-core functions in response to intense competition?

If you are, Sales Training America can help there too. If you simply want to outsource some of your sales or sales management training or if you want to redefine yourself completely to survive mergers, acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, downsizing, or corporate restructuring we can help you.

For free, no obligation information on how we can help you with your sales training needs please contact us today.

Sales Training Tips:

Types Of Sales Training Courses

Although we would recommend tailoring training based on the results of your training needs analysis (TNA), there are a number of common modules that can be used as the basis of the training program. Here are some we have developed in the past:

Core Sales Skills
As a company, you need to offer a range and depth of sales training. Many companies forget the depth component and continue to put the same sales people through "Sales 101" year after year. We recommend a tiered approach to sales training, where an individual's competencies in certain areas are measured prior to training, to ensure the training they attend is appropriate to their skill levels and the role they undertake.

Having said that there are a number of core modules that can be used as the basis of a sales training program. These modules would possibly include the following:

Basic selling skills
Planning at the territory, account and call level
Introduction or opening, building customer rapport
Questioning and listening - in our eyes absolutely key skills for any sales person
Presentation or proposal
Overcoming objections and negotiating
Closing, a natural consequence of the work already done
Implementation and follow up
Sales process implementation
Facilitates the customer's progression through the buying process
Applies appropriate tactics to guide the process towards a favorable decision.
Account management
Develops objective-driven, actionable plans with the customer
Call/Account strategies support business growth at the customer and align with overall customer plan

 Constructs strong profit, margin, ROI, and cost/benefit analyses to track progress
Distils data and information sources into actionable conclusions
Opportunity planning
Develops objective-driven, actionable plans with the customer
Call/Account strategies support business growth at the customer and align with overall customer plan
Constructs strong profit, margin, ROI, and cost/benefit analyses to track progress
Distils data and information sources into actionable conclusions
Value based selling
Able to develop a broad offering for the customer (or channel partner)
Creates solutions for the customer drawing from the entire company solution (technology, products and processes)

Business Acumen Skills

These skills are often the ones that are forgotten when the sales training plans are developed These are the skills that provide the link between the customer's real business drivers and the actual technology implemented. Too often sales people try to win business by fulfilling the technological needs rather than understanding the real business issues and building the value proposition from there.

Industry & market knowledge
Understands the dynamics, trends, and pressures of customers' industries
Understands competitors and positions our solutions appropriately
Applies industry information, regulations, strategies, and developments to personal sales strategy
Customer knowledge
Understands the customer's business (strategic priorities, mission statement, organization, brand promise, processes, systems, and business operations), loyalty and satisfaction drivers, and the customer's customer
Product & technical knowledge
Demonstrates a knowledge of competitor products
Aligns our products and services to applications to add value that clearly differentiates us from the competition
Knows product applications and technical capabilities (strengths, limitations, etc.) of our products and customer's applications, procedures and processes
Finance for sales people
Demonstrates a knowledge of basic accounts, balance sheet, P&L and cash flow
Understands profit, margin, ROI, TCO, and cost/benefit analyses
Talking an executive's language
Able to understand the differences in language and topics at executive level
Constructs sound business cases based value to the customer's business
Understands the real business needs driving technology implementation and positions our solution accordingly

Individual Effectiveness

Business process re-engineering has reduced layers of management and created the need for flexible working. This means that individuals have to come together in virtual teams for the life of a project and then disband to join other teams. So the abilities listed below have become key competencies for sales people:

Resource management
Translates our business strategy into measurable operational plans that are focused on the customer
Considers the strategic "big picture" and the short and long term impact of actions
Determines priorities and allocates resources accordingly based on knowledge of business priorities
Understands how to get things done within the company
Approaches assigned responsibilities from a business perspective
Organizes for optimal coverage and impact
Prioritizes activities and follows up to maximize effectiveness and efficiency to achieve results
Adopts computer and relevant software and integrates them into day-to-day activities
Problem solving
Anticipates and handles complex problems and issues, gaining input from appropriate resources and generating possible options before coming to a resolution
Formulates clear decision criteria and evaluates solutions by considering implications and consequences
Decides and acts consistent with available facts, constraints, and probable consequences
Develops contingency plans
Takes personal responsibility for resolving customer problems/issues
Follows through on commitments to customer
Manages questions, conflicts, and problems well
Communication
Employs and leverages listening, questioning, oral and written abilities to convey messages and express ideas and points of view effectively in a variety of settings
Uses the computer to improve presentation and communication ability

Sales Induction

Most companies have general induction and orientation programs. Such programs normally include the following:

Company orientation
Understands the company history, philosophy, culture and vision
Understands the company organization and how it relates to their roles
Policies & procedures
Can articulate the company's policy on mandatory and legal items
Fully understands health and safety policies
Understands their responsibilities to the company, co-workers and customers
Core sales skills
See the information under Core Sales Skills
IT tools & systems
Can describe the key sales systems and processes used within the company
Uses the computer applications efficiently and appropriately both internally and in customer facing situations

Source: John Fowler link

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