There is nothing new about on-the-job training for sales people. In fact, that has been the norm with most companies. After all, learning by doing is most effective and on-the-job-training offers the sales people just that. They learn the required sales skills, processes and product information as they get on with their job. But if it was a norm earlier, it was largely due to lack of other options. Given the fact that today we have a multitude of options, isn’t it time that we explore them?
I’m sure you’re all familiar with the story of Alice in wonderland, in which Alice enters the forest and asks the cat which way she needs to go. The cat replies saying it depends a good deal on where Alice wants to arrive at. To that Alice responds by saying she doesn’t care much where to go. The cat, in turn, replies that it doesn’t matter then which way she takes. What do you learn from this story? We learn that you need to begin with the end in mind – you need to know what you want to achieve to be able to make the right beginning. In the context of eLearning too, it is important to set your learning objectives in advance so as to achieve the end results for which you are developing the eLearning.
Importance of product training for sales people has never been doubted. The product features, product USPs, its installation and operation, basic trouble shooting and some information about competitor’s products are all ideally part of the product training program. However, how do we make product trainings for sales people more relevant to the sales team and ensure that it covers what is most important to them?
Every sales person struggles to reach his/her targets but despite a lot of hard work, many are unsuccessful and get thrown out of their jobs. Why is it that only some people are able to achieve success even though everybody does the same amount of work? The answer lies in the approach they adopt. Unknowingly sales people could be making many mistakes that affect the outcome of their performance.
An increase in sales does not mean the acquisition of a new business or product. It could simply mean selling again to your existing customers. Entrepreneurs or organizations who understand the importance of acquiring and retaining customers will find successful ways to increase their sales amongst a steady customer base. Here is a list of some common, yet inexpensive, ways to increase sales amongst existing or new customers.
