| All pumped up to attend that upcoming | | | | hundreds of thousands having taken the |
| sales training workshop? Maybe a little | | | | program, why did they all not turn out |
| anxious as it's been a while since you | | | | as effective as the three in the |
| took a course. Expecting good things for | | | | video?Regrettably, what happens is we |
| the coin you are shelling out as the | | | | get back to the day-to-day sales |
| company isn't paying the freight this | | | | environment. We know the pressure to |
| time around. Perhaps a tad concerned how | | | | produce; the emphasis to close business, |
| well you will do, or how tough the | | | | with the stark realization, that failure |
| content might be to master. Will it be | | | | to do so may result in not being paid.We |
| better than the last sales training | | | | get to our first appointment and forget |
| workshop you attended? Bottom line - | | | | to properly structure our opening |
| will you improve your sales success upon | | | | remarks and establish the agenda. The |
| completion?These are common anxieties. | | | | first "concern" comes up and we can |
| You have every reason to wonder about | | | | identify it as a misunderstanding, but |
| effectiveness. It is not just the | | | | what were those steps on how to respond? |
| financial commitment you or your company | | | | If only I could play that video back in |
| is making; it is the time investment as | | | | my head, or visualize the wall chart at |
| well.I've always looked at sale training | | | | this very moment.The sad reality is that |
| as an opportunity. I'd be surprised if | | | | after many sales training programs, |
| you didn't learn something new, or at | | | | there is a lack of reinforcement and |
| worst, a forgotten past learning is | | | | coaching necessary to become proficient. |
| dusted off and put back in the arsenal. | | | | The classroom or the video or workbook |
| There is the advantage of benefiting | | | | is just the beginning. We have all |
| from the knowledge of others in the | | | | heard, "practice makes perfect", well |
| class; some may be more experienced, or | | | | there is a lot of truth to this saying. |
| more successful. What makes them so?You | | | | If there were only one thing you could |
| no doubt are aware there is a plethora | | | | do to avoid the pitfalls of training |
| of sales training programs in the market | | | | this would top of the list.What can you |
| place today. You can attend in person, | | | | do to ensure greater sales success and |
| participate interactively on the web, | | | | avoid "failing"? You could buddy up with |
| and work with a CD or workbook. With so | | | | someone who took the same course and |
| many options out there designed to | | | | practice together to re-enforce the |
| appeal to your preferred learning style, | | | | acquired skills. You could set up weekly |
| why do so many sales training programs | | | | reviews, or drills, with your Sales |
| fail?In most cases, the course content | | | | Manager or Training Manager to re-visit |
| is adequate to very good. I cannot | | | | the material until it becomes second |
| recall ever having a facilitator that | | | | nature? You could commit to a weekly |
| was not top notch in presenting the | | | | review of one element of the training |
| material. The facilities are generally | | | | program you attended. If you are in a |
| not the culprit. So why do so many sales | | | | corporate environment, you might suggest |
| folks think back on training they have | | | | you have a formal annual refresher |
| taken and question the return on their | | | | program to hone your skills and discover |
| investment?In most cases, the | | | | nuances of the program you took.Is it |
| shortcoming of the program may not be | | | | possible to obtain a better return on |
| just the program. Let me explain. Any | | | | training programs? Absolutely. Looking |
| learning on any topic can only have | | | | beyond the training "event" to the |
| impact when put into practice | | | | recurring sales coaching and practice |
| immediately after the training has taken | | | | sessions is critical to leveraging the |
| place. This is especially true where the | | | | initial investment. After the sales |
| learning requires behavioral change. If | | | | training program, the real work begins. |
| you don't practice what you have | | | | Changing techniques, modifying behavior |
| learned, as awkward as it might feel at | | | | and habits, being open to trying your |
| first, the longer you go, the less value | | | | new learnings, will all contribute to |
| you will receive.For a number of years I | | | | you becoming a more productive and |
| taught one of the leading programs on | | | | efficient sales professional.Clayton |
| the market, many will know it. It | | | | Shold shares his experience at |
| started at Xerox and has moved about | | | | SalesDialogue Systems Inc. a company |
| since. The content, structure, and | | | | committed to assisting sales |
| learning methodologies were, and remain, | | | | professionals better understand how |
| excellent. It was the first sales | | | | their internal conversations affects |
| training program based on extensive | | | | sales success. |
| empirical research. With literally | | | | |