Question

Topic: Career/Training

Inside Sales Training

Posted by victoria on 7/3/2008 at 3:12 PM ET 250 Points
Dear Experts,

I have a great new inside sales guy but I think he would benefit immensely from some training. I am somewhat out of touch with the training landscape so I come to you for recommendations.

We are a hardware company very focused on a niche market. Sales cycles is about 45 days. My inside sales guy dials, smiles and qualifies before sending to a field sales rep.

thanks!
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Frank Hurtte on 7/3/2008 at 3:40 PM Member
    Victoria,
    I am not sure if you are asking about inside sales (as in customer calls and they turn it into a cat. #) or inside sales as in prospecting via phone.

    Contact me via my profile. I have some information I can share with you.
  • Posted by victoria on 7/3/2008 at 3:53 PM Author
    Just to clarify here, looking for training in calling into potential prospects to qualify. Some best practices, how to navigate a conversation, how to position the value well etc...
  • Posted by michael on 7/3/2008 at 4:09 PM Accepted
    SOMETIMES your outside sales people are helpful with. SOME people need to see the whole picture to "navigate" a conversation. He should definitely spend some time in an actual account....a good account...and learn what keeps the prospect awake at night.

    Give him a few small accounts and let him manage those. He'll get a better idea of what your field reps need. AND he'll be alert to more opportunities.

    I've personally done the training, but 1:1 "double jacking" is the best.

    Michael
  • Posted by Neil on 7/3/2008 at 6:54 PM Member
    I agree with Michael. Have the experienced sales person make a LOT of calls with the trainee listening.

    Then have the trainee make calls with the experienced salesperson listening. After each call the experienced rep gives feedback.

    Do this until the new sales guy is confident in everything: product knowledge, listening, pitch, closing (in this case setting an appointment?), etc.

    Then go back to this formula. Make sure you have a way for the inside sales rep to log calls so you can track both volume (make sure he is cranking out the calls) and notes so you can see what is happening.
  • Posted by CarolBlaha on 7/5/2008 at 9:08 PM Accepted
    What are the new guy's successes so far-- where do you think he's failing?

    I'd review the whole process. If the new guy is getting prospects lined up-- how quickly is the field guy following up?

    When I coach someone, we sit and review the common objections-- comments like "we are happy with current supplier" are often stalls and not the real objection. But clients use it often, as most reps have no answer for it. Review with him and staff-- what is the right "pivot" question to ask so when he hears it (and its only an example) he doesn';t just pack up his tent and leave.

    Many of us on this board are qualified to coach your person. You can send him to a "class" but few classes produce long term results. Training alone has a very short shelf life. Work with someone who'll stick around and keep enforcing it-- and hold him accountable.

    I like to set activity goals vs performance goals in the early stages of training. If the activities are right and monitored-- the results will come.
    Sell Well and Prosper tm
  • Posted on 7/8/2008 at 8:25 AM Accepted
    Action Selling training from The Sales Board produces real gains in sales performance—gains that can be seen in salespeople’s behavior and measured in actual dollars. This is due to two basic reasons. One, Action Selling teaches skills that really make a difference and that can be taught. Two, the training incorporates mechanisms to ensure that those skills are actually used on the job. Here's a link to take a free skills assessment. It will also help in determining what skills need improvement.

    https://www.actionselling.com/selling-skills-assessment.asp
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