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How To Train Your Newly Recruited Sales People
In-at-the-deep-end’ sales training methods are unfortunately still widespread in many companies. Do you have a relatively high turnover rate amongst your junior salespeople? The well-known motivation expert, Dr. Hans Christian Altmann, says of this, “The main reason is inadequate training”. He also claims that “The reasons for most resignations within the first two years originate in the first three months”. Many sales managers underestimate the time needed and work involved in training new salespeople, or they are completely unaware of their responsibility towards them. This means that many companies still use in-at-the-deep-end methods where the newly recruited salesperson is thrown in at the deep end without any basic preparation and is left to either sink or swim. The good ones swim but the bad ones sink.
This procedure may make sense if new salespeople can be trained in one day and if all that were needed for success in sales is diligence and manners. But it is as inhumane as it is expensive if you need qualified competent salespeople!
In order to avoid misunderstanding, good sales training does not, under any circumstances, mean sending new salespeople to seminars for weeks on end, cramming them full of theory and only then letting them loose on the clients. It simply means doing everything you can to ensure that the new salesperson has a fair chance out there with the client of being successful as quickly as possible.
Good training should therefore achieve two different goals. It should give the new salesperson the feeling that they are competent and up to the new job, and that they are capable of achieving sales success quickly.
The following training model used by an assembly technology company shows you the form that serious and effective training takes. This company has over 4,000 salespeople, who mainly visit car and carpentry workshops.
The training model used for new salespeople consists of:
The first week in the new job is spent by the sales person at the head office. They are given a tour of the company, some basic knowledge and told about the company philosophy. They also undertake three days product training.
In the second week they stay at the head office for more product training.
The third week is also spent at the head office where they are given training to understand price and commission system and the order-processing procedures. On Friday they meet their area manager in the branch office and are shown the area they will be responsible for.
In the fourth week the receive field training, in which the sales person is accompanied by a field trainer on customer visits.
In the fifth week they are given motivational, working methodology, tour planning, area and client development training.
Two days of the sixth week are spent in a sales group with the remaining three days visiting new clients with the area manager. Alternatively, they spend two days in the branch company and then three days accompanying relatively new sales representatives.
In the seventh week they spend two days in a sales group and then three days visiting new clients with the area sales manager, or two days in the branch company and three days accompanying relatively new sales representatives.
In week eight they accompany the area sales manager in his own area.
In the ninth week the new sales person goes on their own to customers.
In the tenth week they receive motivation, sales technique and sales psychology training.
Finally, in the eleventh week they return to the head office for feedback, deepening of product knowledge and exchange of experiences. This week ends with a formal dinner party at the weekend, with their partners.
Thus, this eleven week sales training programme fully equips the newly recruited sales person for a long and successful career in selling for the company.
