Have you ever announced to your team that you will be doing sales training meetings or bringing someone in from outside your company for a sales training day and then noticed the eyes starting to roll around? You’re not alone! Mostly, sales training ideas are boring but that is primarily because sales managers are not always equipped with the knowledge of how to create and design an effective sales meeting.
On the whole, sales managers have a variety of other great qualities – the ability to select the right people, set expectations, motivate and develop each person. Often when it comes to training they don’t have the luxury of several hours to do the necessary research, nor have they participated in designing sales training. So much of the training they do is what may be described as ‘talking head’ and ‘this is how you should do it.’ Overall, sales managers don’t have the sales training ideas required to make a difference with the team … to get the numbers needed!
Sales training on the whole gets bad press. When the guys in-house are not sure how to deliver hard hitting training that consistently delivers results and outside experts are taking up time to over deliver training, it is easy to understand why. When sales managers are not sure how to deliver hard hitting training that consistently delivers results, it’s easy to understand why. Thus, the rolling of the eyes and being anxious to get back into the field and make their numbers, not have endless training sessions. The overall combination is not productive and is often boring. It is time to take the boring out of sales training once and for all!
Sales Training Ideas
Sales managers, here are some simply powerful tips for better sales training ideas that take the boring out of sales training.
ENGAGE
Immediately reveal what the training is about what to expect and most importantly, what’s in it for them in an interactive way. Use an exercise to form a connection and the benefits, rather than making this a waste of their time that will be shrugged off.
For example, if the topic is improving prospecting efforts lead the first 5 minutes with several interactive groups of 3-5 sellers where each person answers 2 questions: I would prospect more if… and My favorite excuse for not prospecting is… At the end of 5 minutes the team is emotionally vested and open to participating in the session to improve their prospecting efforts. Use interactive ideas like this to engage and encourage participation throughout the sales meeting.
ENERGIZE
Delivery is the key to this step! Use interactive exercises, work in pairs or small groups in order to keep attention and interest levels high. Imagine the energy level in the room with several groups working together. It creates a buzz, plus captures and keeps everyone’s attention. A great sales training idea using the 30 minute weekly meetings is to have a clear agenda / format that is opposite of a lecture:
- 5 minute opening energizer relevant to the topic
- 15 minute activity
- 5 minute debrief
- 5 minute personal next step action plan
Mix the energy levels up with pairs, triads and small groups. Change up the pairings each time to maximize experience levels and team synergy.
EQUIP
Preaching to people is rarely the most effective way to equip them with the relevant skills. Instead, think about how working through a concept making use of real time solutions will mentally prepare the sales team much better to take actions immediately! Instead of preaching a concept and asking them to go away and think about it use activities where they experience and apply the information. The long and short of it is this; the more difficult you make it; the less it will be used!
Using a 30 minute format is ample time to get clear, concise and actionable sales training to your team. These tips will help you to engage, energize, and equip your sales team to sell more. Sales meetings are the most overlooked low cost opportunity to build a top sales team. Take the boring out of sales training and make these meetings work for you and your numbers!
Stuck for inspiration? Heck, we will even give you the format and training for your first two sales meetings. Download as sample now, over on the right, and let us know the difference it makes to your sales team.
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Top performing and top producing sales managers whose sellers meet sales quotas consistently conduct Field Ride Alongs, One-on-One Coaching and Sales Meetings to build skill and will. Clone yourself for some one-on one-coaching or own the latest done-for-you sales training with these special offers only available here.
