Successful Sales

Over the past year I have read numerous articles and surveys stating the same results, the most successful organization recognize and value the importance of training sales people and management. Players of championship teams, both professional and college, repeat the similar comment, their coaches are always teaching. A principle skill for any leadership position is that of a teacher. Many of the skills such coaches teach are the fundamentals of their sport.

Too many people move into management for ego rather that ability. They are untrained at sales or management and unable to train others. There is also another percent of the population who are successful at selling, yet unable to transfer, via training or demonstrating, those skills that made them successful onto others when promoted into management position.

When surveyed, more than 70 percent of all sales people and sales managers do not truly understand their job. They have never been taught selling skills or management tools to properly do their job.

If a coach/manager does not understand their job how can they be successful teaching their players the foundation skills of their sport/job?

Foundation skills that are missing in most sales organizations include:

Product knowledge

Competitive knowledge

Market analysis

Goal setting

Planning

Needs analysis

Question design and application

Listening skills

Neurolinguistics

Problem solving

Documentation

Organizational skills

Proper use of sales materials

Managers who do not possess such foundation skills instead must resort to threatening and pressuring sales people in an attempt to increase sales.

So, why is it that more organizations don’t invest in training their sales staff?

Russell Hornfisher, author, trainer, speaker

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