Why do I enjoy training inside sales people so much? Because I have as much fun as the people in my classes! In 1990, I began writing, teaching, and coaching an accelerated inside sales curriculum based on what I'd learned selling millions of dollars worth of high technology solutions on the phone. My inside sales training system is built to incease sales performance and is sophisticated, easy to learn, fun to use, and really works (read our testimonials.) I base my philosophical approach on a set of values, six of which represent the core of my curriculum:
- Classes should be geared to high-level, intelligent performers. Developing a curriculum to suit the "best and brightest" keeps them engaged, asking tough questions, and driving the learning forward. Junior reps will always learn more, faster, and better, when their more experienced colleagues are "with" the curriculum.
- Sales courses must be fully customized to the client. Each verbal example given by the instructor must include terms specific to the sales situations faced daily by the reps. The instructor loses credibility and attention when he or she uses words specific to another industry.
- Immediate reinforcement leads to success. Sales training, without immediate coaching afterward, has little long-lasting value. A standard knock on sales training is that "everyone loved it, I just can't figure out whether they're using it or not." Chances are, they aren't using the most sophisticated elements of the curriculum because they aren't being shown how to do it, in actual customer transactions, in real time. Coaching, involving real prospects, should be part of every class, every time.
- Inside sales classes for reps selling technically sophisticated solutions should only be taught by a trainer that has been a successful inside sales rep with prior success selling sophisticated solutions. Selling technology is just as much about knowing what you don't need to know, as what you do need to know.
- The technology prospect isn't stupid. He or she makes informed decisions based on logic, need, and return-on-investment, not on "personality matching," or pop psychology. People will buy from a representative that makes it a point to understand both the technological needs of the solution as well as the overall business needs of the company, and offers a solution with a sound return-on-investment quotient. If the sales representative doesn't understand what the prospect company makes, who buys it, and how it's used, he or she will be outsold by a competitor who does.
Like what you've heard so far? Contact us, and we'll tell you how we can design a high-level, customized course for your team.