How can you make a sales training plan that fits your timeline and resources?

One of the best ways to conduct a Sales Training Needs analysis which is can clearly identify gaps that your team is having is to conduct a survey. Ensure that everyone on your sales team has a fair opportunity to voice out so that the training can be planned in a way that fulfills their true needs, instead of the needs that the reporting manager or leaders feel or assume. We would want the training to be designed in a way that's effective and addresses their gaps.

"Estamos vendiendo poco, necesitamos más formación". Asociar la necesidad de formación al resultado es un error. Cuando un equipo comercial no está performando bien, se siente por lo general estresado, angustiado y presionado. Una buena forma de identificar la necesidad es entender los valles y los picos de trabajo a lo largo del a?o. Y aprovechar los valles para formar al equipo. Por lo general, las formaciones tienen mejor efecto cuando las personas que las reciben están tranquilas, con las mentes despejadas, dispuestas a aprender.

The first thing we do with the companies that contact us is to arrange a meeting to discover the "critical success factor". Sometimes companies have clear goals, but not so clear the tools and skills their teams need to improve in order to achieve them. So we have talk about the needs they identify, we make selected questions to detect levels, learning needs, development of specific soft and hard skills. Afterwards, with all the information needed, we can design a tailored sales training plan to reach business objectives.

Know the must win battles. A common loophole I see in a lot of trainings is that they tend to focus on too many skillset and hence diluting the effectiveness of training. Strive to identify the top 1-3 objectives.

Training methods should consider creating a safe space for trainees to feel safe to make mistakes, learn, explore, think critically, strategize, brainstorm (be it group or individually), speak up, and problem-solve. They should also be given a space to feel encouraged to be involved throughout the training. Because, ultimately there are many types of salespersons and it doesn't have to be one-size-fits-all. So, the training can be deemed as a safe space for them to be creative and think of out-of-the-box ways to sell better and effectively.

Training is a word I like to saparate in syllabus to integrate the meaning: train-in. There is no training if sales reps get not involved. In may experience the best method is to combine content followed by practice. And in the middle to allow a great space for creativity, for expressing and have the chance to commit mistakes, that is the way to learn: practice, practice, practice. Obviouly with a guide, supporting doubts, helping when they need it. Another useful tool is to invite successful colleagues to share their saccessful tools. Games, role-playing, workshops are a must! We also bring a set of training-alone tools that allow the reps to practice at home, and in their real scenary.

Cualquiera sea el método que elijas para formar a tu equipo comercial, que no falte acción. Ver un video aburrido de una persona explicando conceptos no es para comerciales. Los comerciales por lo general quieren formas prácticas y efectivas de pasar a la acción.

Some of the best training tools that can be used include role-play, gamified competitions among groups of trainees, live social experiments for reflections and real-life projects.

The content must be appropriated to each team and to each category. Before creating a sales training content, I investigate the company, its products, the market... It is very relevant to take into account the brand identity, company values and purpose. I also make a survey to know the human resources I will working with: ages, hobbies, favourity activities, career goals... Finally, according to the detailed needs detected and learning goals established , I plan the sales training content, tailored to the team.

Consider a thorough study on the audience before designing the content. What works for me is to perform market visitation and follow the salesforce for on job training. Observe their way of work. Speak to people on the ground. Identify their common challenges. Seek to understand their current situation. This would help provide a great idea on the right content to address their challenges and goals.

A sales training is successful only if what they learned in it is put into daily practice. So whenever I design the training content I design a training plan.They go together, because sales reps should feel they can "go to the field and just do it". So the training is progressive, and the application in the field should give them small daily successes, moving towards achieving their goals. Some tools: they share their successful examples in a team chat, ask questions to interchange opinions, videos, visual aids, and more!

The real training starts after the class ends. The training would only be effective if it could be translated into new outcome or behaviour. Consider translating the learnt skills into actionable items during the class, then over to the actual job practice and gather back for some forms of reflection and coaching. This transition should be made seamless with the support of their superior and project sponsor.

Having a follow up on training impact is important to ensure a longer lasting values for the learners. As learning does take time to be integrated, it's good to implement check-ins with learners such as allowing learner to share their weekly reflections in a group chat or employee forums once they have managed to apply the newly-gained skills and perspectives in the following weeks. That way, not only are employers and managers able to monitor the benefits of the training and their team's improving performance, they are also able to plan out on what to focus on for their team's development moving forward

It is very important to evaluate the results in two scenaries: 1- to evaluate the evolution of soft and hard skills of each sales representatives 2- to follow-up their sales, their progresses in all the KPIs that the company established previous to the training plan At the same time it is very useful to make an anonymous survey to evaluate what topics are of more importance for them, what to repeat, what to add and what suggestions they have for the next training sessions.