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Managing The Sales Training Process

The document discusses managing the sales training process. It identifies three key phases: 1) assessing training needs, 2) methods for assessing needs, and 3) popular training needs. It provides details on various methods for assessing needs such as sales manager observations, surveys, performance testing, and job descriptions. Popular training needs include product knowledge, customer knowledge, competitive knowledge, sales techniques, and company knowledge. The goal of assessing and addressing needs is to continuously improve salesperson success.

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Gerlene Dinglasa
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143 views5 pages

Managing The Sales Training Process

The document discusses managing the sales training process. It identifies three key phases: 1) assessing training needs, 2) methods for assessing needs, and 3) popular training needs. It provides details on various methods for assessing needs such as sales manager observations, surveys, performance testing, and job descriptions. Popular training needs include product knowledge, customer knowledge, competitive knowledge, sales techniques, and company knowledge. The goal of assessing and addressing needs is to continuously improve salesperson success.

Uploaded by

Gerlene Dinglasa
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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MANAGING THE SALES TRAINING PROCESS ASSESS SALES TRAINING NEEDS 

SALES TRAINING - is expensive and sales managers / HR should take PURPOSE: To understand the specific goals of training for individual
special care to ensure that time and money are wisely spent.  salespeople. 

The sales training process consists of three phases.  SPECIFIC GOALS: 

1. Assess Sales Training Needs 


 Improving product knowledge 
2. Methods used for Assessing Training Needs 
 Selling techniques, or relationship building
3. Popular Sales Training Needs
What is need assessment? 

 “A needs assessment is simply a systematic process of asking


questions, comparing answers, and making informed decisions about
what to do next to improve human or organizational performance.” 
 NeedsAssessment.org

ROLE OF SALES TRAINING: - to prevent problems on a proactive basis. 


Capability gaps - arise when the sales force does not have the required
knowledge, skills, or capabilities to become successful on the job. 
REMEMBER! 
 Sales training exists to overcome deficiencies and to make salespeople
continuously successful.
Sales managers / HR should access the training needs for both: 
1. Newly hired sales trainees 
- may need training in sales techniques. 
2. Experienced (regular or existing) salespeople 
- could need training in negotiating skills.
METHODS USED FOR ASSESSING TRAINING NEEDS 
(a) sales manager’s observation 
(b) sales force survey 
(c) customer survey 
(d) performance testing 
(e) job description 
(f) sales force audit
SALES MANAGER’S OBSERVATION 

 Field sales managers spend a lot of time in the field working with the
salespeople. 
 These first level sales managers observe the need for particular sales
training, based on specific shortcoming (or deficiency) of the
CUSTOMER SURVEY 
salesperson.

 Some companies, where personal selling is the key element of their


sales and marketing strategy, customer survey to identify sales training
needs is very much recommended. 
 The customer survey also helps to understand customer expectations,
the company salespeople’s competencies, as compared to that of other
salespeople in the same industry.

SALES FORCE SURVEY 

 To identify the training needs of the salespeople, it is important to


conduct sales force survey, as an independent activity or combined.
PERFORMANCE TESTING 

 Some companies test knowledge and skills of salespeople by


conducting performance testing of salespersons on a regular basis. 
 Sales trainers / HR evaluate the performance of salespersons on
presentation skills, product knowledge, and customer relationship
management and so on to determine training needs.

SALES FORCE AUDIT 

 As a part of marketing audit or sales audit, some companies use sales


force audit for assessing training needs of salespeople. 
 Generally conducted once a year, the sales force audit asks questions
on the training programs about its adequacy, contribution, and version.
JOB DESCRIPTION 

 Job description statement would be useful not only for recruitment and
selection, but also for sales training and evaluation of sales force. 
 It is, therefore, a logical tool to be used in assessing the training needs.
POPULAR SALES TRAINING NEEDS  CUSTOMER KNOWLEDGE 
(a)product knowledge 
 The sales training may include relevant information about the
(b)customer knowledge 
company’s customer, such as type of customers (like household
(c)competitive knowledge 
consumers, government customers, and institutional customers),
(d)sales techniques  knowledge of customer’s businesses, customer needs, buying motives,
(e)company knowledge buying orientations and procedures, and so on. 

PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE   For international or foreign customers, the training programs should
include cultural differences and business practices followed in foreign
 Usually product knowledge is the commonly covered topic sales training countries.
programs. 
 It includes advantages, benefits, applications, and limitations. 
 If the product or service is technically complex, more time is spent in
giving the detailed knowledge. 
 When the company develops a new product or carries out a major
modification of the existing product, training on new product is needed
even for experienced salespeople.
COMPETITIVE KNOWLEDGE 

 Knowledge of competitors’ products or services in terms of strengths,


weaknesses, strategies, and tactics as well as prices, discounts,
payment terms are very important for salespeople to plan sales
strategy. 
 Competitors’ knowledge would help a salesperson during a sales
presentation, overcoming customer objections, negotiation, and finally
closing the sale.

COMPANY KNOWLEDGE 

SALES TECHNIQUES (OR SELLING SKILLS)   New sales trainees should be told about the company’s vision, mission,
values, objectives, organization structure, policies and procedures.
 Many salespeople are not competent in sales techniques and hence,  The general policies may include personnel policies like canteen
they need training on “how to sell”.  policies and leave policies. 
 There are many common shortcomings (like ineffective questioning and  It is also necessary for the trainees to understand the history and any
listening skills, giving benefits before understanding the customer other relevant background information that helps to develop a sense of
needs) which can be removed by a good training program. pride about the company.

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