Sales training gets a bad reputation for being boring, and often salespeople are painted as the bad guys. With the rise of technology accessibility sales isn’t as much of the bad guy as companies and salespeople can be much more transparent – and if they aren’t someone is sure to talk about it online. There are some new trends this year to amp up your sales training and give your sales team an edge over the competition. Are you already implementing these?
Sell it With a Story
Information overload will not close the deal. Whether B2B or B2C sales, no one wants to hear someone give a droning presentation that goes on and on. Telling stories connect the potential consumer with the product being offered. Stories of past success with real results will have prospects wanting to know more – they’ll want to have that same story. Reps need to tell a story that will illustrate the value of the brand. No more boring presentations!
Peer Mentoring
Formal training programs have their place, but it’s a known fact that a connection between colleagues foster some of the best learning environments. Place leadership in the hands of your top sales people and have them mentor a less experienced team member. Mentees will feel more comfortable asking questions and chances are they will be more receptive with someone they identify with. You’ll have more time working the field, a tighter team, and more confident sales people.
Machine Learning
Robots artificial intelligence had a major impact on the consumer market this past year, and it will only continue. MIT Sloan Management Review did a survey and discovered that 2 out of 5 companies have implemented machine learning in sales , and 38% of companies credited machine learning for improvements in sales performance metrics.
Machine learning allows a computer to provide staff with relevant content at deal time based on its assessment of the rep’s needs. More advanced software capabilities will provide them with the tools to pull information from previous deals to create plans.
Have you already implemented these promising trends? Do you need assistance structuring your sales training? Contact us today for your custom sales training program!