Is your sales team stuck in the "All about me Era"? .... In this era, immediately following World War II, individual luxuries exploded as consumers began to demand more and more comfort in their lives. The age of the advertiser and marketer had arrived with the creation of mass communications (such as television) and the explosion of print media. During this time, sales training emphasized pre-closing activity and landing new business deals. Training audio tapes began taking hold, printed newsletters were more prevalent, and more magazines supported the needs of salesperson development. The goal of sales training focused on helping salespeople gain the attention of the prospective buyer, building the prospect's interest, and turning that interest into desire to take action through a personal relationship. Many salespeople were taught about the hierarchy of buyer motivation. As a result, training included different types of customer relationships and their unique needs (i.e., buyer types, decision makers, "gate keepers", coaches, etc.). Sales training included closing techniques, scripted responses to buyer objections, and understanding buyer body language. Emerging technologies such as the portable phone and the fax machine were also trained, helping salespeople become more accessible to clients. As a result, clients had faster access to salespeople who were often the first person they would call with any questions or concerns.
Do you work in an "all about me" sales organization?
- Training is conducted on the types of buyer behavior sales teams encounter. - Salespeople are expected to serve customers after the sale but very little training is provided in that area. - Training is heavily focused on overcoming objections and "canned" responses to buyer concerns.
- The organization seems to be focused more on salesperson activity, then on sales team learning - The sales team is isolated from marketing and the learning organization.
Brian Lambert is the Director of Sales Development and Performance at the American Society for Training & Development (ASTD). In this role, he is responsible for meeting the unique challenges of performance professionals focused on the sales profession. He is responsible for conducting primary research and creating resources, articles, and other custom content that helps individuals design and deliver sales training, manage and develop high performing sales talent, and improve salesperson performance. Brian has fifteen years of experience in sales, sales management, sales training, and sales consulting and is an internationally recognized expert on the state of the sales profession as well as current trends in transforming sales team systems, processes, and people.
Brian is a highly sought after world-wide speaker, author, and trainer on sales competency, sales performance, sales process, sales professionalism, sales ethics, and sales process.
Find out about Brian at http://www.brianlambert.biz
Visit the sales competency project at http://www.astd.org/communities/salestraining
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