Why You Need Sales Training
The first reaction from customers my team calls on is that they don’t need or want sales training. And, it is no wonder they feel that way at first. Training is a huge investment for business owners and salespeople alike. It requires time, effort, and — of course — money!
But the fact of the matter is, people will feel that way about anything if they don’t know why it’s important.
For that reason, this article goes in-depth about:
- How sales training improves every area of your life.
- Also, what a strong selling curriculum must include.
With that in mind, I will start with the story of how sales saved my life…
Why I am Passionate About Sales Training
Believe it or not, I never wanted to become a salesman. I went to college for accounting. However, after college, I ended up working at a car dealership once I beat a years-long struggle with drugs.
BUT, I WAS TERRIBLE AT SELLING SO I HATED DOING IT.
To start, no one showed me any practical methods to close a deal. Further, the only things my colleagues taught me were sales tricks that didn’t work — and even worse, were unethical.
THEN ONE DAY, I WAS GIVEN A SALES TRAINING CASSETTE TAPE AND IT BLEW MY MIND.
I discovered real sales techniques and strategies that resulted in more deals. Once I studied and implemented them, I quickly rose through the ranks to the top salesman at the company.
The discipline and education kept me clean and improved my finances. From there, I began teaching others how to sell knowing how much it could transform their lives.
And here is how it can do that specifically…
Sales Skills are the Keys to Personal and Financial Success
As you can see, fully committing to sales training turned my life around. Nonetheless, I can understand if you’re still unconvinced since you never had those exact circumstances…
So, the next sections will cover how professional development in sales can give you an upper hand with more common obstacles.
Let’s start with one that affects all walks of life — the economy.
Enough Sales Can Beat ANY Economic Downturn
In a period of contraction, consumers get scared. Hence, they tend to hold on tighter to their cash.
As such, sales professionals have to work harder to close deals — which is where sales training makes all the difference.
Training puts you in better control of customer interactions, so you can get them to make a decision…
BECAUSE IN A RECESSION, BUYERS REQUIRE MORE HELP BUYING ANYTHING — EVEN PRODUCTS THEY NEED.
Therefore, you must know how to outsell inflation to make it on the other side of tough times. This brings me to my next point why sales skills are so important…
Sales Training Results in PREDICTABLE Revenue
By and large most sales jobs are on commission. This fact is a major argument people make against sales as a career because it’s “not a stable income.” That is simply because most people depend on luck to close deals.
Consequently, that argument can be debunked immediately when an employee is trained.
SALESPEOPLE WHO KNOW THE SALES CYCLE CAN WALK THAT PATH MULTIPLE TIMES TO A CONSISTENT CLOSING RATIO — AND PAYCHECK.
On top of that, there is an opportunity to earn more when your compensation is based on sales. Nonetheless, learning sales can also prevent future career problems from popping up.
Know- How Breaks the Curse of “Burnout”
There is a notorious event among sales professionals called the “90-day phenomenon.”
Briefly, it is when a salesperson starts a job excited about their product and they close a few deals…
Then, about 90 days later, their sales performance hits a slump…
Believe it or not, this person is not experiencing the myth of work burnout. They just stopped having consistent wins…
Look, no one wants to keep doing something they think they’re bad at. But, training provides tools and solutions to get individuals — and sales teams — back on track.
All that being said, not every sales program is created equal. You want to make sure it covers all bases.
Criteria for Effective Sales Training
The perfect sales training platform establishes someone who never sold anything and sharpens a veteran’s skills…
People and attitudes change. So, seasoned professionals require further education to stay up to date — even more so than new blood.
Consequently, the right curriculum would be comprised of all of the following topics to be suitable for everyone…
Sales Process
First and foremost, sales training program needs to include… how to sell!
That means deep-diving into every step of the sales cycle:
- Greeting
- Fact-finding
- Demonstration
- Proposal
- Sales Negotiation
- The Almighty Close
A comprehensive program must cover all of these separately and as a whole. The reason is that each step carries its distinct nuances despite also working together.
Additionally, one of these steps demands more attention than others because it’s the only one that pays you…
The close.
An Arsenal of Closes
As I mentioned before, the sales step one must study the most is closing the deal. You can do everything else perfectly, but if things get sticky in the close…
YOU’RE WORKING FOR FREE.
Furthermore, you need to have hundreds of scripts to ask for the sale in hundreds of different ways.
Why? Because everyone is different and needs to be closed in a manner that addresses customer needs and concerns. The math is simple…
The more closing material you have, the larger number of people will buy from you.
Similarly, no sales training is complete without guidance on mastering client objections…
How to Handle Objections
Lucky for us all, there are only four types of objections to learn.
Time. Money. Stall. Or, product.
Nevertheless, this subject must be covered thoroughly…
BECAUSE NINE TIMES OUT OF TEN, THE OBJECTION THE BUYER SAYS IS NOT THE REAL BARRIER TO THE SALE.
Uncovering the unspoken objection takes the perfect balance of…
Confidence, a great attitude, and the ability to apply pressure.
Therein is where sales training polishes the apprentice sales reps into a professional. No program should overlook this critical skill.
That being said, there also must be a built-in system for discipline and accountability…
Sales Role-Play Guide & Training Schedule
Reading the theory of a topic is all well and good. But if you can’t turn around and use that material, you don’t fully understand it…
Whether you are a business owner, sales manager, or salesperson, your results depend on regular review and practice.
For that reason, my sales platform, Cardone University, allows you to…
Set up training reminders, monitor progress, and suggest regimens for optimum ROI with the program.
Additionally, students benefit from skills that are not exactly “selling,” but keep them in front of potential customers.
Let’s discuss those activities next.
Direction for BEFORE & AFTER the Sale
There are two areas that salespeople neglect the most, but could easily double their income…
PROSPECTING AND FOLLOW-UP.
Think about it. How much more revenue could you earn if you:
- Had more leads.
- Could cold-call confidently
- Booked more appointments.
- And, had a strategy to sell customers who didn’t buy.
It would mean a significant boost in your take-home, right? Nonetheless, those sales strategies must be taught not taken for granted.
Make sure any sales training you inquire about has modules on customer acquisition and retention.
Specialized Sales Training for Remote Teams
Earlier, we spoke about the importance of continued education and changing with the times.
WITH THAT IN MIND, YOU DON’T WANT A PLATFORM THAT IS STUCK IN THE PAST.
A recent example is COVID-19 teaching many businesses that being adaptable was the only way forward.
Now more than ever, sales teams are working from home. And as you can imagine there is a big difference between selling skills in-person vs. online or on the phone.
During the pandemic, my sales managers and I had to perfect this method to survive the massive shutdowns. We went through a rough trial and error period, so our clients wouldn’t have to.
Make sure your sales training provides you with tools for thriving now and in the future — for better or worse.
How Sales Training Positively Impacts the WHOLE Company
The last misconception I want to address is that sales skills only help salespeople. To be blunt, that is one of the most short-sighted things I have ever heard…
If everyone in your company understood the fundamentals, not only would the sales department’s life be easier…
EVERY EMPLOYEE WOULD EARN ADDITIONAL INCOME AND ADD TO THE ORGANIZATION’S BOTTOM LINE.
No matter how you dice it, it’s a win-win.
But only if the sales training you choose has all the above criteria. And, I don’t know about the other guys, but I know Cardone University does…
Whatever you pursue — sales or otherwise — keep improving and be great.
— Grant Cardone
Disclaimer: This content is intended to be used for educational and informational purposes only. Individual results may vary. You should perform your own due diligence and seek the advice from a professional to verify any information on our website or materials that you are relying upon if you choose to make an investment or business decision. Investment, real estate, and business involve great risk and there is no guarantee of performance or results.
We are not attorneys, investment advisers, accountants, tax professionals or financial advisers and any of the content presented should not be taken as professional advice. We recommend seeking the advice of a financial professional before you invest, and we accept no liability whatsoever for any loss or damage you may incur.
