There was an interesting question on one of the discussion boards and I had to share my answer with all of you. The question is how to deliver sales training in the most effective learning environment. Everyone hates role plays (even if you call them skill practices). Training that is a onetime event is largely a waste of time. So my advice is to keep it real.
Have participants call real customers or prospects while other participants listen in on the calls. Use recordings of real calls (the good and the bad) during your sessions. Attend sales calls between sessions with the reps to provide additional coaching. Make sure your classes are part of an overall program of sessions, coaching, more sessions and follow up (instead of the traditional onetime event).
Let me hear from you.
Bob Riess
Bob@YourB2BSalesCoach.com
Posted in Uncategorized.
Tagged with B2B sales coaching, linkedin, sales training.
By Bob
– June 4, 2010
When I was selling custom labels several years ago, someone in our company came up with the great idea to offer a test run program to prospective customers.
The idea was simple – we would provide a small supply of custom labels before entering the big order. If and only if the product we provided met the customer’s expectations, they would pay for the short run at the same price as the large order. This program gave prospective customers the confidence they would not risk a large amount of money on labels that potentially would not work. It also gave us the confidence to know we would not be faced with a potentially large problem if we made a mistake defining the customers requirements.
What is your “Test Run Program” to offer your prospective customers a low cost, low risk way to prove your value?
In my business today, I will have a straightforward conversation with prospective clients to overcome their number one business to business sales challenge. If I do not provide real value, we have a nice lunch. If I do provide real value and concrete ideas to help their business grow, they get to keep the ideas and we figure out how to continue working together for their success.
Let me hear from you.
Bob Riess
Bob@YourB2BSalesCoach.com
Posted in Uncategorized.
Tagged with B2B sales coaching, linkedin, sales training.
By Bob
– May 7, 2010
Attracting perfect customers seemed to really take hold just as we were entering our “new economy”. By now you know the concept – make yourself attractive and somehow, someway the customer’s will find you. I watch people do this every day with creative postings on linked-in message boards and blogging and tweeting and facebooking and I have to wonder – is it really working?
My answer is that it doesn’t hurt, but attraction is one component of an effective strategy to open new doors. I do it myself (as you can see from the previous posting of my cute video of bees discussing sales strategy). However, it is only one component of opening doors. In my next post, I’ll discuss the components of how you should be spending the majority of your time by developing attack plans and executing an effective “push strategy” to open new doors.
By the way – now that our “new economy” is showing signs of recovery would someone please post my cute video on one of those linked in discussion boards?
Let me hear from you.
Bob Riess
Bob@YourB2BSalesCoach.com
Posted in Uncategorized.
Tagged with B2B sales coaching, linkedin, sales training.
By Bob
– April 14, 2010
Posted in Uncategorized.
By Bob
– March 19, 2010
On March 16th I will be discussing business to business sales strategies as part of a Chamber panel discussion with Lynn McInturf, Pam Beigh and Crystal Kendrick. The session is sure to bring a wide range of good ideas on B2B sales growth. In preparation for the session, I’d like to hear from some of you on your top sales strategy for sales growth.
For me it seems like just yesterday (about 18 years to be exact) that I put together a nine page proposal to sell less than $2,000 worth of computer paper. The proposal included a map of our manufacturing facilities, a letter from the president of our company and tons of information that had no relevance to the customer.
To make things worse, I brought Jerry with me on the call. Jerry was and still is one of the best sales people I know because he just knows what people want to know. He explained that the next time I just needed to tell a short story that would convince the customer that we were a successful company, we deliver what we promise and we provide good products that will make a difference for them. Our next opportunity was worth about $40,000 and Jerry’s suggestions helped me concisely explain our value and help the customer purchase from us.
To this day, my number one B2B sales strategy is to understand the impact I have had on my current customers and use that information to concisely explain my value to others.
Let me hear from you.
Bob Riess
www.YourB2BSalesCoach.com
Posted in Uncategorized.
Tagged with linkedin.
By Bob
– March 5, 2010
Do you want to be linkedin to others? Is it worth the time and effort? For me, the jury is still out.
It seems like everyone is jumping on the social networking bandwagon but I don’t know if it is worth the time and effort. I recently attended some networking meetings to run into some old friends and meet some new ones. It sure seemed to me that I accomplished more in those face to face situations than if I had spent the time behind my computer screen.
I welcome all comments on the topic because I know social networking is here until the next great idea to improve sales comes along. In the meantime, I have to put some real networking events on the calendar and accept a bunch of facebook invites I received over the weekend.
Let me hear from you.
Bob Riess
www.YourB2BSalesCoach.com
Posted in Uncategorized.
Tagged with linkedin.
By Bob
– October 20, 2009
This Monday I will be presenting the local Job Search Focus Group to focus on Selling Skills for Job Seekers.
Two primary areas of focus for the presentation will be how to turn the interview into a two way exchange of information and the steps required of both a successful sales campaign and a successful job search. In case you can’t make it on Monday, here is the recap of the main ideas:
The two way exchange of information begins with the power questions you ask. Most people ask specifically about the job but fail to find out anything about the person that is interviewing them. Prepare for your next interview by coming up with questions that focus on the interviewers goals, priorities and strategies. Use these questions and prepare yourself for a conversation that is sure to move in the right direction.
Do not waste time re-inventing the job search process. Simply follow the same steps used by successful sales people in most any business to business sale. Those steps are:
• Define your value
• Develop and maintain a plan
• Open doors for new opportunities
• Have conversations that move decisions forward (interviews)
• Say thank you
Contact me for details and I hope this helps if you are looking to apply sales basics to your job search.
Posted in Uncategorized.
Tagged with job search, linkedin.
By Bob
– September 18, 2009
If you are responsible for the success of your sales team and want to improve your sales growth, come join us for Coach the Sales Coach on August 26th from 8:00 AM until 12:00.
The program is provided through the Northern Kentucky Chamber University. Details at:
www.nkychamber.com/CWT/External/WCPages/WCEvents/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=596
Posted in Uncategorized.
Tagged with Coach the Sales Coach.
By Bob
– August 6, 2009
Posted in Uncategorized.
Tagged with linkedin.
By Bob
– July 30, 2009
What comes to mind when you hear the words “sales training”?
Many of you (probably those of you about half way through your career) have fond memories of late nights “bonding” with other new sales reps from the sales training provided by your first company. I remember returning from my first two week adventure and telling my boss the number one thing I learned was that the beer in Dayton, OH is very good.
Today times have changed and the shift is on toward more on the job training. However, the challenge is the time and resources to get the job done. Personal coaching for sales managers is the wave of the future. By making people at the top more effective at bringing out the best in others your sales results will soar without the expense of the old “boot camp” approach. An effective coaching program should contain the following elements.
• Supervisor assessment to uncover current strengths and weaknesses and discuss how coaching results will be measured
• Participant assessment to discuss opportunities, challenges and outcomes
• Input from the sales staff to uncover how effective the sales manager currently leads the team
• Coaching sessions that include action items and follow up
• Measurement of results and follow though
In summary, in today’s environment Coaching sales managers to be more effective at bringing out the best in others is the best way to increase your sales.
Contact me if to discuss the benefits of sales coaching in more detail.
Bob Riess
Your B2B Sales Coach
(859) 240-2550
www.thecustomerconnector.com
Posted in Uncategorized.
Tagged with linkedin, sales coaching, training.
By Bob
– July 14, 2009
