Simply by doing a Google search on “sales training courses” reveals an abundance of programs and companies that provide various types of sales training. The focus on this site and the material available here is narrowed to only “sales prospecting training.” I am so attentive to this element of sales because I believe it to be the most important as well as most difficult piece of the sales puzzle.
You can take courses on sales presentations, closing, building business relationships, networking, social media for business, copywriting for sales, etc. The practical application of most of these items will, however, occur through real world experience. But, how do you get real world experience – or at least a significant amount of it? It is done by finding enough new, interested potential buyers for the products or services your company sells.
- Sales training courses may cover sales prospecting in a cursory manner at best and instead focus on polish, image, positioning and persuasive tactics or “secrets” for closing sales.
- When a salesperson is new, there tends by nature to be an overemphasis put on closing ratio.
- New folks don’t need to worry about closing every sale – they need, instead, to be concerned that they are generating enough activity to survive.
- It is through activity that most sales skills will ultimately be developed.
- A salesperson can’t come to know a meaningful closing ratio until he or she has made at least several hundred presentations.
Sure, make a study of the various other elements of selling, but make prospecting a primary area of emphasis.
- Once your “loaded for bear” – you’ll need to go out looking for some bears.
- The more successful the prospecting , the more successful the sales person.
- What separates those who barely survive from those who thrive is the ability to find enough new, qualified, currently interested prospects to talk to.
- The more prospects you find, the more experience you’ll get. As such your selling skills should improve through necessity.
Sales training courses in my opinion should both begin and end with sales prospecting. It is the lifeblood of any sales career and the ultimate test that must be passed in order to achieve long term success. Sure, study all other elements of selling ,but make learning prospecting your highest priority. Have a goal to become a master of prospecting. Do so, and all of the other elements of sales and selling will ultimately fall into place.
