Part 1
The failure to properly train our sales forces can be attributed to a handful of different factors. In Part I of the miniseries, we’ll be looking at one of the most important issues that can affect sales training:
Problem #1: Confusing “Product” With “Process”
I will never forget my first week as a New York Life agent. There were four of us who were just hired by the company. We were led to a tiny room with poor ventilation. We sat in this room for four and a half days. For the first three days, we started at 7:00 am and ended around 10:00 PM. It was our “Core Sales Training.” We were taught all there was to know about insurance. We learned about whole life insurance and various dividend options. We learned about term insurance with convertible opportunities. We learned about health insurance and pre-existing conditions with first dollar accident options. Finally, we learned about disability and cost of living opportunities. I was becoming a virtual genius in the field of insurance information. I was learning to sell… or so I thought.
On the fourth day, I saw the light… literally! We began at our usual 7:00 am and by lunchtime, our training was complete. Each of us was given about a dozen applications to put in our brief case as we were marched to the front door. Squinting from the sunlight (which we had not seen in four days,) we milled around waiting for our final instructions from Jerry, our sales manager. I will never forget those last few words he said to us:
“Remember boys,” he bellowed with a sly grin, “two a week – ten a month. Now get out there and bring me back some apps!”
He was referring to insurance applications. I was eager to please and out I went to hunt down clients who wanted to hear what I had just learned. When I was lucky enough to actually have a live prospect in front of me, I did exactly what I had been taught. I explained various dividend options and carefully spelled out convertible opportunities within term policies. If customers were kind enough to tell me they wanted to talk to me about their health insurance, I would shift gears and immediately oblige them with a perfect rendition of pre-existing condition clauses and first dollar accident options. Sadly, I was guilty of committing the same sin that I loath in other salespeople. I was talking way too much and not listening… but I was doing exactly as I had been taught.
What does a customer hate more than anything else? Hearing someone talk too much! When all you have been taught in “sales training” is product, your first reaction is to do just that; talk. Instinctually, we want to tell the customer all we know, and all we have learned, particularly when we are new in the industry and we want to hide our fears of not knowing enough. When product training masquerades as sales training, the trained sales people will all demonstrate this colossal error of trying to impress a client with product knowledge.
To make matters worse, many industries make “continuing education credit” mandatory to remain licensed in their chosen fields. Unfortunately, these courses are simply more product classes. By locking these salespeople away in rooms across the country, and then cramming product information down their throats, we are not only doing a disservice to salespeople but we are also doing a disservice to the customer.
Solution #1 – Separate Product Training From Sales Training
We have to stop merely teaching enormous amounts of product information to our salespeople in this country and calling them, “sales trained.” We need to get back to teaching them a measurable process that will assist them in actually doing his or her job better. In this case, the job is to sell, and we need to teach things like:
- How to listen
- How to create trust
- How to ask questions
- How to problem solve
- How to help others over their fear of change
This means learning how to work in a consultative manner with customers. When we do this, we will be helping our sales forces, and we’ll be helping customers who need someone to ask them questions that they cannot ask themselves.
Rob,
I couldn’t agree more.. I especially concur on developing the skill of asking the right questions. When used effectively, it is the key to sale success.. The 2 days I spent with you exercising this skill were invaluable to my development as a true consultant.
I’m thrilled to have worked with you! I’m often asked, “How do you work with financial reps, police officers, hostage negotiators, NASA engineers and more when you don’t really know their product?!” The answer is simple. I don’t need to understand your product; I need to understand how to get people to want to hear about your product, and what to do after you explain it to them. Thanks so much for posting Ivan – great hearing from you!
Agree 100%. Firms do a good job on the product side. I’ve seen too many fail on the actual sales training. It’s not continuous and usually doesn’t prepare people well for success.
You hit it on the head when you mention, “It’s not continuous…” I’m going out on a limb and predicting that point is going to make it into this miniseries! Thanks for posting Mark!
Hi Rob,
This is probably the most important topic-“Training”. A new employee without a good start will fail 100% of the time. I’ve found that mentoring or shadowing in the beginning of a sales career is helpful. Going with a seasoned pro on sales calls , who has great communication skills, usually is very helpful with most product sales. . Being a fly on the wall is stress free and a great learning opportunity, especially for a new recruit.
Rob, again great topic
Buddy
Great point Buddy, and here’s the sad part. When times are tough for companies, and the salesforce is struggling, that’s usually the time training budgets are cut. Mentoring is tremendous, but many mentors are unconsciously competent and have difficulty articulating what it is they are doing. But a process, and a consciously competent mentor is a home run! Great post Buddy!
This is great, Rob. Unfortunately, how to listen; how to ask questions; how to discern the need from the customer’s answers…this is what salespeople learn SECOND. Nobody taught me this and by the time I learned it, I usually was gone from that job. This and certain personality issues is what made me hate sales as a career and stay away from outside sales positions.It took me many years as an inside retail sales associate to arrive at a balance between my product knowledge and my customer care practice.
Great point. Many of us struggle focusing on customer care, and worrying about having to “sell.” Are those two terms in conflict? I say, no. Customers by nature fear change, and tend to avoid solving a problem until it becomes a big problem. Want to really deliver customer care? Ask the tougher questions, and help clients past their fear of change. Thanks for the post Edia!
Profound point on confusing “Product” with “Process” — similar cases may be seen outside sales. It also highlights how critical the art of communication and the focus of target are in training. Great article!
The sad part of all of this is that most people who are confusing “Product” and “Process” can mislead those in training to believe they have the skills to succeed. You are absolutely right; this is not just about sales training, but all training that involves a process. Glad to read that post from you Hui!