On the job training of sales people is usually done by the sales manager as it is he or she who accompanies his/her people on client visits. During such on-the-job training sessions there is a temptation to try to cover every skill improvement needed in just one visit. Don’t.
There are five steps to follow in order to deliver effective on the job training for sales people. These are described below.
Step One. Accompany your sales person on a visit (which has been chosen by you) to find out where their selling strengths and weaknesses are.
Step Two. Ask your sales person where he/she thinks their weaknesses are. Compare your observations with their own assessment. This will highlight where the problems really are.
Step Three. Draw up an individual training plan for your sales person. Concentrate on one sales technique for each training intervention you plan. For example, focus on opening the sales negotiation in one session and on closing in another. So if you have uncovered three areas of weakness in a given sales person, you will need to address these in three separate on-the-job training sessions.
Step Four. During the next client visits, you carry out those parts of the sales process that the sales person is not good at. Explain in advance to the sales person how you want to conduct the session. The sales person observes carefully the parts of the sales process which you conduct. Then discuss the outcome in detail with your sales person immediately after the client visit.
Step Five. On the next client visit the sales person conducts all of the process you have just demonstrated him/her self. He/she should explain to you in advance how he/she is going to do it. You should only intervene in the process if absolutely necessary. Again after the visit you should both sit down and discuss the sales process, the outcome, and which skill will be addressed next. Finally, don’t forget to update their training plan.
If you are struggling to find time for on the job training then this can also be done by a training consultant. Spearhead can benchmark the performance of your sales team and provide on-the-job coaching.
