Institute training. This is No. 6 of 14 key points W. Edwards Demings offers managers to improve effectiveness in an organization.
Demings is the father of the modern quality movement and is best known for helping Japan rise out of the ashes of WWII to become a major industrial power and for his belief that 94 percent of workplace problems are caused by management.
In his landmark (though now dated) book “Out of the Crisis,” Demings poignantly states: “We have neglected this extremely important function to the extent that too many Western workers do not know how to do their jobs.”
It’s become an epidemic dragging down companies across our nation.
It is perhaps most dangerous to neglect the training needs of your sales team. When a salesperson loses momentum, the struggle to close becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
They lack motivation because they keep hearing “no,” and they keep hearing “no” because they are no longer motivated to try.
When your team hits this wall, a cycle of turnover can be the result, which brings a myriad of costs including redundant recruiting and training expenses, as well as lost productivity and sales during ramp-up.
Bringing in the right talent and keeping them is a high priority for every leader. And more often than not, the primary culprit behind a salesperson hitting the proverbial wall is likely a lack of training – beyond initial on-boarding.
It’s important to note that not all training is value-added. A report by Sales Performance International reveals intensive sales training is like eating a gallon of ice cream in one sitting; it’s too much of a good thing.
The study found multi-day sales training events can be money-wasters because approximately 50 percent of the learning is forgotten within five weeks – a phenomenon called the “forgetting curve.”
When content is not routinely re-enforced, the brain recruits the sentinel synapses – once responsible for retaining that information – to instead focus on newer, more relevant things.
Consider keeping your training short but consistent with micro-learning and structured field training and coaching.
TED talks are perfect examples of micro-learning. They inspire meaningful change in fewer than 20 minutes.
Leverage micro-learning sessions for new hires and seasoned sales reps alike. These short training sessions can be instructor-led, online courses or emails followed by team discussions or roleplays.
When field training, be mindful of the importance that analysis and coaching, immediately after a sales call, can play in the learning process.
Build into your training process a simple model for consistently giving feedback.
Instead of making your team fit your training program, design and execute a training program that will truly serve your team.
Jenny Jo Smith, Training and Development Strategist at RedRover Sales & Marketing Strategy, can be reached at redrovercompany.com.