Chapter 13.
Developing Salespeople

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• Building Relationships A New Coaching Model
  Relationship selling requires the learning of new skills
  Implementation of relationship selling often challenged by	Continuous Learning required Coaching models underdeveloped
  Research indicates that strong customer relationships are built by five "trust builders"	Candor Dependability Competence Placing the customers interest on a par with your own Likeability
  Objectives of a new coaching model	develop insight into the relationship between the salesperson and the buyer expand the relationship between the salesperson and the sales manager.

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• Introduction
  Three factors force the continuing development of salespeople	Society and its emphasis on career planning Government guidelines State of the economy
  Two kinds of training (beyond initial) are involved
  Continuous training an extension of initial training retraining teaching the salesperson to perform under a new
  50% of all salespeople fail
  Obligations of management	to develop for recruiting and selection develop continuing training programs provide counseling help in career path planning

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• The Continuous Development
  of Salespeople

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• Obstacles to Continuous Development of Salespeople
  Top management	may not commit funds resent salespeople off the job cut funds in economic downtime
  Salespeople	feel comfortable don't want change know it already need to be sold on training

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• Planning Ongoing Development
  Review the job description
  Determine	Task expectations Product, market, customer knowledge needed selling skills required attitude adjustments needed
  Identify Training Needs
  Main sources: (survey all three)	salespeople immediate sales supervisors customers
  set a revised standard of performance design the program to meet the new standards
  Set Training Objectives
  Common objectives	knowledge acquisition and retention change in attitude develop interpersonal skills develop problem-solving skills
  Characteristics of good objectives	definitive measurable
  Types of objectives
  Refresh	Fundamentals (over and over) Features and benefits Objection handling Closing
  Update	Your products are changing Competitors are changing Environment is changing
  Re-motivate	Handling rejection Reenergizing Review successes as well as failures
  Generate Program Alternatives
  Develop a list of each different training method write out how each method would be implemented to accomplish the objectives
  Evaluate Program Alternatives
  Look at costs Vs results Anticipate potential problems with each alternative
  Design and Develop the Program
  Develop in-house Develop in-house with consultants Buy a training package
  Test the Program
  Small group Isolated situation Are objectives met?
  Implement and Evaluate the Program
  Continuos training means continuous evaluation Adapt or replace as needed

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• Training Program Content For Continuous Development
  Differences from initial training	Goal or career planning Customer sensitivity training Strategic selling Motivation
  A comprehensive development system should include
  Learning the basic principles, processes and tools for effective selling; Continuous improvement in the sophisticated practices of highly effective salespeople; and Opportunities to expand in complementary careers and learn the skills necessary to do so.
  Goal or career planning
  People want new challenges Helping people advance keeps them loyal Career planning is ultimately the individual's responsibility
  Management can help by:	Helping to set realistic goals Make career planning part of performance evaluation Informing salespeople of upcoming opportunities
  Customer Sensitivity Training
  Problem Areas Create the need	Increased product standardization Accelerated competition from new materials and technologies Prolonged deep price competition Renewed demand for customer service Stratified (group) customer decision making
  Need discovery skills Problem solving skills How to keeping up with the customer Empathy skills
  Strategic Selling
  Buying Influences	Economic Influencer AKA decision maker User Buyers - Their success is tied to the decision Technical Buying Influencers - screeners not decision makers Coach - an aide at the buyers firm that points out the others
  Response Modes (current receptivity to change)	Growth mode - will be receptive to change if it clearly makes things better Trouble mode - buyer needs help with problems in the business environment Even Keel mode - no incentive to change Overconfident mode - thinks everything is perfect. Wants no changes
  Red Flags (uncertainties hazardous to the sale)	Missing information Uncertain information Failure to contact each influencer Sudden appearance of a new influencer Reorganization of the customer's buying organization
  Win-Results	Look beyond the initial order "Tricks" can work one time only
  The Sales Funnel (a tool to manage activity) Funnel Strategy links The Funnel System The Funnel Strategy Poster	The top is very wide:  qualifying and prospecting activity Narrows into sales approaches interviews quotes proposals general cultivation of prospects. Coming out the bottom are the sales What goes into the funnel is controllable sales activity What comes out is uncontrollable sales results.
  The Ideal Customer Profile	use to screen and eliminate undesirable prospects focus on deals that can be win-win
  Motivation
  covered in chapter 14, 15, 16 success theory says that anyone following techniques and philosophy can achieve their goals

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• Training Methods For Continuous Development
  Most were discussed in Chapter 12 New methods added
  Group Instruction with Participation (Group II)
  Cases	From the buyer's perspective Can be simple of extremely complex Develops problem-solving skills
  Round-table discussions	Leader introduces topic Go around the table Best at informal lunch or breakfast meeting
  Buzz Sessions (For larger groups)	Break up into groups of 5 to 7 Appoint a leader and a scribe Assign the topic Groups come up with issues or problems Problem list is condensed Groups develop lists of solutions
  Brainstorming (Stimulate Creativity in a Group Atmosphere)	Criticism is ruled out Freewheeling (wild ideas) is welcome Quantity is welcome Combination and improvement are sought
  Individual Instruction for Information Dissemination (Group III)
  Cassettes	product information market information motivation inspiration
  Computer	PLATO Performax Sell or die! Wilson Learning

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• Sales Meeting Popular Developmental Tool
  Planning	Set objectives Plan a theme Organize Detailed agenda Plan for participation Have something for them to take home
  Costs	Can be very expensive Consider other methods Web conference Teleconference Video, Tapes, CD's, DVD's
  Site Selection	Consider objectives Is the meeting also a "perk"
  New-product presentations	Often a one-way presentation A systematic presentation with involvement is best Showmanship and drama are important Point out likely prospects and presentation skills
  Speakers	Speaking ability command of the subject
  Pre-meeting information	Transportation responsibilities Rooms and facilities Recreation Dress
  The trade show alternative	create a show for employees send employees to industry shows

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• Evaluation of Ongoing Training

  Difficult to evaluate Often cut in bad times Determine and measure contributions of training set objectives Determine if objectives are met Measure the effect on profitability Little or no consensus on how to implement a profitability measuring program

  Quasi-Experimental

  Full experimental control is impossible Can control when and who is measured Can control when and who is exposed Cannot randomize Two program measurement approaches possible : Compare Profit Contributions of Territories where salespeople have been exposed to territories where salespeople have not been exposed before and after salespeople have been exposed Cannot control the environment Still can measure Intensity of effect of the program Direction of sales from the program

  Critical Incidents

  Show success through specific incidents Anecdotal but may convince management

  Problem Solving

  Identify and solve high priority problems Based on needs analysis developed objectives Using the Field Evaluation and Career Development Report (fig 13-6) to Monitor progress of individuals and the whole force Spot areas for needed training

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• Summary

  Ongoing training is necessary for sales force success Subjects in a continuous training program are usually not found in and initial program Some of the training may be more of the same as initial training only more in depth