Poor sales training 'can cost businesses dear'

Executives may believe there is a one-size-fits-all solution to sales training but nothing could be further from the truth.

That is the view of sales trainer, speaker and author Kelley Robertson, who said on his Fearless Selling blog that poor sales training can do significant damage to a company's long-term prospects, meaning executives may wish to bring in a sales consultancy to lead them down the correct path.

While many firms provide product training to their staff this is only one part of the whole picture, as focusing on this area fails to improve their actual sales skills.

"Poor sales training puts your team - and your company - at risk because it seldom addresses the key issues that prevent you from achieving your sales goals ... [it] puts your company at risk because your team may attempt to use strategies which are inconsistent with your corporate values," Mr Robertson stated.

One area where the expertise of a sales consultancy could make a real difference is helping sales professionals identify a client's motivation for wanting a product or service.

JF Corporation chairman Jonathan Farrington said on his personal blog recently that prospects buy on their own terms and the best salespeople can pinpoint their motivation and demonstrate why their solution is the only one.