How Can We Boost Sales with Effective Training for Our New Advertising Firm?

Dear All,

I need advice on how to implement a training program for the Sales Team to increase the sales output of a newly established company. This company is an Advertising firm dealing with advertisements via networks (Software Devices) installed in Major Shopping Malls in the Middle East.

Regards,
Fay

Hi,

Maybe this could be useful for you.

Developing, Delivering, and Reinforcing a Sales Training Program:

Training Types:

1. Initial Training or New Hire Training

2. Continuous Training

New Product Training, selling skills training, etc., for all sales reps.

Value of Sales Training

What is the value of sales training for:

Employees?

Company?

Customers?

Are training programs effective for:

Employees?

Company?

Customers?

Sales Training and Strategic Planning

Four Phases of Developing and Conducting a Sales Force Training Program

Phase 1: Training Assessment

4 Questions to ask:

1. What are the training objectives?

Increased sales productivity, lower turnover, higher morale, improved communication, improved customer relations, improved self-management (figure 7-2 pg. 193).

2. Who should be trained?

New hires, experienced sales reps, customers, sales managers.

Best ROI in training sales reps (figure 7-3 pg. 195).

3. What are the training needs of the individual rep?

Standardized or customized.

Sources of Information used to develop training program.

4. How much training is needed?

Phase 2: Program Design

5 Questions to ask:

1. Who should do the training?

Line personnel (advantages/disadvantages).

Staff Trainers (advantages/disadvantages).

Outside Training Specialists (keys to success).

2. When should training take place?

3. Where should it be done?

Decentralized (advantages/disadvantages).

Centralized (advantages/disadvantages).

4. What should the content of the training be?

Subjects include:

Knowledge of the company; product knowledge and applications; competitive products; customer information; business principles; selling skills; relationship-building skills; team-selling skills; time-management skills; computer-assisted selling skills; knowledge of the legal constraints on selling.

5. What teaching methods should be used?

See figure 7-5 pg. 207.

Phase 3: Reinforcement

Different ways to reinforce training:

Observation by manager in the field with sales rep.

Refresher classes.

Web-based reinforcement training.

Phase 4: Evaluation

2 Questions:

1. What outcomes will be evaluated?

Reactions; Learning; Behavior; and Results.

2. What measures will be used?

Fay,

Based on your brief,

-you have a network advertisement space, located in various shopping

malls, where the advertisers/ marketers can place their ads of their products.

-your target could be manufacturers/ marketers of products like

groceries/ whitegoods[ fridges etc] / brown goods [ hi-fi sets etc] / mobile phones/

fashion accessories etc etc

-the ads will be aimed at the shopping mall visitors.

etc etc

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FOR THIS TRAINING PROGRAM, YOU NEED THE FOLLOWING

1. INFORMATION ON THE SHOPPING MALLS.

-socio economic profile of people visiting the mall.

-shopping pattern

-week days / week ends

-per capita spending

-no. of people visiting the mall per week/ per month etc.

etc etc

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2. INFORMATION PACKAGE ON THE NETWORK

1. INTRODUCTION

2. WHAT IS '' NETWORK ADVERTISEMENT ''

3. WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF '' NETWORK ADVERTISEMENT ''

4. WHAT THE '' NETWORK ADVERTISEMENT '' OBJECTIVES

5. WHO MAKES THE '' NETWORK ADVERTISEMENT ''

6. ADVERTISING ON THE '' NETWORK ADVERTISEMENT ''

7. HOW ADVERTISING WORKS '' NETWORK ADVERTISEMENT ''

8. HOW THIS ADVERTISING SPACE IS BOUGHT ON '' NETWORK ADVERTISEMENT ''

9. HOW TO SELL THE SPACE ON '' NETWORK ADVERTISEMENT ''

10. WHAT MAKES THE '' NETWORK ADVERTISEMENT '' ADs EFFECTIVE.

11. WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF '' NETWORK ADVERTISEMENT '' ADVERTISING

12. ANY OTHER INFORMATION

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3. TRAINING MODULES ON THE SALES PROCESS

THIS IS SERVICE / CONCEPT SELLING.

SERVICE / CONCEPT SELLING

-intangible

-buyers can only sense it

-it is more like concept selling

-buyers cannot judge the value

-testimonials will be useful

-Companies must market a point of view concerning how they can help customers achieve the desired benefits

To sell services, businesses must make intangible offerings real for CLIENTS. To do so, marketing and sales have an array of real artifacts at their disposal; everything from samples of recent work, case studies, testimonials, white papers, and so on. This evidence can be used to make the case for purchase. The trouble is, many services companies speak in broad generalities when it comes to presenting their case.

To differentiate themselves, and to build their brands, services companies must market a point of view concerning how they can help CLIENTS achieve the desired benefits.

To convince prospective CLIENTS that a service is different and better on some meaningful dimension, marketing should be focused around the communication of a particular philosophy of service delivery (and benefits of the service to the buyer)

================================================== ============

SELLING SERVICE/ CONCEPT ---SALES PROCESS

1.INTRODUCTION

2.ESTABLISH RAPPORT

3.CLARIFY THE CURRENT PRACTICES.

4.DETERMINE THE POTENTIAL NEEDS.

5.ASK QUESTIONS ON CURRENT/ POTENTIAL NEEDS.

6.PROBE MORE FOR BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF NEEDS.

7.ESTABLISH NEEDS.

8.CLARIFY THE CLIENTS' UNDERSTANDING OF NEEDS.

9.OFFER SOLUTIONS TO MEET CLIENTS NEEDS.

10.NOW RECOMMEND YOUR COS. SERVICES

AS A SOLUTION.

11.SELL THE BENEFITS OF YOUR COS. SERVICE.

12. SELL WHY YOUR COMPANY IS UNIQUELY

POSITIONED TO PROVIDE SOLUTIONS.

13. MOTIVATE YOUR CLIENT.

14. HANDLE ANY RESISTANCE

15.HANDLE OBJECTIONS [ PRICE/DELIVERY etc.]

16.SEEK COMMITMENT

17.CLOSE THE SALE

18.ASK FOR THE ORDER.

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4. DEVELOP A FEW ROLE PLAYS

Let's talk specifically about how you will implement the SELLING Strategy for your services:

Identify the services that you want to offer.

Figure out one to three key problems that this service solves for CLIENTS.

Make sure you can articulate at least one of the problems in 30 seconds or less.

Pick a key service that solves that problem.

Develop a 30 second pitch as to why that services will solve the problem for the client.

Communicate with your client using the SALES communication method.

Present the problem and see if the CLIENT “shares the pain.”

If he does, launch into your 30 second solution.

Now you can sell your existing programs to new prospects based on a new set of problems.

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IN ADDITION ,

planning / preparing.

1.Develop a profile of your organization.

-structure

-services you are offering

-strengths of your service

-competitive standing of your services

-unique selling strengths of your services.

-why should clients choose your services against others.

-package your services

-testimonials [ clients list]

etc etc.

2.Develop a database of prospects.

-identify the market segments, where your services

are much wanted.

-determine the potential prospects from these

market segments.

-use yellow pages/ internet/ any other sources

-develop a list of potential prospects.

-for each prospects, list the contact person

by using all methods of contacts.

-using direct marketing / telephone contacts

eatablish contacts / make appointments.

3.Develop a presentation material

-one for handing over to the prospects

-one for SALES PEOPLE presentation

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REGARDS

LEO LINGHAM