Sales Progress Blog

Picture this scene: an inside sales team is gathered in an office, taking notes and actively listening as a speaker gives a presentation about sales training…but the speaker cannot be seen. That’s because this group is listening to a webinar, the newest tool for speakers and businesses. Webinars let large amounts of people attend a single presentation from anywhere in the world. You just simply have to register and log in to gain access.

Companies can utilize webinars for just about anything. They can use it to teach their employees about a product or service’s features, advantages and benefits. They can also help sales reps improve their skills and behavior. Webinars allow for customization, and sales reps can attend events that target a certain problem that they may be experiencing. So, if one employee has a fear of cold calling and another needs help finding ways to prospect, both can register for their separate events. This saves the company money and the employee’s time. Furthermore, webinars work better with the adult learning style. Typically, adults learn more when they are sent to seminars that are short and to the point. Since webinars are normally only an hour and they are usually about a target area, adults will have an easier time focusing and engaging.

In the long run, webinars benefit both the speaker and the salesperson. For speakers, webinars allow for instant feedback. At the end of the event, they can ask participants to fill out a survey, or they can send a follow up e-mail asking them what they liked, disliked or would change. Webinars offer speakers a way to connect with their audience. They can set up polls or surveys or open a live question and answer segment. Salespeople also benefit from the instant engagement. They can have their questions answered right away, and they can learn from the questions or experiences that other people are sharing.

Download our free webinar whitepaper to find out more ways that webinars can help with sales training and sales progress.

admin Sales Training active listening, business opportunities, linkedin, Sales Progress, sales training webinar

Salespeople know that the best way to reach potential customers is through their current ones. It is important to work well with your clients and to build up trust because essentially you want them to recommend your product or service to their friends and family.

Prospecting by obtaining references from clients is a great way to conduct business, and the process has slowly begun moving to the World Wide Web. There are many advantages of computer based training, but the biggest advantage comes with using the social media site Twitter. Most people believe that Twitter is useless, that it is just a place for people to follow their favorite celebrities every move, but in fact, a study conducted by Deming Hill proves otherwise:

·    20% of all Twitter communication contains a reference to a product or a service
·     41% of business owners say that Twitter delivers great value to their business

Read more…

admin Sales Training advantages of computer based training, business opportunities, linkedin, re-tweet, Sales Progress, social media, Twitter

We all know the importance of social media. We have heard that it will help lead us to prospects, and it will give us more face time with our customers. Deming Hill did some research and put together these statistics:

·    Adults spend 15+ hours on the internet every month
·    93% of B2B buyers use search engines to begin the buying process
·    9 out of 10 consumers will find you when they are ready

This means that your company had better be out ton the Internet for someone to find you, and this is where social media is the most beneficial. The more items you enter into a Facebook page or a blog, the more likely a potential client is to find you. Deming Hill found these statistics out when they did research on the biggest social media site-Facebook:

·    40% of Facebook users become fans or followers of brands/services.
·    60 million status updates happen daily on Facebook
·    50% of users log on everyday and average more than 55 minutes a day
·    If Facebook were a country, it would be the world’s 3rd largest:
1.China
2.India
3.Facebook
4.USA

More…

admin Sales Training business opportunities, Facebook, linkedin, sales, Sales Progress, social media, Twitter

How many cold calls did you make last week? How many are you planning to make this week? With new technology and social media sites, the answer should be relatively low. The way inside sales teams prospect has gone in a completely new direction. Salespeople no longer rely on the cold call as a way to generate business opportunities. Instead, they are turning to the web.

It used to be that salespeople would be on the phones all day making hundreds of calls just to generate one lead. Now, numerous leads are appearing with just the click of a mouse. There are a couple ways that reps can harness the new tools that are out there.

Read more…

admin Sales Training business opportunities, cold calling, inside sales, linkedin, prospecting, tailored sales training

You may be the top salesperson in your company, but you had to start somewhere. Sales is not an easy job, and it is difficult because of preconceived notions about salespeople, which makes it difficult to get that first meeting with a potential client. Here are some sales techniques that you can use to help your chances of closing that sale when you do actually land that meeting:
Believe in what you sell.
No one wants to buy a product from someone who doesn’t believe in the excellence of what they’re selling. If you aren’t excited about your product then your customer won’t be either. You need to be upbeat and positive. If you have difficulties in this area, then focus on the features, advantages and benefits of your product since these are what make your product great, and they often answer the, “What’s in it for me?” question.

Be able to define and engage with your target audience.

Read more…

admin Sales Training active learning, business opportunities, linkedin, prospecting, referrals, Sales Progress, sales techniques, sales tips

These days people are more protective of their money, and instead of spending it freely, they are saving. For sales teams, it has become increasingly important to keep a hold of current clients; since, as most studies show, it costs six times more to get a prospect to buy than it does an existing customer. So, the question becomes, “How do we maintain our relationship with our client and get them to buy?”

Most customers leave because they are unhappy, and sixty-seven percent of clients leave because of a perceived feeling of indifference. Managers and supervisors need to coach their inside sales team to keep in front of their customers. Look at who you have not talked to in the past year and who you have not contacted in the past 30 days and make sure to send them an e-mail or phone call to let them know that you are still interested in them. Ask customers how the product you sold them is working out or if they need anything else. This way, you are letting your customers know that you value them.

Here are a couple more steps that you can take to improve your sales and increase your business opportunities:

Send Items of Interest. Find out information about your customers.

Read more…

admin Sales Management business opportunities, employee training, linkedin, Manager, Results, sales coaching, Sales Representative, sustained learning, training techniques

Over the next 10 years, Gen X-ers will be needed to take over the positions left behind by the baby boomer generation.  While this seems like an obvious statement, what is not obvious is what companies should be doing to prepare this new generation, or even how to keep them around long enough to fill the positions that will be opening.Recent reports point to GenX-ers as being the first group who will jump ship as the economy strengthens.

This new generation of workers consider themselves fast trackers, and they feel frustrated and stuck in their careers as they wait for the baby boomers to retire.  This frustration is leading to a lack of engagement again pointing to the realization that they will be looking to move on and find new business opportunities.  What are you doing to keep or attract this next generation of young professionals?A strong employee coaching program can help in the fight to keep, attract, and prepare this generation.  Like we said above they are fast –trackers, and even if you can’t provide them with quick promotions or pay increases you can give them a bit of your time, increasing their skills and or responsibilities.  This generation historically chooses amenities like working close to home or flexible work schedules over higher salaries anyways, adding to the point that they can be enticed by other things than money.  Keep this generation from feeling frustrated by engaging with them, praising their efforts and generally letting them know they are not being completely overshadowed and forgotten by their baby boomer counterparts.

By continually coaching them you are simultaneously preparing them for their future promotions while keeping them engaged enough in the company to stick around till those opportunities are available.  If there is no light (or promotion) at the end of the tunnel, you will loose their interest and their work for your company.  Take the time now and reap the benefits of this talented workforce later.

Tim Hagen Sales Training business opportunities, coaching program, employee engagement

Trade shows can be a very successful lead generation tool, often though they are not as successful as they could be because companies don’t prepare enough.  To effectively prepare for a successful trade show you must role-play and practice your skills, and then follow up after the event.

Leading up to the event you must have your team practice their skills.  Working a trade show is different than working a typical sales call, while the talking points may be the same the process is slightly different. Trade shows are full of businesses all competing for the attention of the same prospects over the same time period, it’s easy for a prospect to become bombarded by too many companies, so it’s vital that you are on your game.  Some companies may practice their elevator pitch for people already at their booth, but rarely do they practice how they will get people to stop and talk to them in the first place.

Role-playing will be your most successful route.  Have your staff practice pulling people in as they walk by as well as their elevator pitch once people are in the booth.  Being able to effectively pull people in will be just as important as keeping their attention once they stop, so practicing both will be very important to your success.

Pulling people in and keeping their attention is like a live prospecting call, and prospecting can be a difficult skill to master.  Have your sales team practice 1-2 times per week over the few weeks leading up to the event.  To get the most out of the practice have your staff score each other or offer specific feedback to the other team member.  Two heads are always better than one, so by collaborating and offering up feedback your team will come up with better tactics than if they just made them up on the fly once at the event.

Second FOLLOW UP .  I recently read an article that said on average 80% of leads from trade shows are never followed up on.  If you don’t go into the show with a follow up plan already in place, you will be less likely to get around to it later.  Many times leads are forgotten about till months later and by then your prospect has probably lost their initial interest.  Come up with a follow up plan and communicate it to your leads during the show.  For example: " Thanks Mr. Smith for stopping by our booth, look for a call from myself or my partner next week  with more details on the special we are offering and how it can help your company do xyz ."  Your prospect may be contacted by dozens of other exhibitors from the event the following week, but by warning them you will be reaching out they will be expecting to hear from you and will be more likely to respond back.

Practice and follow up are two easy and FREE tools to ensure that your trade show experience is a successful one.  Make sure you take advantage of them.

Tim Hagen Sales Training business opportunities, Enhance Performance, free sales training, lead generation, lead nurturing, networking, prospecting, sales skills, Sales Staff, sales techniques

The economy is picking up, and Sales Progress wants to help you hit the ground running.  Get a jump start now by taking advantage of all of Sales Progress’s FREE resources and special promotions.  During the entire month of April Sales Progress will be offering multiple opportunities for FREE sales training, employee coaching advice, strategy tips, presentations, and more.

• Starting today get free employee training information, coaching tips, or advice by becoming a fan of Sales Progress on Facebook . After becoming a fan, post your question on the Sales Progress Fan wall or send an inmail message to receive free advice, tips, and strategies from sales and adult education expert, Tim Hagen.  Responses will give you real world advice and speak to your specific issues.
• Facebook not your thing?  Check out our blog, and website for offers all month long including FREE presentations, FREE whitepapers, FREE Sales Competency quizzes and more.

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Progression of a Sales Leader- The Sales Progress Blog: With new entries weekly.

Looking for more information on a specific topic?  Send us an email telling us what you want us to blog about!  We write this blog to help you improve your skills, so let us know how we can help! Send your thought to: Info@salesprogress.com.

Tim Hagen Sales Training business coaching, business opportunities, employee training solutions, Enhance Performance, free employee coaching, free sales training, sales skills, Skills, tailored sales training, Training, training and development, training techniques

You have worked your butt off all week and you made it to Friday, now it’s time to enjoy the weekend… Isn’t It?  For many professionals the weekend doesn’t equate to 48 hours of pure personal time, it’s actually quite clouded with work.  If you are a working weekend warrior there are a few things to think about, before spending your Saturday afternoon working instead of relaxing.time management, business opportunities, sales skills

1. Are you using weekend time to make up for slacking off at work, or poor time management?  You may think you are the hardest worker in the office because you are one of the only ones doing work on weekends, but if you are one of the only ones this could be a good sign you aren’t using your time during the 9-5 work day effectively.  Try to become conscious of how much time you spend socializing, or checking non-urgent email.  Maybe your spending a little too much time checking your Facebook or LinkedIn accounts.  Schedule your days out the night before, giving yourself the right amount of time it SHOULD take you to finish a task, then stick to the schedule.  You may find you get everything done when you don’t allow yourself the distraction of tasks not on your schedule.  Who knows maybe you could start enjoying your weekends again?
2. Does what your working on REALLY have to get done.  Weekends are meant to refresh you to make it through another hard working workweek, but if your spending your weekends also working you aren’t getting the break you need.  Before you fire up your computer or drag yourself into an empty office, ask yourself, “Could this wait till Monday?”  If it can wait and get done first thing Monday morning, then wait.

By taking a look at WHY your working weekends, it may lead to a great opportunity to develop your skills to further increase your productivity, business opportunities,and getting your weekend back.

Shannon Gburzynski Sales Training business opportunities, Enhance Performance, sales skills, sales techniques, time management, workplace training