Why should you develop the talent in your sales team?

The fight for top talent is fierce and as competition grows, the need to proactively attract and retain talent becomes ever more important. In the past, a slight pay rise would very often suffice as a boost to morale or to encourage talent to stay. However, today candidates look at other things too, and one of the biggest factors is training and development. Top sales candidates want to improve and grow, so the training that they are offered in a role is key.

Are you considering bringing in new talent? Be sure you understand what key skills your sales team needs and how you can introduce an effective training programme. 

Training and upskilling in the office

Earlier this year, we revealed the top five sales skills for 2018 to be negotiation, solution selling, planning, territory mapping (for sales field managers) and competitor analysis. In addition to these, in sales, personality is key. The relationships and interactions that your sales staff have with your customers are what sells – people buy from people. Big sales deals are always closed face-to-face and it’s the delivery of a top sales professional that makes it happen.
Commercial acumen is also important when selling. A deep understanding of the financials, the ability to analyse sales data and demonstrate possible savings to the customer, is crucial. However, these aren’t skills that can be simply taught - they are acquired through experience and coaching.
Shadowing
A big part of a sales professional’s development relies on the team that they join and the manager leading that team. People learn from the people closest to them and with this being said, one great training method in sales is shadowing or watching others - spending time with the top salespeople in the team and the manager. This will help new employees learn a lot.
Roleplay
Roleplaying and setting up scenarios for new employees is another great coaching tool that would complement their training. Whether this is a sales calls or a face-to-face sales pitch, this will enable new employees to put their own spin on what they have learnt through observation. During a roleplay, managers can provide feedback on what they have done well and what they can do better.
Reviews
After three to six months, it is always good to review how someone is getting on. Do they need further training or observation?
It is also a good idea to have a number of different trainers. Adding variety to a training programme keeps people engaged. Can the new salesperson go and work with a different manager for the day? Or, are they able to shadow someone with a different selling technique?

Entry-level professionals

Graduates can be at very different levels and have very different skills. It is important to determine what their skills are and where their strengths and weaknesses lie.
Writing a detailed training plan, providing comprehensive on the job training and identifying who will deliver their training to determine what strengths to build on, is fundamental.
Confidence is another key aspect of selling, so it is always important to develop this at entry-level. Thorough training provides new starters with the confidence to sell the strengths of the product and/or service and its unique selling points (USPs).

Experienced sales professionals

Generally, an experienced professional will have excellent sales skills. Training and development, for them, is about how they can improve and explore the areas in which they can grow. When onboarding an experienced sales professional in your organisation, the first thing is for them to learn the product and/or services they are selling. From here, it is about on the job training. A manager or senior member of staff will shadow them to identify where they can improve and what they do well.

Why should you invest in learning and development?

Whenever you hire a new employee, it is always a risk; will they get on with the team? Will they fit in with the culture? And will they be able to sell? A comprehensive recruitment process is essential. Hiring is not just about writing an inclusive and well-thought job description, it also means selling your businesses to top talent. This is where a specialist recruiter can be highly valuable.
Training and developing internal staff plays a significant role in the recruitment process, not just in retaining your existing talent but also in attracting new skills into the business. Top performers want to develop their career. When exploring their options, candidates very often ask us about a company’s growth plans and how they will affect them. Company growth and success leads to career growth, so if you can keep your sales team happy and motivated in their roles, more often than not, they will perform better. Career growth and development will generally play into this. 
If you’re looking to hire a new sales professional, a strong learning and development programme can be a huge drawcard for top talent. Why not get in touch today to explore your options and how we can help with your recruitment processes? Alternatively, submit a job spec and one of our specialist consultants will call to discuss your hiring needs. 
Jon Dolbear
Managing Consultant, Michael Page Sales
T: +441189559052