When I train salespeople, the similarities to sales are endless…
Both ‘sell’ change to a variety of different personality types.
When I enter a training room with a group of 20 salespeople I’ve never met before, I need to understand their world.
Exactly the same as that sales meeting with six senior level directors...
➡️ I need to understand their processes & why they do what they do.
➡️ I need to understand different personality types in the room, how best to communicate with each of them, but also collectively as a group.
➡️ I need to understand their biggest challenges & objectives.
➡️ I need to ensure the sessions are highly interactive, immersive & engaging.
Remember those long dull classes at school with the teacher droning on & people dropping off?
This is the antithesis of effective teaching.
I need constant input, different points of view, and any objections or push back as a feedback mechanism.
If I talk through a specific aspect of sales, I need it to resonate as deeply as possible.
And one of the best ways of doing that is by asking lots of questions.
In this way, the things I teach really start to land & crystalize as to why something else ‘could’ work.
Telling someone they’re doing something wrong will usually only lead to resistance, making someone look bad, or a battle of egos. It’s a lose-lose.
Listening, empathising & suggesting alternatives allows people to open up, to feel comfortable & become a sponge for new ideas.
You must be that nurturing parent, not the ‘finger pointing’ critical one.
People need to be in ‘receiver’ mode & in my experience the best way of achieving that is by making sure the sessions are fun, entertaining, challenging & thought-provoking.
Don’t get me wrong – it’s not about buttering people up – but there’s a way of being direct in a constructive way.
When you’re enjoying something your barriers tend to come down, and the associated positive emotion puts you in a good state – which is often where the magic happens.
Some things will turn people’s world upside-down – calling some of their core beliefs into serious question.
Not a bad thing - if it impacts people in a positive way and at a deep level.
‘Dominant’ personality types will usually contribute the most during a session and I need to respond in a way that not only speaks to them but to everyone else too.
This requires EQ, situational awareness & acute listening skills – exactly what you need to master in sales.
You need to be able to read the room.
You need to develop the ability to read people.
It’s fundamental human communication.
Sales & training should always have high impact, lightbulb moments, the ability to connect to people emotionally, and to inspire change.
Every sales training session I lead teaches me something new.
It makes me a more effective communicator.
…which in turn makes me a better sales trainer.
