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36 FEDA News & Views Sales Challenges continued So you're the new salesperson? This is always a big challenge, whether you're a green, young rookie or a vet- eran that just made a big change. And the answer to success in both cases is much the same. The con- fidence you need comes with the same disciplines that assure it for pro athletes: learn your playbook and practice your offense/defense. Simple huh? But do it quickly and do it with heart. When I say learn your playbook, I mean get training! As a sales profes- sional, it is imperative that you acquire three components of training: product, the value-added of your company, and fundamental selling skills. To be a sales professional consultant with confidence, you need to study and learn everything you can get your hands on about your product--features and benefits, competi- tive comparisons, industry applications, strengths and weaknesses. You also need to sell the added value that your new company brings to the table. Some call this your value proposition. Why you? Why should your customers buy from you versus the competition? You must know these answers—so ask for that training or find it out! Most companies seem to know intui- tively that you need product and appli- cation training. They typically indoctri- 4 Challenge 4 nate you in orientation with the advan- tages of the organization you sell for. But do not stop there. If you just learn this stuff, you may be inclined to "show up and throw up." Product and value train- ing is vital, but without the next piece of training, you may be predisposed to a presentation-based selling instead of consultative selling. Present your brains out, and your hyped-up, pseudo confi- dence will soon wane. You also need training in fundamental selling skills. Yes, both rookie and expe- rienced veterans in a new position can benefit from training or refreshers in the basics. Truly, solid confidence is a result of training and practice in selling skills. You play like you practice. An obvious part of this would include relationship skills, communica- tion, and listening. But you need one more item in training that seems to be miss- ing in most sales orga- nizations. Often, the key to success right out of the gate, and the thing that will bolster trustworthy confidence, is learning and applying the selling process. Learning The SELL Process, as I call it in my book of that title, will equip you with a framework to prepare and execute highly effective selling. If you learn how to pre-call plan for each call (your offense), and you have a frame- work to anticipate, prepare, and practice responses to objections (your defense), this will provide you with a sure con- fidence that comes from preparation. Many coaches have said, "The will to win is not nearly as important as the will to prepare to win." Professional quarter- backs run their patterns and plays over and over and over. Then, when on the field in the actual game, they execute with confidence and precision. Why not sales professionals? The days of winging it are over. Confidence and notable success right out of the gate in your new territory is possible. Oh, it might come eventu- ally after years of hard knocks. But we don't have time for that. Plus, that path is plagued with ruts, bad habits, confu- sion, frustration and oblivious patterns of going through the motions. Don't wait for training—get it. Don't just wing it—practice. About Don Buttrey Don Buttrey is the president of Sales Professional Training Inc., a company that offers in-depth skill development for sales professionals. Their sales training includes skill development for sales managers, sales professionals and sales support. He is also the author of The SELL Process, a how-to book on selling for everyone, and a select trainer for FEDA sales training events. He can be reached at (937) 427-1717 or email donbuttrey@salesprofession- altraining.com. Check out his website at salesprofessionaltraining.com for more information or to purchase his book. Every sales man- ager has strong opinions about what they think most needs to be "fixed" or improved within their sales team. A few of the most common responses I often hear from clients include the need for more closing skills or help in time man- agement. Some think cutting prices will increase sales, while others believe fat- tening commission rates will motivate their sales team to sell more. Though each of these are valid concerns, work- ing to directly fix them will most likely provide little change or fail to gener- 5 Challenge 5 continued on page 37 You are new to the sales team. You lack confidence. Big on the basics and driving home the fundamentals, sales trainer and coach Don Buttrey asserts that both are necessary to hit the ground running. Getting to the Root of the Problem A message for sales managers from sales trainer Jim Pancero on discovering what's really ailing your team.