Sales Training Boosts Business

Home » Insights » Articles » Sales Training | Continuous Learning and Development

Adopt an Ongoing Sales Training Strategy to Boost Your Business

Few business activities are more demanding than selling. Ongoing sales training helps companies remain competitive and meet the needs of a changing market. Although it is widely believed that verbal skills are the secret of a successful salesperson, this is a fallacy.

Instead, it is mastering the art of listening that will help a salesperson identify a customer’s needs, and proceeding to show how a product or service can satisfy them that will procure the sale. One can explain the various technical features of a widget at length and in great detail, but it emphasises how they will benefit the client that will ultimately close the deal. The fact is that successful salespeople are not born with these skills; they must be taught.

In practice, the ability to sell can determine our success in other aspects of life. Whether approaching an employer about an increase, settling a domestic disagreement, inviting someone to join you in a new venture or attempting to convince a committee to accept your proposal, these are all a form of sales negotiation. Thus, the benefits of sales training in South Africa can be more far-reaching than is commonly believed.

The nature and benefits of sales training

The primary purpose of training is to empower people by helping them develop or hone some specific skill. Training differs from teaching in that its focus is predominately practical and, in most cases, designed to address vocational needs rather than academic ones. Consequently, trainers depend more on demonstration and role-play than chalk and talk.

However, relying on an experienced salesperson to train others to sell is insufficient. An effective training course should be outcome-based, appropriately structured and its content directly relevant to your trainees’ requirements. When you choose a SETA-accredited course from Orgro, the potential benefits to your company are numerous. For example:

Adaptability: Changing customer needs, new technology, and updates to legislation can be a minefield unless companies upskill staff to adapt. An ongoing sales training programme for sales staff offers a strategy that will help your company to adapt to and benefit from change.

Growth: One of the most fundamental requirements for growing your business is to start by growing your people. Whatever the nature of a business, sales will invariably play a key role in its growth Ensuring your staff are skilled in applying the latest sales tactics and strategies can help your company gain a competitive edge.

Less staff turnover: The value of salespeople is measured by the revenue they generate, which can affect their income and morale. Failures frequently lead to low self-esteem, resignations or dismissals. Training your sales personnel will improve their performance and is far cheaper than replacing them.

Positive Return on Investment: If you are concerned about the price of training, consider the cost of ignorance. Statistics show that companies that invest in training experience exceptional returns. You should recoup the cost within a month or two, and your staff will rely less on discounts to close deals.

Arranging the training

Orgro is an organisational development specialist with over forty years of experience. Contact us for more details of our ongoing sales training in South Africa, and let us help boost your company’s growth performance.