Unfortunate facts about sales training today

The Fisher Institute for Professional Selling, at the University of Akron, has a great list on their website that describe what is wrong with sales training today. Think about your own sales staff as you read thorough this list which I reproduce with permission:

• Sales managers tend to not understand how different Generation X and Y are in terms of sales training needs.
• Sales people should be more focused on the roles of: market analyst and planner, selling team coordinator, customer service provider, information gatherer, sales forecaster, and market cost analyzer – and this is not the current focus of sales training. 
• Sales people are not adequately equipped to deal with personnel such as production engineers, quality assurance personnel, design engineers, and other technical staff which may make up the buying center.
• The single biggest difference between top performers and poor performers is listening skills, yet most sales people do not seem to understand this.
• 80% of the selling process should be devoted to understanding customer needs.
• Studies show an average 50% error rate in terms of sales people understanding their customer’s expected performance levels.
• 47% of salespeople admit to having no clue about their customer’s biggest concerns.
• 65% of sales mangers focus on building volume instead of wooing profitable customers.
• In order to completely understand customer needs, sales people must have high levels of analytical skills to understand productivity goals.
• An average of only 10% of training is devoted to questioning and listening skills.
• 40% of sales training is designed to increase product knowledge.

Fisher Institute for Professional Selling at the University of Akron is one of the few Universities to offer a college degree in selling and offer sales training for companies. Their website: 

http://www.uakron.edu/cba/cba-home/dept-cent-inst/fisher/training.dot

Comments

[Ted Stevenot]

Well...I have to say that while salespeople could probably stand to listen better - in my opinion, most first need to begin the conversation.
The biggest reason salespeople fail is due to not finding or developing enough qualified prospects.
Hard to get it all in here, but salespeople need a targeted market segment to pursue that is researched in advance and systematically engaged. Then, they need to interact with that market seeking both current interest and long term qualifying information.
Any sale is made easier when you have are dealing with a well qualified prospect. It takes some hard and smart work to find and develop such prospects. It takes a mix of short term and long term perspective. Short term focus on current interest and long term focus on developing relationships over time.
I've condensed this message in a series of posts:
http://www.prospectfactory.com/category/prospecting-training-courses
Certainly make a study of the craft of sales -and how to listen well - to be the best you can be. There is no substitute for activity. Learning to be a great prospector will open the door for all other elements of your sales acumen to improve. Most folks need to just give themselves the chance. Thanks!

[Nick Moreno]

It is sad that many sales managers think product training is sales training.

[Steve Hilliar]

A great blog about selling. However there is something most sales people miss and that is the difference in skill set required to make major sales. There is a difference and not many training organizations know about it or understand it.
Most of the books out there do not cover it.
However thanks to the net searches on making major sales will reveal it.

[Chad Cuttino]

Thanks for posting this. Great topic. I agree with Nick. It IS sad that SM's think product training is sales training.
A few of my takes on this topic are:
1) Amateur salespeople chase after unqualified prospects for way too long.
2) They do not do the necessary activities and behavior on a daily basis to reach their professional goals.
3) They do not have the brains, heart or guts to make it in professional sales and should be doing something else.
4) They are subservient to their prospects resulting in a bunch of free consulting.
5) They get emotionally involved in their sales calls.

[Live Answering Service]

Great post! Thank you so much for sharing such an interesting piece which is definitely worth sharing. I'm looking forward to read more.

[Customer Foucused Sales Training]

If I could pick on thing from this great article to remember it would be this: 80% of the selling process should be devoted to understanding customer needs.

[Sales Training]

Great post, the most important thing about an sales is understanding the customers needs. Along with this it is vitally important to understand how to overcome sales objections.

[Sales Training]

Visit http://www.skillsconnection.tv to find out how!

[KAP Proposal Automation]

This article contain good facts about sales training. you can also increase your sales volume by using sales and proposal automation softwares. These are very easy to understand, and no specific training required to get work from them. just log on to www.globalkap.com to get great sales automation solutions.

[Proposal Software]

I think the best tool to increase sales dramatically and track electronic record of all the sales made is Mobile Proposal Software.We are also using and taking countless benefits. But good post.

[Hobby]

Today a salesman might only get a two day training and then be sent out into the world to learn all the techniques and tricks of the trade for him/herself. Very informative post...

[Building Material Suppliers]

Sales has evolved over the past ten years. Knowing your products is the key thing I have found and conveying this knloge to the buyer will be 50 % of the work, but having a unique helpful product will help no end.

[Arwin1882]

I like this particular article It gives me an additional input on the information around the world Thanks a lot and keep going with posting such information. I appreciate the concern which is been rose. The things need to be sorted out because it is about the individual but it can be with everyone. I like this particular article It gives me an additional input on the information around the world Thanks a lot and keep going with posting such information.
=========================
anchorurl

[Flight Lessons]

It's just understanding costumer needs

[Leadership Development]

There is a big difference between sales training and product training. Sales coaches must understand this fact while leading their sales teams. Its a matter of how well a sales manager handles and trains his subordinates.

[NegotiatorKing]

Thanks for a well written article, just what I was looking for. Will be back for more :-)

[replica hermes birkin]

I really appreciated the read and shall be dropping by from time to time now.

[Sales Business Melbourne]

Sales training is vitally important to increasing sales. You have provided great facts about sales training here. This post is really useful for business organizations. Thanks for sharing!

[free dating sites]

Your post informative.It really be a growing area to see this year. As you say, the comments to keep the conversation always so interesting to visit his site.What great information thanks for sharing this will help me greatly in my learning.

[Essay writing]

Great website. A lot of useful info here. I am sending it to some colleagues!

[nlp sales]

The Sales Board is the authoritative source of practical and leading edge information about the art and science of selling.

[M3-4]

It's really a cool and helpful piece of info. I am satisfied that you simply shared this helpful information with us. Please stay us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.

[tavane lamelare metalice]

A person necessarily assist to make critically articles I'd state. That is the very first time I frequented your website page and so far? I surprised with the research you made to create this actual submit amazing. Magnificent job!

[mountain bikes]

Hey! Do you know iff they make any plugikns too safeguard against hackers? I'm kinda paranoid about losing everything I've worked hard on. Any recommendations?

[www.tomstanklesswaterheaterreviews.com]

You can certainly ssee your enthusiasm witjin the work you write. Thhe arena hopes for evn more passionate writers like you who are not afraid to say how they believe. At all times go after yyour heart.