Sales Training 101 For Sales Pro’s?? (Dallas, TX)

July 29, 2008 · Filed Under Sales Training 

A recent question on the LinkedIn site asked, and I’m paraphrasing, should a sales rep know his competition and how important is that? Also, should he know anything about his customers?

Yes, Virginia, people still ask that sort of stuff. I couldn’t resist so I penned the answer below, and we’ll leave it to speak for itself. See if you agree.

Wow! What a range of conflicting answers. I used to be all over the map as a sales rep on this issue. What changed? Bought a business and now sit on the other side of the desk when purchasing large pieces of equipment. I’ve learned more about the sales process from this side of the desk than in any sales training classes in the last 15 years.

Sales rep #1 won’t point out his product’s weaknesses but competitor rep #2 will, IF he knows what he’s up against. Can’t beat what you don’t know.

Should you know your own offering inside and out? That’s obvious. Not always done, but obvious.

Had a stream of reps through my office recently all trying to sell their version of a piece of equipment I was buying.
*Some never asked me anything and wouldn’t shut up.
*Some lied through their teeth while smiling straight at me.
*Some still think that pressure tactics still work.

All but one knew anything about my operation, asked me any relevant questions other than how many do you want and when do you wanna sign (really!), and only one went over the top in the area of caring about what I needed.

Give any CEO the same option we’re discussing here—which area of your business do you not want to track; your competition, your customer bases’ needs, or the competency of your sales rep team—give him that option and he’d think you were nuts.

We’re in the business of selling our business services/products. Period. We should be monitoring all 3 areas consistently if only for the very point these other answers are desperately trying to prove—namely that most of your competitors don’t do it! The rep that knows his offering inside out, his customers’ needs because he’s asked and probed for those answers, and monitors his competitors on some level so he can plot a winning strategy will do better than a mere hustler.

The question is not which segment of the business of selling should we ignore, rather, how can we do a better job of mastering the entire profession?

Agree? Let’s hear your thoughts.

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Phillip Crum is the Chief Idea Officer of MarketingMeasure and is committed to the idea of helping small business owners do a better job of finding their next customer or client. He and his two sons also own a Sir Speedy Printing franchise and employ those additional capabilities in the overall marketing services menu of offerings. Phillip can be reached at 214-213-7445, or pcrum@MarketingMeasure.com

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