Do you go to sales training meetings and walk away feeling unsatisfied? Have you been to a sales training meeting that actually helps you make more money? In many cases, sales training amounts to a booklet of old-fashioned ideas that have little to no impact on your business culture. However, proper sales training is essential – not only as a way to ensure you’re getting the best out of your practice, but also to make certain that you are learning what is new and essential in our industry.

Here are five tactics we use in our core training sessions – “Raise the Bar”; “Income Building Workshop”; and “Transition Training”. These three sessions work for all – from beginners to experienced sellers.

1. Role play is still effective!

Most people learn best if they’re actually doing something, as opposed to just listening. Role playing gives you practical, hands-on training that forces you to think on your feet. Here are some good situations to role play:

• how we overcome objections
• elevator pitches
• cold calls
• negotiation tactics

This is also a great opportunity to look for common selling mistakes, such as talking too much, over-educating, or failing to ask questions. To make the most of role plays, at our “Raise the Bar” sessions, we record them. Sometimes it’s only by evaluating what you do on a day-to-day basis that you can truly learn and improve.

2. Set up a peer mentor system

Peer mentoring is obviously essential for new reps, as there’s so much about the process itself to learn before you can begin selling effectively. But having input from a senior sales professional can also be useful later on in a sales person’s career. At our “Transition Training” sessions we typically team up a newer person with an experienced rep to help them along the way.

3. Ensure your training covers why people buy

Too often, sales training covers the ‘logical side’ of sales – in other words, the features, functions and business benefits of the product or service and how to best communicate these to the prospect. While this is still important, our sales training also covers the emotional, political and subconscious forces that have an impact on the decision.

4. Build confidence with easy sells

Confidence is an essential skill for any salesperson. But, if you’re new in a job or you’re struggling to start out, your confidence – and, consequently, your ability to sell effectively – can take a knock. For the first few months, we focus on products or prospects that you know to be an easy sell. The “low hanging fruit” so to speak. We always ask that each rep bring with them 5 clients who they know well and we discuss them together. As part of the training we look for where there might be new opportunities that were missed in the initial meetings. We practice the “transition into the new discussion, and watch their confidence grow. When they come to tackle the riskier prospects later on, they’ll be filled with self-confidence, which will swing the sale their way.

5. Ensure training is consistent

Training needs to be consistent. Each of our trainings builds on the last session and contains the same core elements. The power of asking questions and listening; the idea of creating curiosity and establishing credibility – these consistent themes are constant in what we do and is what separates our training from everyone elses.

Our next training:

Income Builder Workshop – June 25th and 26th, 2015

Ttransition Your Practice to the Next Opportunity!

Join us in sunny Del Mar, CA on June 25-26, 2015 for a producer meeting packed with marketing ideas and concept training! Discover new ways to uncover sales opportunities and earn referrals.

We make it easy; your hotel and meal costs are paid for by ISN.

Don’t miss this 1 1/2 day session as we explore strategies to help you earn new income and build your practice!

• LinkedIn Power – Learn the best way to market via LinkedIn
• Advisor2Advisor CPA Referral System – Turn Key program links you to CPA’s
• Drip Marketing Made Easy – On-line Newsletter system with Analytics
• Question Based Selling – Learn to ask the right question to create opportunities
• Role play– Training in small group setting, customized to advisor needs – your participation is key to your success!