Training and coaching are a big part of a sales manager’s job. They are responsible for making sure their staff are in the best position to succeed. In order to do that, there are some things that can help.

There are four areas where salespeople need training:

• Sales Techniques

• Product Knowledge

• Operational Knowledge

• Customer Service

Every salesperson should be trained in sales techniques that will help them become better at their jobs. That training should be intense and comprehensive including everything from questions to ask, how to demonstrate merchandise, how to add-on, closing techniques, overcoming objections and business and non-business conversations. Along with those things that are common to any salesperson, they should also be trained on to sell themselves and the company. A salesperson cannot sell a product if they do not know everything about it and that needs to be a part of the training as well. A sales manager must make sure their salespeople are trained on the current product lines and more importantly, trained on how to stay up to date on ever changing product lines. They cannot answer customers’ questions if they do not know the products inside and out.

While there are many aspects of sales that are the same from business to business, the operations are unique to each. A professional salesperson needs to be trained on how the invoice system works, how the layaway program works, and the different warranties. For example, if a salesperson does not know how a product is delivered after the sale, then overcoming all the objections in the world is not going to matter.

You can know and do all the above to the best of your ability, but if your salespeople are not providing great customer service, then it all goes for not. It’s vital that the sales manager ensures that all their people understand the customer service standards, and what it takes to meet them.

Take the time to go over all your customer service standards in detail, role play to help your salespeople improve and offer advice on how they can get better. The customer service standards should always be a non-negotiable expectation.

A big part of being a sales manager involves coaching, and helping their sales team get better. Pushing them to be the best they can be and making sure they never let up, even when they get to the top.

FINAO - Brad Huisken