Online Sales Training News – April 2014 Roundup – RolePlayPRO

Here are the training pieces we didn’t want you to miss from April 2014!

1. How Poor Funnel Structures Defeat Sales Coaching, Reduce Sales

This article uses hypothetical companies A and B to compare different sales funnels to determine which one leads to success and which one fails.  Company A uses the common sales funnel approach while the company B uses a funnel based on the consumer’s buying process. The second funnel is more successful because the first approach doesn’t allow for mistakes or slower progress within the buying process. The problems cause by company A’s funnel leads to the inability to measure the success of sales calls based on consumer actions. Sales people and customers have different views, so the conventional sales funnel doesn’t accurately measure the effectiveness of the funnel. The articles describes further why the second funnel allows for a more accurate metric of success and the process to make it successful.

Regardless of the situation, sales should always be about the product or service matching the consumer’s needs. Any sales strategy that is implemented must be consumer centric, so it’s important to emphasize in any sales training that everything ties back to the consumer. Sometimes it doesn’t matter how great the training program is because in the end, it’s about the people buying your product or service. Your sales funnel must take consumers into account.

2. Richard Branson on How to Train Your Employees 

Richard Branson is an entrepreneur and sometimes writes columns based on questions submitted by readers. The question he answered in this article pertains to training people in small companies and how to best engage them. Branson eases into the question by first discussing the importance of learning and hiring people who share similar values as the company. According to the article, organizations should train employees to grow in their careers because this is how they remain engaged. If employees become disinterested, it will affect production –  meaning the company has to deal with not only unsatisfied customers, but also unsatisfied employees. The articles then goes on to explain the types of people who are attracted to small and/or startup companies and the advantages associated with small organizations.

This article is a great read not just for small businesses. Much of what the author mentions about company culture and creating an opportunistic work environment applies to any organization, regardless of the size. It also discusses the importance for an organization to be smart about its training plans, considering alternatives and adapting to new tools and opportunities.

3. Three Must-learn Lessons for Training Teams

This article goes over three lessons training teams should abide by when forming training teams. One of the key points is to gather opinion leaders and to advocate instead of just announcing information. When other people share news, more people get involved. Making announcements is good initially, but it’s forgettable. Through the use of key influencers within the organization, information is more likely to reach people since their voice matters. The second key is to make note of even the smallest achievements. Using previous victories can lead to bigger wins down the line. Capture people’s reactions and use it to provide a testimonial to attract others to attend future training events. Lastly, ask for content from users. This allows employees to contribute and participate, increasing engagement.

Through this article, one can see that training is all about the people. All three lessons tie back to the employees being trained. Organizations must reach out to trainees and get them involved. When employees are engaged, they will be more attentive, making the training more effective.

4. Engaging Your Team via On-site Training

Corporate training has gained momentum as companies begin to spend more money due to the economic recovery and skills gap that companies must address. According to the article, getting employees excited for training is difficult because many see it as a waste of time. This article provides tips on how to make training more enjoyable and more relevant in addition to rewarding participates to increase engagement.

The author provides great insights as he thoroughly discusses the three tips provided. He mentions the importance of versatility and the significance in using new technologies to make training better. Another point of discussion is breaking the training down to groups in order to effectively customize training toward specific people. Lastly, the author discusses the effectiveness of rewarding participants. Anyone looking to implement or improve their training program should read the end of this article where the author provides a blueprint of an organization’s training program. Using this example, an organization can adjust or begin creating its own training program.

5. What Have You Trained Your Hiring Managers to Value?

This article is geared toward training hiring managers and the importance of understanding what is valued. The author mentions three different scenarios where a hiring manager might have certain biases that could affect the hiring process. One scenario is about perfectionists versus people who get work done despite imperfect situations. The article debates which one is better based on certain values. The two other topics are about biases toward “truth-telling” and those who overcome adversity. The author contemplates those topics while addressing the importance of understanding what one should value to make the best hiring decision.

This article addresses training elements in that it’s not always about formal training. Sometimes, behaviors stem from habits, so it is important to address those actions consistently. Training does not always consist of a formal session or a company retreat, sometimes informal training can do the trick. Continuous feedback and communication can be thought of as training because it allows certain skills and behaviors to develop over time. Additionally, HR must be trained on understanding the organizational values because every task affects the organization.

6. Diagnostics. The Lost Skill of a Training Leader

It’s vital for organization to be strategic because it often leads to results. This article discusses the issue of underutilized training managers. According to the article, training diagnostics is an important role among training professionals, but it’s often an afterthought when it comes to development. Through diagnostics, a training manager can effectively analyze and evaluate how well the organization is performing and its effects on a business. Additionally, recommendations must be given on how to correct or improve solutions based on the problems at hand. The article also mentions the importance of an organization having the ability to conduct effective diagnostics and concludes with the five best practices associated with it.

The significance of this article is addresses the issue of strategic thinking when it comes to utilizing training managers. The five practices the author mentions can be helpful to any organization looking to improve or implement a plan for proper diagnostics. Many training programs use tactical methods, but don’t take the time to strategically think about how certain factors affect the organization. It’s important for the training leaders to have this skill so they can effectively evaluate the training process. Training is vital to any organization because the development of its employees (or lack there of) impacts the success or failure of the organization.

7.  Getting Through to Learners 

Trainees are constantly bombarded with information during training sessions, so this article provides a few tips on how to best get through to employees. The article discusses the brain’s filter and the amount of information it has to sort through in a short period of time. Afterward, the author dives into how information gets filtered. The article uses the analogy of a spam filter because the brain has a system to identify what to keep and what is junk using certain cues. There is still research being done on the cues the brain uses, but researchers have identified some cues that enhance what information gets stored in the brain’s memory: social learning, active learning, connection to existing knowledge and repetition. The article then goes to explain each one in greater depth.

Training can be expensive and is only effective if the trainees retain the information they learned. Understanding the role memory plays in the training process can be vital because if employees don’t remember the information they learned, it wastes time and money. The tips provided by the author are just simple ways people can retain information without having to spend money.