To run a successful small business, you should be good at selling your products and services. Only then will you be able to train your staff to sell effectively.
As a small business owner, you are going to be quite busy with running the business. This makes it even more important for you to quickly train your sales staff to sell to the best of their ability.
Motivate and Communicate
Customers are the lifeblood of any small business. Make sure your salespeople understand this and act accordingly. Many times, sales are lost not because of faulty products and services, but by staff not treating customers with due care and understanding.
You should have regular meetings with your sales staff so that you can get information on any deals in the pipeline and their current status. If it isn't possible to organize in-person meetings, use chat and email to get updates or hold short teleconferences.
Motivate your sales staff with awards or financial incentives, so that they stay focused and interested in the work at hand.
Training Techniques
Mystery shoppers are big these days, and all companies use them. If you can, send in dummy customers to evaluate the response and knowledge of your sales staff. That way, you can re-train them if the need arises – and you can also flush out any non-performers.
Train your staff to be honest in their dealings with customers and to report any errors they make or problems that they encounter during a sale.
If possible, call in industry experts on a regular basis so that the technical knowledge of your sales staff stays up to date.
Follow the above tips and keep an eye on the body language of your sales staff. That will give you an indication whether they are really into selling – or are just waiting for payday.
