Although the internet, video conferencing tools and sales and marketing automation platforms have made it easier (and much easier!) to make sales even to customers hundreds or thousands of kilometers away, close contact between sellers and potential consumers is still one of the most effective ways to guarantee good results and strengthen your company's relationship with your customer base, especially if your product or service requires a more elaborate physical presentation or when experimentation is a decisive factor for purchase. Some products, such as medical equipment or industrial machines, can even be demonstrated remotely through videos, but external sales are a real need for companies that want to offer their products and services face to face.
High-performing salespeople do something the internet can't do: they build trusting relationships, creating loyalty, something that sometimes can only be built eye to eye.
A field salesperson manages new and existing customer relationships in their territory. Unlike an inside salesperson, he meets his potential customers in person, usually by visiting their offices and factories. Occasionally, he also prospects and visits potential buyers at fairs, conferences and other events, taking advantage of these calendars to ensure more consistent results. External sellers tend to have longer and more complex sales processes and, as they travel frequently, their days are not regular and their work and communication tools include various mobile devices, such as tablets and smartphones.
Therefore, courses and training that can be accessed remotely are a strategy that should not be ignored. Corporate training aimed at developing external salespeople must:
- Develop the perception of your students so that they have a comprehensive view of the operations of their clients and the industry and its segments as a whole;
- Empower them to identify market opportunities and challenges. Internal problems or "pain points" within the client's company can be exploited to win new business, for example;
- Listen to customer desires and needs to improve performance.
Courses must develop external salespeople's skills and search for new skills that can strengthen the company's sales performance.
The successful salesperson is a hybrid between an account manager and a new business development specialist. Therefore, in applied training it is crucial to ensure that it performs better to:
- Deal with objections and questions common to complex sales;
- Generate instant credibility, perceived value and interest in new contacts;
- Lead the client's thinking and control the direction of negotiations;
- Influence buyers’ decision-making;
- Invest in the growth of existing relationships and ensure customer loyalty.
Attitude is the perspective salespeople have about the world and themselves, while behavior is how they actually act. To be an ogreat seller, it is necessary to use the correct attitudes and behaviors in an integrated way.
How to promote training for external sellers
Every salesperson, unless they are new, has a basic understanding of sales mechanics. And even the most experienced salespeople, when hired, need to know a lot about products, services and how your company's specific sales process works.
In the case of external sellers, it is I need lanMake use of mobile technology to keep up with the pace of work outside the company. Even so that courses can be accessed on demand and remotely, ensuring continuous learning and connected with the practical reality of its professionals.
Consider using a Learning Management System (Learning Management System, or LMS) which provides online sales training and support materials. Also make a list of partner suppliers/brands that will help you achieve your business goals.
The LMS is a strategic investment that will help drive sales growth so your team can reach its full potential.
To develop courses, it is necessary to define resources and tools that will be needed to carry out the training. Having a clear set of business objectives, identifying the activities and tasks and what steps will be taken to achieve these objectives is essential for measuring return on investment (ROI).
Assessment testsor alsoare important, as they will help to understand how much the team is really learning, while the definitionthat of mPerformance metrics are essential for monitoring and tracking productivity levels and the results obtained through training.
Below are some guidelines for training external salespeople:
Product Knowledge: To be effective, salespeople must perfectly understand the product or service they are selling, in addition to being able to explain in detail how it works and also be clear about the reasons that attract ideal customers to their company.
Prospecting Strategieso: reactivate old clients or seek referrals through existing connections with potential new clients. Seek partnerships to have access to customer lists from other companies that are in line with what the seller offers to the market.
Constructionthat of Rapport: Some outside salespeople have a natural ability to create an instant rapport with a potential customer. Others can learn to research ahead of time and find common ground to empathize with others. These are the salespeople who can sell even to college or club colleagues.
Notifyhereo: It's not a matter of speaking well, but of being polite and persuasive without being perceived as inconvenient or disrespectful. In sales, “how” we talk is more important than “what” we talk about.
Active listening: Most outside salespeople are comfortable talking to potential customers, but they may have trouble listening. Most people appreciate a good listener—a salesperson who asks questions to learn more about the buyer's business can offer solutions. and become a valued ally for the customer
It is important to highlight that not only new team members will need external sales training. Whenever you add a new product or service, your salespeople will need to know about it. Another important point is periodically introduce new features into the training of your professionals, so that they can maintain their interest in learning new sales skills and improving existing skills.
Internal or external instructor to carry out online courses?
There are pros and cons when choosing a course instructor, even if it is on a platform for remote access (online). Instructors who have been with the organization for a long time may be institutionalized, that is, their ideas may be preconceived or they may be excessively cautious in driving change. In this sense, there is a risk of continuing to “do things the way they have always been done” without leaving room for new suggestions.
An external trainer will be able to bring experience from different organizations, different markets and different disciplines, which is often of great benefit. This way, it will have a greater impact on sellers, as they are seen as experts in the field. However, this can increase training costs.
Well-trained external salespeople generate increased sales and loyalty levels
The sales team should be treated as the company's treasure. Some studies indicate that field salespeople have 22% higher sales than internal salespeople - a face-to-face meeting with the customer strengthens trust, demonstrates the company's credibility and results in much higher purchasing intentions than in virtual sales. Don't spare resources - keep your team motivated and enhance competitiveness and productivity through corporate training aimed especially at your salespeople, ensuring that they realize that they are your company's greatest asset!
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