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The Most Effective Ways to Train New Sales Reps

The Most Effective Ways to Train New Sales RepsRegardless of the industry you’re in, when you bring new salespeople on board it’s important to have a strong training program in place. This helps new team members to get acclimated, and also gives them the tools they need to succeed when they head out to land new clients. Here are some of the most effective ways to train your new sales reps:

Start with the basics

While you may be tempted to get a rep out on calls immediately, first you’ll want to lay a strong foundation for them. This includes explaining how things work within the company. They have to know the details of the business they work for before they begin to sell this company to others effectively. Make sure they know all of the information necessary about the product they’re selling, and that they understand how processes work when a customer buys a product from that business. It may seem silly, but if your seller is confused, they won’t be able to explain the information clearly to a client and may lose a sale because of it.

Get them a mentor

Selling for a company can be overwhelming when you’re new, so make the process easier by setting your newbies up with a mentor. The more experienced rep can show your new hire the ropes and answer any questions they may have. A mentoring program makes the transition easier for new hires.

Celebrate accomplishments

When you’re in sales, days move quickly. You’re on the go and balancing a lot. But don’t forget to celebrate accomplishments, particularly those made by new team members. This kind of encouragement is highly important in a field that’s known for rejection, particularly for people who are just getting started. Take the time to send out a group e-mail to your team applauding someone’s good work, or offer words of praise directly to the employee face-to-face. The gestures are small, but they can make a big difference.

Lastly, don’t forget to check in with your team members regularly. When people are out in the field every day, it can become easy to feel disconnected. Without regular check-ins, small problems can become bigger and miscommunications can happen easily. Schedule weekly appointments with each of your sellers and do your best to keep these meetings, regardless of how busy everyone gets. They help to keep everyone on the same page and focused on the same goals.

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Lauren Levine

Lauren Levine is a copywriter/blogger who contributes to a number of magazines and websites including The Frisky, USA Today, and others. She also authors her own blog called Life with Lauren. She loves cooking, anything on the E! network, and is trying to convince herself that running isn't so bad.