Become a Sales Trainer
Sales trainers or coaches are hired by sales managers or sales professionals to increase sales numbers. Most sales trainers were once successful sales representatives (reps) themselves and have taken an interest in teaching their strategies. A sales trainer must be outgoing, well-spoken, adaptable and pioneering. Becoming a trainer takes years of experience and planning. The trainer must create a strategy and marketing plan in order to become successful. This article will tell you how to become a sales trainer.
Steps
- Become a salesperson. Unlike sales managers whose management abilities can be more important than top-producing sales, a sales trainer has intimate knowledge of successful sales tactics. No one jumps straight into sales training; they become a sales trainer after 10 or more years of vetting sales strategies and hitting quotas.
- There are sales people in almost every aspect of business. It is a good idea to have experience in both business to business sales, proposal sales, inside sales, outside sales and electronic sales. In order to market yourself to many people's businesses, you will need a plethora of experience.
- Develop an original sales strategy. There are many sales trainers in the world that tout similar sales strategies, but an original sales strategy will give you a leg up on the competition. Spend the last 1 to 2 years of your sales rep experience developing and proving your strategy is conducive to many kinds of business.
- Practice and refine your sales training presentation or course before attempting to be hired. Sales is often a referral-based business, and a bad presentation can hurt your success in the long run.
- Learn to market yourself. Your own public speaking, presentation and marketing materials will get you a sales training job. Invest time and money in a website, brochures, business cards, a blog, email blasts, social networking accounts and resume distribution to help you get started.
- Many sales trainers dole out small amounts of their sales advice in a newsletter format. Others give clients free access to their newsletters when they have signed up for a sales training package. Decide if blogging or newsletter writing is a strength before attempting this route.
- Begin consulting as a sales trainer. Most people do not apply and receive a sales training position immediately. They work with companies on a contract basis and develop a system of referrals.
- Look for a sales job in your company that also includes sales training, if you do not want to be a sales training consultant. Sales training jobs for specific products are often chosen from inside a company. Let your company know that you would like to move into this capacity. You will have the opportunity to develop your skills on the job.
- Network with sales executives. Use your contacts from years of sales to begin applying for sales training contracts. If those executives are well aware of your years of success, they may be first in line to sign their salespeople up for a course.
- Read and research all new methods and innovations in the sales field. Reading sales magazines, journals and books will help you to be at the fore-front of sales. Writing about these methods in a blog is 1 way to show perspective employers that you have an original approach.
- Get to know your competition. Read and sign up for other trainers' blogs, newsletters and courses. You cannot tell a prospective employer what you can offer that no one else can unless you are aware of their other options.
- Look for sales training jobs or contracts through Salestrainingjobs.com, Simplyhired.com or other search engines as well as through networking. You will have a large amount of competition, but if you market yourself correctly, you may be asked to interview.
- Refine your interview skills. Tailor each interview to the company that is hiring. Be ready with questions they may have, such as "How is your training material different than other sales trainers'?" or "How has your training material changed in the last 10 years?"
- Be specific with your answers in your interviews. Sales departments can recognize "sales speak," or using a lot of large, umbrella terms without being specific. Use statistics, strategies and examples in your answers.
Tips
- Invite prospective clients to witness a portion of a sales training with another company. However, you may not want to show them the whole course, because they may just take your strategy and present it to their own company.
- Look for sales conventions or conferences where you can be a speaker or sell your consulting services in an exhibition hall. If the cost is reasonable, you may be able to give a pitch to dozens or hundreds of sales manager in a few days.
Warnings
- Beware when making the transition from salesperson to sales trainer. You should leave your sales job on a friendly note to help you keep and work with your sales executive contacts in the future.
Things You'll Need
- Sales strategy
- Sales presentation
- Website
- Blog
- Newsletter
- Sales magazines or books
