Many people look at sales training and CRM as two separate functions that operate independently of one another. Would it surprise you to hear that they actually complement one another. Your CRM strategy should always consider combining sales training and CRM for maximum benefit.
The goal of sales training is to teach the skills and habits necessary for the success of your company. CRM helps embed the process that determines how a company interacts with its customers. It involves identifying what needs to be done to win and retain customers, when this needs to be done, and how information can be tracked and utilized to increase the effectiveness of client relationships. As such, teaching sales personnel key pitches and techniques to close a deal is simply not enough. To be successful, companies need to supplement their sales training with solid CRM processes that support the key sales messages and subsequently improve the bottom line.
So what steps can you take to combine sales training and CRM
The first element is to clearly define your sales process.
For effective sales training and CRM implementation, you need a clearly defined the sales process. Many companies do not actually have a published sales process, yet they have a CRM product. How is that possible?
Many people do not fully understand the work involved in implementing a successful CRM approach. People mistakenly believe that simply purchasing a CRM product is all that is needed to manage their sales methodology. This could not be further from the truth. CRM tracks events; in itself, it is not methodology. One way to recognize that there is confusion within your own organization is if the CRM product you invested so much money in is not actually being used.
Many CEOs have wasted money on expensive CRM products that have failed to deliver any real results. Why was the expenditure a complete waste of money? Because they began implementing CRM before they actually developed a sales process. If everyone in the company has a slightly different approach to selling, CRM cannot possibly help your business in any way. If employees are not all doing the same thing, the CRM product is incapable of measuring success because every outcome is potentially different. As such, many employees perceive CRM processes to be a complete waste of time because they don’t appear to aid the sales process. To be successful and effective, the CRM function must always aid the sales process.
Sales training and CRM needs to be specific and targeted.
All sales training needs to be very specific and targeted to an agreed-upon set of objectives to which you train and coach. It may sound simple, but if you’re going to make sales training and CRM work together, you need to have a predetermined process. Following this, you must train and coach to that process. Many companies design courses that educate their sales personnel on minute details that don’t have much impact on the bottom line. Successful companies recognize that their training courses need to identify what success looks like, and help their employees identify the individual steps needed to reach the end target. For example, if you have three major “gates” in your sales process, you should train your staff how to be as effective as possible in Gate One before progressing to Gate Two. You should coach, train, and role-play the activities that are crucial in each of the steps, and they should become the daily routine in your sales department.
ProAptivity can help with sales training and CRM
ProAptivity are an independent CRM solutions provider with over 30 years experience in helping clients successfully onboard user-customisable CRM solutions. We focus on the implementation, training, and support of highly customised CRM software solutions. Our CRM software supported by our training provide customers with the tools needed to deliver successful business process management. We work closely with Beckinridge to deliver the skills needed regarding sales training and CRM onboarding.
Fundamentally, we help organisations embed CRM best practice throughout their organisation. This helps organisations become more competitive, customer focused and ultimately more profitable.
If you need help in understanding why my business needs CRM, maybe some of our video’s or eBooks could help! Alternatively visit Maximizer CRM for more information. You can contact us today on 0330 223 6362 or via email at info@proaptivity.com. Contact us today for a free CRM consultation that will assess if your business is CRM ready.
