In this issue, we talk about using sales competency models to increase sales success. I look forward to your comments.

 
 Rick Erling
(972) 727-6880
 

Develop Sales Competency Models To Increase Sales Success

by Paul DiModica
 

Most companies spend little or no money on sales training and even less money on sales strategy development. Most growth-directed firms talk about having a planned sales training program but this is more of a verbal commitment than an action commitment.

Yet there is a direct linkage between sales team knowledge and corporate revenue growth.

One way management teams can maximize their investments in sales training and sales strategy development (outsourced or insourced) is to link sales team training to sales account manager competency models that management can qualify and measure.

But the development of a sales team competency model has strategic and operational impediments that must be managed to make it successful.

Sales Training Competency Model Example

Sales Team Success Requirements
 

 

10 Sales Competency Setup Considerations

1. Salespeople often think sales is an art, not a science, and don't like to be measured.
    
2. Your sales competency model must include both soft and hard skills training to make it effective.
    
3. Sales management teams must focus on the competency requirements to make it work and it must be a hands-on approach.
    
4. You must be able to quantitatively measure the competencies (cold calls, appointments, sales scorecards, etc.).
    
5. Competency sales training programs must be continuous training and educational events, not a one-time event or else the program will not achieve success.
    
6. The steps of your competency program must be very specific and delineated to make sure it can be delivered and measured.
    
7. Your sales team must agree that the competencies you are measuring truly help them sell more. (They don't have to like doing it, just agree that they are required action steps to achieve success and sell more.)
    
8. When implementing your sales competencies audits, the certification should be both written and experientially measured to get an accurate reading of the sales candidate's capabilities.
    
9. All sales competency certification candidates should have the ability to retest to confirm skills growth.
    
10. Sales competency assessments should never be used solely as a management scorecard tool to make employment decisions about sales associates.

To increase your company success, revenues and sales training success, build and deliver sales competency models.

"A salesperson who covers his chair instead of his territory will always be a poor performer." Anonymous

Top-performing organizations are increasing their companies' success and revenue, within a constricted economy by investing in business growth acceleration strategies. For more on increasing your revenue capture effectiveness, subscribe to my Email Newsletter, follow me on Twitter, connect to me on LinkedIn, or friend me on Facebook. If I can help you or your firms revenue growth acceleration strategies, check out my coaching and consulting firm, Business Growth U.S., The CxO Group company, email me, or call me at (972) 727-6880.