Beyond the Basics: Elevating Sales Training with Effective Coaching

Two Tall Guys Talking Sales

In this riveting episode of "Two Tall Guys Talking Sales," hosts Kevin Lawson and Sean O'Shaughnessey explore the often overlooked nuances of effective sales training and coaching. Listen in as they share their seasoned insights on transforming routine sales training into a dynamic tool for substantial growth and success in sales.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The Misconception of Sales Training Returns [00:00:20] Sean questions salespeople's low expectations regarding training, sparking a discussion on the intrinsic value of continuous professional development.

• The Role of Sales Leaders in Training [00:01:00] Kevin emphasizes the critical role of sales leaders in setting the right expectations and fostering an environment conducive to growth, drawing parallels with professional sports training regimes.

• Training vs. Coaching [00:07:05] The conversation pivots to the essential distinction between sales training and coaching, highlighting how each plays a unique role in a salesperson’s career.

• Integration of Training into Routine [00:06:22] Kevin discusses the challenges of integrating training into the normal workflow of sales teams and the importance of practice and repetition.

• The Power of Reinforcement [00:04:05] Sean underscores the necessity of reinforcing training through regular coaching, using the analogy of professional athletes to illustrate his point.

Key Quotes:

• Kevin: "We practice every day for the championship game. We don’t play the championship game every day. It’s about getting that 1 percent edge." [00:01:14]

• Sean: "You forget 80 percent of what you heard after two weeks. It's the coaching after the fact that reinforces the entire attitude and the daily behavior of what you learned in the class." [00:03:40]

Additional Resources:

• MEDDPICCC Sales Methodology - Mentioned multiple times throughout the podcast, this methodology is crucial for understanding customer dynamics and improving sales strategies. You can learn more about MEDDPICCC at https://youtu.be/RBcGmyeBp1I?si=No_0Ob1V4Wch6erI

Summary:

Join Kevin and Sean as they dissect the common pitfalls of sales training and explore effective strategies to make learning stick. They share invaluable advice on how sales leaders can profoundly influence their teams' performance through intentional coaching and robust training frameworks. This episode is a must-listen for sales professionals eager to elevate their game and harness the full potential of their training experiences.

A Significant Actionable Item from this Podcast:

Reflect on your current approach to sales training and coaching. Are you actively ensuring that your team learns new concepts and applies them consistently? Consider adopting a more structured follow-up coaching plan to reinforce new skills and knowledge, enhancing the overall effectiveness of training sessions.

To understand if your company is doing a great job in sales, take this quick and easy 10 question assessment: https://salesxceleration.com/sales-agility-assessment/?locationid=26671639

You can reach out to Sean at New Sales Expert, LLC & Sales Xceleration - [e-mail] - https://www.linkedin.com/in/soshaughnessey/

You can reach out to Kevin at Lighthouse Sales Advisors & Sales Xceleration - [e-mail] - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kwlawson/