Sales Training, B2B Sales Tips & Industrial Sales Myths

Industrial Sales Effectiveness is Built on Rigor and Technique

sales-stips-for-industrial-manufacturing-companies-derek-baer-on-sales-training-and-baseline-selling

For years, companies like IBM and Xerox invested massively in sales training. Year-long introductory training programs were expensive and effective. That set the tone for much of the B2B world - sales training was as natural and expected as having a shipping and receiving department.

That changed.

And today, countless misconceptions, myths, lies and misunderstandings limit companies' ability to drive consistent organic sales growth.

Want to understand the potential impact of great sales training? Connect with Derek.

Meet Derek |

Understanding the Industrial Sales Force with Derek Baer

Show Transcript

Episode Recap

Summary

capital-equipment-sales-tips-for-predictable-results-derek-baer

In this episode of the Industrial Growth Institute podcast, Ed Marsh and Derek Baer engage in a dynamic conversation about various aspects of sales, including the importance of tracking quotes, the compatibility of salespeople with complex B2B sales, and the qualities that make a great sales rep.

They discuss the role of sales decks (worthless crutches), the significance of accelerators in compensation plans, and how to manage underperformers within sales teams. The conversation emphasizes the need for continuous improvement and investment in sales skills, drawing parallels between sales and other professional pursuits. Topics include:

the importance of tracking quotes
the compatibility of salespeople with complex B2B sales
qualities that make a great sales rep
role of sales decks
significance of accelerators in compensation plans
how to manage underperformers and disrupters within sales teams.

Takeaways

Companies should track quotes issued to understand resource consumption.
Salespeople incompatible with complex sales often lack desire or confidence.
Great sales reps are coachable and willing to learn from failure.
Industry knowledge is important, but not as crucial as sales skills.
Sales decks can be a crutch for weak salespeople.
Accelerators in comp plans incentivize high performance.
Underperformers can negatively impact team morale and performance.
Sales reps need to handle rejection and maintain confidence.
Investing in sales training is essential for long-term success.
Sales karma affects how prospects perceive salespeople.

Takeaway Quote from Derek Baer

"Sales training is crucial for success."

Outline

00:00 Introduction to Sales Metrics and Tracking Quotes
09:04 The Compatibility of Salespeople in Complex B2B Sales
15:56 Defining Traits of a Great Sales Rep
23:24 The Role of Pitch Decks in Sales
27:29 Understanding Sales Accelerators and Compensation Plans
29:53 Explaining Sales Compensation to the Team
32:42 Managing Underperformers in Sales Teams
35:45 The Impact of Team Dynamics on Performance
41:19 Investing in Sales Skills for Long-Term Success

What is your resistance to sales training costing your company?

You may assume that sales reps simply refine and improve their craft by virtue of OJT. That's wrong.

Investing in sales training is a critical business decision (as is selecting the right trainer!)

And buyers have changed, making effective, and contemporary training important.

That's what I've outlined in this recent paper.

Is your team selling at decision five?

A 15-minute conversation will tell you where your deals are really won or lost.

BOOK 15 MIN →

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Most complex industrial purchases must clear five separate buying decisions.
Decisions 2 and 3 determine whether a purchase happens at all — and most reps don't know they exist.
Most big-ticket B2B industrial forecasts are fantasies because they ignore those decisions.
Buying teams typically include eight to twelve people.
Reps need business acumen — not just product knowledge — to engage decision-makers early.

Ed Marsh

Ed was going to be an architect because he loved the nexus of engineering and design. That was before was going to be an engineer; before he graduated from Johns Hopkins; before he was an Army Infantry Officer (Airborne Ranger); before he set B2B industrial sales records; before he was partners with a German capital equipment manufacturer; before he founded a distribution/rep company for industrial products in India; until he decided that managing a business and employees wasn’t what he enjoyed. Now that Ed’s got all of that out of his system he runs a consultancy that helps US manufacturing companies grow by applying process excellence to business development – completing the full circle back to an engineering & design combination. His practice is built on a unique methodology which combines powerful digital marketing methodologies (a HubSpot partner) with his extensive international biz dev experience.