I have to rant a little today:

I was thinking of my time at Xerox and all the sensational sales training they provided when a thought came to me about the previous video post.

How technology has changed.

If you watched the video you will no doubt have been stunned at the physical size of that Xerox Duplicator. Well do you know technology has advanced in sales training too. I was looking at some early Xerox Sales Training called P.S.S. (Professional Selling Skills). It is now totally outdated, while some aspects may be still of value most is old hat.

Believe it or not many organizations who provide sales training today are still using most of the same principles.

However I believe they are wrong, they are on the wrong track. P.S.S. Advocated a number of skills as follows:

Closing

Proving

Supporting

IBS (Initial benefit statement)

Probing

Handling Objections

Well in my opinion most of this was whitewashed by Neil Rackham when he produced a report covering reasons why the top performers in the company were a cut above the rest.

While they may have displayed some of the behavior that can slot into P.S.S. somewhere, Neil uncovered a pattern completely different than  being taught.

Huthwaite research found if the correct questions were put to customers, they did not have objections.

It is impossible to open a sales call with an “initial benefit statement” (ibs) because we do not know at that time what benefits a customer is looking for.

There is also no such thing as a trial close even though this is all over the net in most Sales Training forums!
I state under my name that my thinking is controversial, however when it comes to making major sales I am not the only one thinking this way.

Most salespeople, their sales managers and trainers are still getting it all wrong.

That is a good enough reason to keep up with technology, and current advancements in training techniques. It is also a good reason for me to continue ranting and hopefully a company, salesperson or sales manager will earn extra income through an idea they will find buried somewhere on this blog. I also highly recommend the book “Spin Selling” for any organization or person making major sales.

Good selling to you all.