What is common between Banks, Telco providers and Waste Management companies?

Hi

I often hear statements like ” Our industry is different, we deal with XXX customers and the sales trainer has to know the industry” , or ” the sales trainer must have worked in YYY environment for years”. I understand the concern but I beg to differ, and here is the reason:

• Irrespective of your specific industry, customers share the same desire to: 1) have their problems solved, 2) have their goals achieved and if possible 3) capture business opportunities that they are not aware of.
• Banks want to reach more customers, and to increase the wallet share of existing ones. Telco providers, Waste Management, Real Estate, etc.. they all share the same objectives; reach new customers and sell more of their products to existing ones.
• To do that they all develop or acquire products, add their value (create a value proposition), then start a series of sales activities that end up with their products reaching the hands of their potential buyers:

1. They all start by identifying sources of prospects, where to find people with similar wants and needs that can be satisfied by their products.
2. They “filter” these people by identifying 1) if they have enough money to buy their products, 2) the volume they can/will by, 3) if the person they talk to is indeed the one in charge and can take the decision, 4)is there an urgent need for their products and finally 5) when will the purchase take place?
3. After that Banks, Telco providers or Waste Management companies work to establish an initial meeting with the  most appropriate person in the prospect organization to help make the sale go through.
4. They all share the same follow on sales activity which is “Needs  Analysis” , to know exactly what problem to help solve, what goal to help achieve,  and what opportunity the prospect had missed to achieve more benefits.

The sales activities continue by designing a solution, demonstrating your product, submitting a quotation, etc.. which is the subject of Quota sales performance system training that we conduct through our distribution channels worldwide (www,quotasystem.ca).

As you see the objectives are the same no matter what kind of business you perform. All sales persons need to develop  the knowledge and skill to perform the stages of the sales process without any bias to the industry knowledge they have.

This is seen in sports training where athletes train “core muscles” irrespective of the sport they play, Table Tennis players, Golfers, Volley Ball ,etc.. they all strengthen a set of muscles which are considered core muscles, then they perform other specific exercises and activities pertinent to the sport they play.

I personally consider Quota sales training as the core training any sales person should attend no matter what his industry is.