Course Description
Traditional selling and marketing, with its focus on getting new business, is giving way more and more to a modern style of selling. Modern companies are recognizing the long-term benefits of gaining repeat business through building and maintaining relationships with their customers. Because of this, salespeople are becoming the goodwill ambassadors for their company or brand, the face that represents the values, quality, and reliability of the company. The good news is that you don’t need to have a background in sales to be successful in this new environment. The most effective salespeople will be those who are able to engage in genuine, honest interactions with their customers, learning how to listen and find solutions to satisfy and meet the customers’ needs.
These lessons on The Sales Planning Process will cover how to set specific goals for you and your sales team based on solid information and research, the importance of having the resources to back up the goals, and the best goals to ensure motivation and healthy competition. This course will also delve into evaluating your competitors through a competitive analysis and explain why it’s vital to include both your direct and indirect competition in this analysis, so you can effectively show how your product better fits your prospects’ needs.
What You'll Learn
- Define SMART goals and apply them to set and achieve specific sales goals
- Apply best practices for setting team sales goals
- Identify your direct and indirect competitors
- Evaluate your competition by performing a competitive analysis
- Use solid information and research to set goals for yourself and your sales team
Key Takeaways
- Modern selling emphasizes long-term customer relationships and repeat business over a sole focus on winning new business.
- Salespeople act as goodwill ambassadors representing their company's values, quality, and reliability.
- A sales background is not required to succeed; effective salespeople engage in genuine, honest interactions, listen, and find solutions that meet customers' needs.
- Setting specific sales goals should be based on solid information and research, backed by adequate resources, and structured to drive motivation and healthy competition.
- Competitive analysis should include both direct and indirect competition so you can show how your product better fits your prospects' needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this course cover?
The Sales Planning Process covers how to set specific sales goals based on solid information and research, the importance of having resources to back up goals, setting goals that drive motivation and healthy competition, and evaluating competitors through a competitive analysis that includes both direct and indirect competition. Lessons include Setting Goals, Identifying Competitors, and a Test Your Knowledge section.
Do I need a sales background to take this course?
No. The course states you don't need a background in sales to be successful in this modern selling environment; the most effective salespeople are those who can engage in genuine, honest interactions, listen, and find solutions to meet customers' needs.
What skills will I gain?
You will gain skills in competitive analysis and in using SMART objectives to set and achieve specific sales goals.
Why does the course emphasize relationships with customers?
Because modern companies recognize the long-term benefits of gaining repeat business through building and maintaining relationships, making salespeople the goodwill ambassadors who represent the values, quality, and reliability of their company or brand.
