Industry-specific training
Without proper training, your inside sales team will never be able to succeed. Many agencies are apprehensive about implementing an extensive training program, but the truth is that it will dictate your teams’ success. “A three-month training program is a huge investment, but it’s well worth it,” said John Kuehn, regional manager at Zywave.
What should be included in this training program? First off – industry specific training. You cannot assume that your newest producers have an inside knowledge of the insurance industry. Laying down the foundation for this knowledge is essential. Your producers cannot sell what they do not know. Whether you assign a training team to implement this, or have an appointed director of sales training, this foundation is absolutely necessary.
Understanding the “selling story”
It is also important for your inside sales team to understand your agency’s “selling story.” This starts with spending time with the tools and documents that your agency offers. Not only knowing how to use them yourself, but also how to offer them to your clients.
Trailing a seasoned producer is a productive way for your new hires to see how your tools and documents can be offered to clients. This is also a way for your inside sales team to embrace a mentoring relationship during the training process – another crucial step. This includes sitting in on sales calls and meetings and having the opportunity to ask the seasoned producer position-specific questions.
Mock demos
Another crucial step in this process is through the implementation of mock demonstrations. Engaging your entire sales team in mock demos stimulates an environment of constructive criticism and continued improvement. “Mock demos bring in best practices, and with a set of ground rules and a balance between team and individual strength, they really work,” said John. Mock demos are a great way to increase your producer’s selling confidence, boost sales and create a little healthy competition in the workplace – before you send them out in front of clients and prospects.
Because your producers will be making a wide variety of calls, ranging from cold calling to renewals, to follow-ups, it is important that they are prepared for these situations of varying duration and intent. How? Implement your mocks as a sequence, suggests Spencer Bewer, account executive at Zywave. Building on each presentation will help better prepare your producers for each of their sales calls. A sequence of key mocks could include:
- 30-second selling speech of the product(s)
- Overcoming an objection
- Key values of each of your products/services
- Prospecting call
- Follow-up call
As the producer goes through these individual steps, they are not only building on their skills, they are getting a valuable first-hand experience as well. Both of which will contribute to their foundation as a producer.
Every agency is different, and so is every producer. Because of this, finding a balance to fit your agency’s needs is the first step to the successful implementation of an inside sales team. Create your own environment to stimulate learning. Use building blocks. Embrace constructive criticism.
This is part two in a five-part series on building a successful inside sales team.
© Copyright 2009 Zywave, Inc.