Establishing an Effective Telesales Training Program

Techniques for a successful telesales training outcome
By Denise Clancey, President Teledirect Partners Effective training is a key component to successfully selling via telephone.  The telephone sales representative has to combine telephone techniques, rapport skills, and sales skills in order to be successful selling to prospects and servicing customers.  

There are many companies and consultants who specialize in sales training, not all have expertise in telesales training.  Be sure to select a provider who combines sales training expertise with a proven telesales training program and a successful track record training telesales representatives.

Look for the right training match for your business

Before engaging a trainer, be sure the training company’s customers match your company. Has the trainer trained companies that (1) target the same markets and industries? (2) sell to the same sized customers? (3) target the same decision makers?
Try:  Search the internet for 'telesales training' and 'telemarketing training' to create your list of prospects.  Or you can search the members database of the American Teleservices Association.

Make it repeatable

The best telesales training programs are those that offer training in modules, allowing you to deliver the training and then follow up with training in key focus areas. Be sure to select a program that is easy to deliver frequently, either by engaging an outside trainer or by purchasing access to modules that you can use as needed.
Try:  Phone Pro offers expert inhouse training and 'Train the Trainer'.  Business by Phone offers custom training, public seminars, and training cds & books.

Prepare in advance to reinforce the skills and techniques

Before the training starts, commit to reinforcing the telesales skills and techniques. Review this requirement with the trainer you select and establish a reinforcement and retraining plan before the training starts. The best way to do this is to establish a consistent schedule and make it fun.
Try:  I recommend The Big Book of Sales Games by Peggy Carlaw and Vasudha K. Deming.

• Engage your managers and supervisors. A management team that actively participates in the training is one that is better able to reinforce the techniques.
• Consider investing in ‘Train the Trainer’. Often this investment allows you to save money over the long run.
• Set aside time each month to reinforce one skill. If your team is new, you may want to schedule one skill per week.
• Engage your best telesales reps in the training. Provide an opportunity at staff meetings for your star performers to share their best tips and techniques.