Create a Great Sales Training Manual

Your sales representatives are the lifeblood ofyour company, and deserve the best training manuals you can provide.Here are a few tips to get started.

Your sales representatives are the lifeblood ofyour company, and deserve the best training manuals you can provide.Here are a few tips to get you started.

What to Include:

1. A contacts page. When your sales reps are out beating the streets,you never know what kinds of questions they are going to get, or thatthey themselves might have. Make sure, then, that they have access tothe contact information of the members of your team that can answer anysales or product-related questions that may come up during the courseof the day. You might also want to have the contact information of allthe reps there too, so they can share tips with each other.

2. A strategies page. Include a list of proven selling points andmethods in an easy to read and understand format (perhaps color codedand bulleted) so your newer team members can refer to it whenevernecessary. This page can be updated as needed with new products, pressclippings, and testimonials.

3. Plenty of photos and other graphics. Don't simply include photos ofthe products, show them in use by satisfied customers if at allpossible or appropriate. If your products entail any sort of learningcurve, give a down and dirty point by point example of its proper useso your sales force knows what they are dealing with. Get the bestphotographs that you can, and make the images large, clear, andappealing.

4. Competitive Information. It goes without saying that you should beup to speed on what your competition is up to, and your sales forceshould be as up to speed as you are. The better prepared they are withsuch information as pricing stats and the like, the stronger they areable to make their counter pitches.

5. Price Guide. This should be as up to date as possible, naturally.Price increases put added pressure on your sales force, but if theyhave a good understanding of why the increases have taken place, theycan make a stronger argument with their clients. It is fairly unlikelythat you will make unnecessary increases if it is competitivelydangerous to do so, but the more information your reps have, the betterequipped they are to keep their clients.

6. Policies. You don't need to go into as much detail as you would withan employee handbook or something of that nature, but there should beat least a rough outline of what is expected of them, and of you, whilethey are out in the world.

Other Tips:

1. Looks and Functionality. Make the book as easy to follow and read aspossible. Attractiveness counts, too. If you have designers and writerson staff, put them on the case. If not, just do the best you can. Findan example of a manual you like, and imitate it to your heart'scontent.

2. Organization. Make the sections clear and easy for your staff to find. Color coding and tabs are great for this.

3. Binding Style. There are a few options here, such as the tried andtrue 3-ring binder, but a system like the GBS Proclick provides a moreattractive option with both the durability your reps will need, and theability to place new and updated pages in the book when necessary.These machines are inexpensive and easy to use, so it's a great idea tohave one on hand to use whenever you have the need to create or updateyour sales training manuals, reports, or presentations.

Article Tags: Sales Training, Sales Force

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