The most successful sales people, and people in general, are those that never stop learning. That’s truer now than it has ever been as technology and communication changes industries and work environments at a rapid pace. Unfortunately, as we gain experience, we often delude ourselves into believing that we’ve seen it all before and that opportunities for development are less frequent. Successful sales professionals are the ones that proactively seek out learning opportunities to continue their professional growth and keep their skills sharp.
2U, Inc. recently announced that they were partnering with the Harvard Business Analytics Program and are welcoming their inaugural class. The program provides students with data and analytics skills necessary to drive measurable impact in their business and organization. But what really struck me about the program is that it was specifically designed for experienced, working professionals, including those who already possess an MBA or advanced business degree. Those kinds of credentials can mire a professional in complacency but it’s commendable that this inaugural group is actively continuing their learning and skill development.
Continuous learning is so important because adults don’t learn the way most think they do. Exposure does not equate to learning. Just because your sales team is exposed to facts, does not mean that they will learn or become more knowledgeable. Memorization is not equivalent to understanding, and it doesn’t breed growth. There has to be a natural progression from acquiring knowledge, to the application of that knowledge, skill development, and adopting new habits. That progression is largely driven by the individual’s willingness to engage in learning programs and processes. Once you develop a method to ensure that this progression is adopted amongst your team, you will be better equipped to help your team learn and grow, and you will see a gradual increase in performance.
It’s important for companies to create and maintain a learning culture that encourages their team to try new methods and experience different results, in order to create sustainable changes. By creating an environment that fosters ongoing training (or learning) and reinforcement, it will help your sales team become more productive and efficient.
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Social media and online marketing have quickly become the gold standard for prospecting. Ninety percent of top performing salespeople utilize social media as part of their approach. |
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