Sales Prospecting Perspectives

Why Inside Sales Rep Training Should Never Stop

  

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Sales Prospecting Perspectives in pleased to bring you another guest post from one of our newer BDRs, Kim Staib.

It has been mentioned countless times in various blog entries how everyone here at AG strives to create an environment conducive to success.  Achieving success starts with a training program designed to get new hires up and running and ready to uncover leads in 5 business days.  This may seem like a short amount of time but the great thing about AG is that although that first week is over the training really never stops.

I can only assume not only from my own previous experiences but also in discussing this topic with “non AG-ers,” that having to participate in a performance review or some kind of assessment of the job your doing can be a stress and anxiety inducing experience. 

Late last week Pete Gracey (President and COO) sent out an email to all the inside sales reps offering up two hour long training sessions where he would listen in on some dials and then give feedback and advice not only on area’s in which the rep could improve but also commend them on things they did well.  An outsider might be surprised to know that multiple BDR’s jumped at the chance to have “the big boss” listen in on their calls.  Not exactly the stress and anxiety inducing experience one would assume.

In the business of cold calling we are all aware that it usually involves saying the same thing or at least a version of the same “shtick” over and over again.  If an inside sales rep has been on a project for a number of months, having a fresh set of ears listen to your voice mails or how you prospect someone live can bring a fresh perspective to your messaging and current strategies.  Having personally experienced a training session with Pete I see the value in it and better yet I don’t see it as a bad or intimidating thing.

Walking around the offices at AG you can spot Manager and DCO’s listening in on calls and training with BDR’s veteran and new, or witness some “cross-training” where BDR’s on the same project listen in on each others calls to incorporate a different style into their prospecting.  Creating this environment is so important because exchanging strategies or asking for help whether it’s being solicited from fellow BDR’s, Managers, Directors or even the COO himself makes great and successful BDR’s.