You’re going on a road trip. Do you A. review the maps step-by-step weeks in advance or B. turn on your GPS when you step in the car?
In today’s digital age, few people travel anywhere without their GPS. The ability to get in-the-moment guidance has become a must-have. But this is exactly how most Sales Kick Off training works and why so many companies struggle to sustain their SKO momentum.
Companies invest millions in SKO, introducing innovative concepts, trainings and themes that are well-designed and well-intentioned; however, too much is lost from the minute they are introduced in the conference room until they are put into action.
The simple fact is by the time sales reps get to the first unexpected change in the path, that mental map isn’t available anymore.
And when it comes to B2B selling, there can be hundreds of unexpected, unplanned turns.
So how do you reinforce and implement the concepts learned in training? How do you put the knowledge, camaraderie, and excitement you built during that one week of SKO to work the other 51 weeks of the year?
Put real-time guided selling into action.
-
Prioritize Accurate Information, Not Gut Feeling.
Habits are hard to break—especially for confident reps. But with large pipelines, and opportunities at various stages, staying on top of every detail and every variable can be a challenge for even the best reps. Not to mention eliminating the happy ears that many reps have. While there is an abundance of data on deals, it’s too often siloed. Take the time and invest in tools that can automate sales activity capture all the data from various tools and systems. That way you get an accurate and complete view of every deal, along with the best path to close.
-
Offer In-the-Moment Coaching.
One of the most useful things about GPS apps is that they provide real-time information: Perhaps there’s a sudden detour with a new influencer. Maybe there’s a shortcut that could help save time or other resources. Guided Selling can help sales reps find this better way with in-the-moment, recommended actions that change as the situation does.
-
Deliver the Information Reps Need at the Right Time.
SKO offers a veritable encyclopedia of sales knowledge—and often that’s the problem. How do you access all the wealth of content in your sales playbook in a way that makes it relevant and digestible? With a tool like Olono, sales reps don’t have to rack their brains and sift through everything they learned A-Z to find the specific tip or method that will serve them best. Instead, when their deal reaches Stage 3 they are immediately alerted that it’s time to schedule the ROI workshop. Even better, that alert includes the agenda for the workshop, the template email to share with attendees and the calendar for the subject matter expert. Reps can quickly take action and keep the deal on track.
-
Learn by Doing.
SKO doesn’t have to be a one-time crash course in sales: it can be the gateway to continuous, hands-on learning. Use technology to integrate the concepts first introduced during SKO into sales reps’ daily routines—putting what they need at their fingertips in a way that not only makes the deal easier to close but also improves their recall and understanding of what techniques worked best in a given situation. That personal experience will lead to even more success in the future.
SKO is a big investment and delivers tremendous value when the practices are reinforced. With an AI assistant, like Olono, your reps will take the Actions you introduced at SKO, and use them to navigate their pipeline. They’ll be well on the path to close, quickly weaving through the roadblocks, traffic and unplanned stops—ready to tackle the new FY adventures.