Question by djfreex: What kind of training should I focus on during slow times in sales & marketing?
Economy is quite slow and sales activity is pretty low. It is a good time to get some training and develop new skills / fix bad habits. What are some good subjects to get trained on that benefited you in sales and marketing jobs?

Not interested in smoke & mirror sales training sessions, time management or leadership. Been there, done that. I am more interested in out of the box ideas.

Best answer:

Answer by JLow
I work in commercial real estate …hope my ideas are applicable to you.

Sales people love when you ask their opinion or ask for their ideas. How about a round table discussion for ideas to bring in new clients/prospects or ask someone that is still producing good numbers to share some insight as to what they are doing. Theywill most likely do it b/c they are in the spotlight (all sales people love that) and at the same time it’s helping you out b/c some of your struggling sales team might get an idea to bring in some new business.

Another idea, if they aren’t busy have a meeting about the “basics”. If they aren’t out winning new business, they need to be fostering relationships that will bring in repeat business. Remind them that the client is the only reason they are there, ask everyone to write 2 hand written notes in the meeting. Pass out blank cards and tell them, one thanking someone for a meeting they’ve gone to within the past week, and another asking someone they’ve met within the past week to meet. It doesn’t have to be a meeting to talk sales, but maybe just to establish a relationship that could bring a sale in the future. It’s all about relationships, drill that into them now, while they can focus on it.

Another idea: talk to your team about putting a new spin on your product/service. Whatever it is you provide, must benefit your client, you must figure out how to benefit the client enough that it out weighs the cost of whatever your service/product is. Sounds like another good round table discussion.

This is the kind of stuff I love, I hope it was helpful/applicable to your team.

What do you think? Answer below!