To the legions of teens who slammed their books and lockers shut just a few weeks ago, the dreaded omens have begun appearing. Yes, back-to-school sales are everywhere warning screenagers who have spent the last 10 weeks binge watching “Riverdale,” perfecting their gaming skills while saving Zelda and the kingdom of Hyrule, and attempting to mimic the fashion style of Forbes-proclaimed “Youngest Self-Made Billionaire” Kylie Jenner while working at Orange Julius – that it’s time to return to the hallowed halls of learning.
But it’s not just the kids who enjoy the lazy days of summer. With so many bosses, supervisors and clients on vacation, parents are also tempted to use their phones for social media updates rather than client calls, streaming “Killing Eve” rather than a webinar, and planning their World of Warcraft strategy before their revenue growth strategy.
Just as the kids must face the dreaded Back-to-School Sales, we propose the adults get Back-to-Sales School. Knowing the answers to the following questions will prepare your business development team to be motivated and focused when their prospects return to their habitats of conference rooms and corner offices with next year’s unspent budgets.
Have you reviewed the curriculum?
Do you have a strategic plan that outline the actions you need to take to be successful?
What courses will you need to take?
Does your sales team have the skills necessary to communicate benefits, overcome objections, and close the sale?
What subjects are you good at?
What products or services do you offer that sets you apart from the competition? If you don’t have any then it’s time buckle down, hit the books and get one or two.
What’s your major?
Who is going to be your target market and why? Do they have a need? Are they underserved? Are they in a position to purchase? Are they likely to be long-term stream of revenue?
What supplies will you need?
Will you need an integrated campaign consisting of public relations, social media, digital advertising, direct mail, print ads, website landing pages, emails or a combination of a few select items?
Are you an A student or a C student?
What assessment or measurement systems do you have in place to track your progress?
Do you need a tutor?
Contact Electrum Branding for strategic planning, sales training, 30 second commercial training, graphic design, integrated marketing, campaign measurement and customer experience measurement.