Powering operational excellence at scale and enabling smart and connected shopper engagement, the trio pinpointed its key objectives:
- Educate the entire sales team on value selling
- Enhance the coaching capabilities of front-line sales leaders
- Adopt a standard methodology, language, and fluency in value-based conversations
“Our goal was to establish a standardized consultative selling approach that effectively addresses diverse buyer criteria while empowering our leaders to conduct impactful, collaborative sales coaching conversations,” noted the director of global sales effectiveness.
To accomplish this, the leadership team would need to invest in its field reps and managers. Organizations spend time and money on sales training each year, but the training is often a bust.
“We had sales training, but we didn’t build sales skills, the training didn’t stick, and there wasn’t an increase in sales results,” said the global retail training academy leader. “Previous training emphasized products and features, but didn’t teach sellers how to strategically manage their territories, prioritize clients, or attack their lists. We needed to transition sellers from transactional to consultative, embed a common language, and build a strong culture of sales coaching.”
In 2021, the leaders initiated a search. After trimming its list to 15 potential vendors and conducting several interviews, the organization partnered with RAIN Group, a global sales training company, to assist in its learning culture transformation.
The director shared, “It came down to who we trust to shepherd us through this process we had never been through before. Our team and RAIN Group mapped out a three-year focus plan that put us on a good trajectory.”
Solution
With over 330 sellers and 50+ sales leaders in North America, APAC, LATAM, and EMEA, the team and RAIN Group collaborated to create “Raise the Bar,” a value-selling-based program covering modules in RAIN Group’s Consultative Selling and Insight Selling: Advanced Consultative Selling courses.
Topics covered included: making the impact and ROI case, leading a thorough needs discovery, overcoming objections, crafting a value proposition, mastering virtual collaboration, mini-stories that sell, six buyer personas, and more.
Each module entailed pre-work, a classroom session, application assignments, and application coaching. Sales leaders completed application coaching training for each module to ensure sellers refine skills, receive direct feedback, and are held accountable for implementing those skills on-the-job.
“RAIN Group has an innovative learning architecture that allows our sellers to learn new skills, practice them, and get coached immediately. We also translated consultative selling into six different languages to accommodate all participants,” said the learning and enablement specialist.
In addition, sales leaders completed Sales Coaching for Action and Accountability, where they learned how to coach their team for long-term behavior change, productivity, and success. This included a 90-day sales achievement challenge with the team to implement new skills and maximize motivation, focus, and execution.
In the third year, the organization set out to establish a coaching approach and framework for 54 leaders via a 1:1 coaching program. The goal was to close gaps in coaching skills and help leaders develop coaching plans.
“We initially allotted three 1-hour sessions for each territory manager and channel leader. It was so valuable that some people did 5-6 because they wanted more. It wasn’t enough to train the sellers. The lynchpin was the middle-line sales manager piece,” explained the director.
Results
The response has been exceptionally favorable. Participants understand how to turn training into real-life wins.
Since 2022, Raise the Bar has helped achieve the following results:
- 67% increase in the total number of opportunities
- 25% increase in the total value of the pipeline
These indicate sellers are considering more ways to penetrate existing clients and new markets (proactive selling vs. filling orders).
- 71% increase in the total number of opportunities selling two or more products
This indicates sellers are thinking more about solutions vs. products only.
Serving Fortune 500 brands, the team also witnessed tremendous growth in sales leaders around coaching.
“This year, we put a big emphasis on coaching. It was the ‘Ah Ha’ year for many of the leaders as they really embraced the Coaching Plan template and saw how it could help improve their teams,” shared the training academy leader.
- 85% of leaders have implemented a coaching cadence, hosting coaching sessions with their team. Of those, 71% are using the formal Coaching Plan.
“It’s been a successful three-year partnership with RAIN Group, full of positive results, learning, and feedback. We were determined to drive change. Sales skills have improved drastically, and our leaders have embraced coaching. Engaging our front-line leaders and sales managers has created synergy across the organization,” said the director.
Earning an average global score of 4.5/5.0 across all programs, RAIN Group and the client created a highly successful program.
“The curriculum, practice sessions, and role-plays were excellent. RAIN Group has been a consistent partner. We work together to determine what we do each year for managers and sellers. For the first time, there is cohesiveness. Sellers don’t feel like they have to do the training, but they want to do it because they trust in our plan and know they’ll get something out of it,” explained the director.
Following the training, leaders interviewed every seller and sales manager for feedback.
“We hit a good nerve. Our team liked the training. Today, we have a sales training culture. When I got here seven years ago, it didn’t exist. We had sellers who took orders. Now, we have sellers who think about how to structure deals. We made big changes,” added the director.
Participant & Leader Feedback
“This training program helped me become a better salesperson by equipping me with the right skill sets I never thought I needed."
“I started working with clients in new ways and have received excellent feedback.”
“Better than any other training I have taken.”
“Content is awesome; it will help the sales team improve their skills and perform well through a guided process.”
“Great sales tool; it makes us look at things from a different perspective.”
“Great prework material – lessons are very participatory; not just read and take notes.”
“The individual format allowed me to discuss seller-level challenges, and my coach provided specific suggestions.”
“The RAIN Group has consistently been a partner, consultant, and counselor to us on our journey. They are reliable, and their methodology is sound."
- Learning and Enablement Specialist
"RAIN has been an excellent partner these past three years. Training curriculum and facilitators are top-notch."
- Director of Global Sales Effectiveness
