Sales training topics that actually get results can be challenging to nail down. There is the hard sales skills V soft sales skills debate not to mention social selling, customer profiling, outreach tactics and all the steps in the sales process. Still, research shows that expertise, talent, and the sales experience remains the top reason buyers choose a supplier. So, industry knowledge and a good cultural fit take on renewed significance. When planning out sales training, consider what customers are looking for, what they are trying to avoid, and what tips the scale in favor of the winning supplier. Then most aspects of sales training become clear: build the program around deep industry insights and sales force expertise. Training that gets salespeople to effectively solve the customers challenge at hand. This is what customers are seeking and what converts them into clients. The challenge is always for salespeople to be able to position your company to be relevant to your customers ongoing and evolving needs. Which requires sales training that clearly helps the salesperson to first understand what those needs are and how they are changing. Then expand a series of sales training topics that make it clear how sales expertise can address those challenges. We know today that most selling skills deployed is about staying in contact with clients more frequently, educating them, not selling to them. Listening to them, not telling them. Do what it takes to be perceived as a Visible Expert—a respected subject matter expert and trusted advisor. The rise of relevance in sales. Buyers seek out, are loyal to, and refer suppliers that they believe can drive their success. Increasingly, it takes specialized expertise to beat the competition. For many companies sales talent is now a key differentiator. A salesperson with great sales skills can be the top factor that tips the scales for buyers. That means the quality of sales skills and by default sales training topics expertly communicated directly affects the bottom line. Here are a list of sales training topics for consideration when choosing program ideas: Emotional Intelligence Emotional Intelligence is the ability of salespeople to attend to and use their inner experiences (both good and bad) in a more mindful, productive way for their sales career. Developing emotional intelligence involves cultivating their curiosity (business and personal), growing their knowledge, and producing new ways of looking at things. On the surface, it’s a repetitive process. So, in your sales training you will need consistency and patience. Training salespeople to tend to their emotional intelligence brings new opportunities from discovering a new sales tactic, having a eureka moment, connecting the dots between two issues, getting involved in a lively sales conversation with a customer. Research shows that one of the most important foundations of emotional competence “accurate self-assessment” was associated with superior performance among several hundred salespeople from twelve different companies.  The Essential Emotional Intelligence Traits Emotional self-awareness — knowing what one is feeling at any given time and understanding the impact those moods have on sales conversations Self-regulation — controlling or redirecting one’s emotions; anticipating consequences before acting on impulse in the sales process Motivation — utilizing emotional factors to achieve goals, enjoy the learning process and persevere in the face of obstacles Awareness — sensing the emotions of customers or others Social skills — managing relationships, inspiring customers, and inducing desired responses from them Growth Mindset Training Not one of the top sales training topics for many programs however Over the past thirty years, psychologists have examined what the impact of having a Growth Mindset is. They have found salespeople with a Growth Mindset are: More responsive to feedback More resilient and persist for longer Cope better with change Have better self-management Have higher self-esteem, wellbeing, and mental health. Salespeople who consider their ability to be malleable (a growth mindset) will strive to develop it by setting challenging learning goals. They consider effort an inherent part of the learning process and setbacks to be fruitful experiences to assimilate. Salespeople with a growth mindset are characterised by a greater passion for learning and a decreased anxiety about learning linked to their positive conception of failure. This leads them to stretch and expend efforts to reach their full potential whereas people with a fixed mindset are more likely to develop a hunger for approval that restricts them to their comfort zone. Brain Friendly Communication Sales Training Brain friendly sales communication involves asking meaningful questions, admitting to any lack of knowledge, being honest, and being tentative rather than assertive in speech patterns and words. Communication skills is one of the favored sales training topics on any program, but here we empathise “brain friendly communication”.  Simply put, when a salesperson asks their customers thoughtful questions in a caring, curious manner (not cross-examining anyone), they show interest and respect as they learn about the customer and their situation. Asking questions helps those who are answering the questions too. When asking brain friendly reflective questions and then having the skill to allow customers time to think and then respond, AKA “inquire and retire,”, a salesperson can help them get their own insights. These ah-ha moments not only will engage customers, but also help them remember what the salesperson has discussed and be more inspired to act. Learning about people and their situations by asking questions also helps us all to improve our perspective-taking, which is what the scientists call looking at issues from others’ perspectives or the more colloquial “putting yourself in others’ shoes.” All humans are social animals, and we tend to gravitate toward people we identify as empathetic and relatable. We appreciate that we can connect faster and deeper and build greater rapport with people who “get us.” And if we also come across as genuine and interested to our customers, that’s even more appealing to their social brain. When salespeople communicate with a customer, train them to ask three questions: What do they have to learn from them? How can they help them or otherwise express interest? Can they findSales Training Topics That Get Results