Too Many Training Methodologies, Too Few Education Principles
Posted by mike - 07/27/09 at 03:07 pmIt almost doesn’t matter where you go today to “learn” or get “trained” on sales, for what seems to be the continuing focus to the eager student is more of the same. Current fads and/or themes of “hynotic” selling techniques, or the top 100 sales tactics to achieve success, or webinars conducted to persuade you of a particular CRM systems competitive benefits and how to get the most out of them, etc. all seem to have the same herd mentality - Use my methods and you will be a success! This is only great for the naive.
But what about those people who instinctively understand that they need a solid foundation, a thorough understanding if you will, of what must precede all of these follow-on methodologies in order to then get the most out of them? Or stated another way, where does one go to get a real sales Education? There aren’t many places an individual or team can go to, and so the same-old “proven” techniques are unchallenged in their market offerings. Given the economic conditions we are all now living in, and the consequences of not abruptly adapting - changing - our approach to understanding selling and further professionalizing it has a major impact on each of our futures.
We feel we leave the educational realm when we finish school, and upon becoming and/or being a member of the working world (and for some throughout their career) we attend “training” sessions which in and of themselves are okay, but seem to lack the foundational principles involved to strengthen the “inner person” in the effort to outdistance oneself and stand apart from the competition when the “outer one” is presented in the selling effort. Education should never be forgotten or subordinated to training. It is the more, and most, important in comparison. Here is an analogy, which every parent who has, or intends to have, kids will appreciate. It is blunt, it is quite descriptive: When it comes to sex, would you, while your children are in school, prefer them to have sexual training, or a sexual education? That hit me pretty hard when I was first confronted with the realization that there is definitely a distinction between education and training. The education is the necessary foundation upon which better and future outcomes will occur from a more responsible, and from the business aspect, professional perspective.
And what might that consist of? Ah, that’s for another blog…..but your feedback is welcome!
