Sales training for B2C sales people is such a unique entity, I think. I've seen many B2B sales trainers fall flat when presenting a sales training seminar to a group of B2C salespeople. Many of them haven't even experienced what it's like trying to make a decent living selling to consumers, so it's sometimes difficult to be able to translate their B2C expertise into B2C value for the B2C salesperson (don't get me wrong; B2B sales trainers are valuable and important, and there is a lot of crossover of expertise; but I believe B2C sales training is a bit of a special niche).
Selling to consumers is difficult. In some circles, it has a reputation of being less important or less lucrative than B2B sales positions. But there are no websites to find intelligence on consumers, as there are for B2B sales professionals to find intelligence on companies. There's no receptionist or gatekeeper to be used as a resource (I know, they're gatekeepers; but they're also a resource). There isn't an accounts payable department or a group of sales reps to call and try to get information through through the back door.
But here's where the rubber meets the road for B2C salespeople: How does a salesperson selling washing machines close the deal at the first visit to the store? How does the salesperson selling flooring in the home button up a sales on the first call? How does the real estate professional turn a visitor to an open house into a listing? How does a fund-raiser canvassing door-to-door generate the desired level of funds for his cause?
These are questions that can be answered with appropriate retail sales training or home improvement sales training, for example.
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Skip Anderson is the Founder and President of Selling to Consumers, a B2C sales training and consulting company. Subscribe to the free Selling to Consumers Sales Tips Newsletter.
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