Sales Training for Non-Sales Staff

A sleeping security guard is a poor sales ambassador.

Everyone in an organization, from the CEO to the janitor, is at some point a salesman for the company. Good or bad comments expressed by employees even in casual situations can foster a groundswell of positive or negative publicity for a company. Ensuring that even non-sales people know about a company's mission, leadership initiatives, philanthropic activities and its product line gives them positive information to pass along to those they contact daily in business and in their personal lives. With positive input, they can indeed be informal sales ambassadors for the company.

Circles of Influences

Keep employees well-informed about the company. Being informed is the first rung of being able to pursue someone about the company. Internal corporate communications to employees through newsletters, company websites and bulletin board postings ensure everyone is kept abreast of the works of the company so everyone can act as sales people in their own circle of influence.

Internal Resourcing

Provide employees with materials that allow them to access company resources quickly when required. Every employee should be able to answer basic questions about the company's product line, or direct an outside caller to a desired department or individual within the company without undue hassle. A proactive posture with customers whom they encounter demonstrates efficiency and effectiveness even at the lowest levels of the firm and no doubt would be mirrored at the highest levels.

Public facing

Be sure the company's history, profile and mission is known by all. Any public-facing employee, whether a receptionist, security personnel or telephone operator, should be friendly, helpful and as knowledgeable as possible about the company. Many public facing people can't answer even the simplest of questions about the company such as the number of employees, location of headquarters or global operations. Offering the company's annual report to a visitor waiting in the lobby may be the genesis of a potential stock sale.

Pride Breeds Boasting

Every employee has countless personal touch points where they voice opinions and share information often about their job and employer. It can be a source of pride for employees to share something positive about the company about the financial health, new product launches and other company initiatives such as advertising on the Super Bowl. Help the marketing department by sharing the company's good works in new and novel ways among all employees.

Formal Briefings

Major events in a company's life such as a merger or acquisition should be communicated to every employee personally in formal settings if possible. No employee should ever get notice and details of a potential merger or company sale from the grapevine. Conduct multiple sessions of briefings to get everyone in the loop about such news. At a time when the company is under scrutiny by potential investors, it's important that everyone tow the company line to ensure a sale goes through as planned. Poor employee reception or an untimely strike could work against a sale. Keep all employees in the camp by respecting their right to know, getting them pushing for the company's goal.

References

• Soft Sellilng