How to Start a Sales Training Consulting Business

To start a sales training consulting business, you must develop training materials, locate clients and schedule training sessions. Providing sales people with tips on running successful sales calls includes topics such as researching a customer's needs, preliminary conversations, finding out the facts about the customer's business, showing how the salesman can demonstrate his product or service capability and closing the sale. Becoming a consultant to deliver effective sales training gives you the opportunity to share the tips, tricks and techniques you've developed over your career.

Things You'll Need

• Desktop publishing software

Instructions

1. Set up a business structure for you consulting business, for legal and tax purposes. Many self-employed training consultants set up their business as a sole proprietorship. Any legal liabilities incurred by your sales training consulting business become your personal liability as well.

2. Create a business plan. Document your strategies for developing training presentations, finding companies interested in your services, delivering your sessions and managing your finances. The U.S. Small Business Administration website provides access to free online training on how to write a business plan. In addition, the website offers a free template to help you explain your business objectives.

3. Establish your office. Many training consultants start by working from home. Determine the materials (such as a computer and desktop publishing software) and services (such as printing) you will need and set up those business relationships with stores and vendors in your area.

4. Network with colleagues to market your sales training consulting. Use social networking sites such as LinkedIn to promote your skills and expertise. Writing a blog or newsletter and maintaining a website allow you to engage potential clients as well. Obtain referrals and recommendations from former managers.

5. Advertise your services and sessions. Contact organizations and clubs in your area to offer your expertise and help establish a reputation for excellence in your field. Produce postcards, letters and brochures describing your unique techniques. For example, your sales training may prepare salesmen to ask better questions through role-playing exercises. You may specialize in delivering lectures on techniques to ask about customer problems such as multiple offices with different software support needs. Create video segments to post on your website to demonstrate how you accomplish this.

References

• "Sales: Games and Activities for Trainers"; Gary Connor and John Woods; 1997
• "How to Start and Run a Successful Consulting Business"; Gregory F. Kishel and Patricia Gunter Kishel; 1996

Resources

• Software Business Administration: Business Planning