Sales [UN]Training

In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, host Kelly Riggs explores the critical importance of understanding the "Forgetting Curve" in sales training. He breaks down the alarming statistics behind the numbers 50, 70, and 90, which represent the percentage of information forgotten by trainees after an hour, a day, and a week, respectively. Kelly emphasizes that without proper reinforcement, most of the time and resources spent on sales training are wasted, as the material quickly fades from memory. Through a discussion of Hermann Ebbinghaus's research on memory retention, Kelly reveals effective strategies to ensure that training sticks, including the need for immediate review, repetition, and contextual application. Kelly also shares practical tips on how to make training sessions more impactful. From encouraging immediate feedback after each session to taking learning into the field, he highlights the importance of engaging salespeople at multiple levels to ensure long-term retention. Kelly concludes with actionable advice on how to use these insights to improve your sales team's performance and reduce the frustration of forgotten training. Whether you're a sales leader or a trainer, this episode provides invaluable tools to enhance your training methods and drive better results. In this episode... Introduction of the three critical numbers: 50, 70, and 90. Common ineffective training methods and the importance of planning. Explanation of Hermann Ebbinghaus's Forgetting Curve. The impact of immediate review on retention. The challenge of long-term retention and how to test it. Strategies to combat the Forgetting Curve in training. The importance of contextual learning and real-world application. Final tool: Having trainees present what they've learned. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don’t and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales. Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com. Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes’ Coaches Council since 2019. Music and Editing by Doug Branson and Pod About It Productions

In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, host Kelly Riggs kicks off a series with real sales leaders by featuring Brian Key, Director of Aftermarket Sales at Multivac USA. With 16 years of experience, including the last four in leadership, Brian shares his insights on the challenging process of hiring and training top-tier sales talent. He discusses the difficulties of finding candidates who not only look good on paper but also align with the company’s values and have the discipline to focus on prospecting and customer engagement. Brian highlights the importance of avoiding “professional visitors” and instead cultivating salespeople who are genuinely committed to driving results through effective prospecting and disciplined follow-up. The conversation also dives into the critical role of timing in sales training and the importance of hands-on learning, such as shadowing successful reps in challenging meetings. Brian emphasizes that great sales reps do not always make great sales leaders, as the skills required for leadership are distinctly different. He underscores the need to hire for character and to ensure that sales training focuses on real customer needs and problem-solving in the field. This episode is packed with practical advice for sales leaders looking to enhance their teams’ effectiveness and develop future sales managers. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don’t and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales. Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com. Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes’ Coaches Council since 2019. Music and Editing by Doug Branson and Pod About It Productions

In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, host Kelly Riggs addresses the dangerous assumptions sales leaders often make when hiring and evaluating their teams. Kelly identifies three critical assumptions that can undermine a sales force: believing past success and industry experience guarantee future performance, assuming salespeople can effectively manage pipelines, and thinking they have strong planning and organizational skills. He emphasizes the importance of rigorous hiring processes, objective assessments, and continuous skill validation to avoid these pitfalls. Kelly’s insights reveal how unchecked assumptions can lead to high turnover and missed targets, urging leaders to adopt a more analytical and supportive approach to talent management. Kelly also highlights the necessity of planning and prioritization in sales activities. He argues that many salespeople are reactive rather than proactive, often overwhelmed by daily tasks and customer issues. Kelly suggests that proper planning is key to effective time management and success. He introduces strategies to counteract these dangerous assumptions, including better interview techniques, ongoing training, and regular coaching to ensure salespeople understand and manage their pipelines effectively. Listeners are encouraged to adopt these practices to enhance their sales teams’ performance and drive revenue growth. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don’t and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales. Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com. Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes’ Coaches Council since 2019. Music and Editing by Doug Branson and Pod About It Productions

In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, host Kelly Riggs dives deep into the critical topic of sales call preparation. Drawing from his extensive 40-year experience in sales and sales training, Kelly highlights the alarming trend of salespeople showing up unprepared, leading to ineffective sales calls that meander aimlessly. He discusses how proper preparation can prevent the common pitfall of focusing solely on the seller’s agenda rather than addressing the customer’s needs. Kelly emphasizes the importance of having clear objectives for each sales call, understanding the customer’s problems, and tailoring the conversation to uncover critical information and decision-makers. Kelly also shares personal anecdotes and best practices, including the concept of “curbside coaching” that he learned from a seasoned sales manager early in his career. This method involves setting specific call objectives and debriefing after each call to continuously improve. Additionally, Kelly stresses the necessity of a well-defined sales process and the importance of training salespeople to anticipate objections and ask the right questions. As he notes, effective sales preparation not only shortens the buying cycle but also significantly enhances the chances of closing deals. Tune in to learn actionable strategies that can transform your sales approach and drive better outcomes Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don’t and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales. Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com. Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes’ Coaches Council since 2019. Music and Editing by Doug Branson and Pod About It Productions

In this special compilation episode of Sales [UN]Training titled “Sales Process Playbook: 7 Key Insights on Training, Coaching, and Executing a Sales Process,” Kelly Riggs delves into the often overlooked but crucial concept of the sales process. Joined by esteemed guests Dave Kurlan from Objective Management Group and David Newman, author of Do It! Selling, Kelly draws parallels between football strategies and sales fundamentals, emphasizing the importance of mastering the basics. The discussion highlights the necessity of a structured, sequenced approach in sales, comparing the difference between “winging it” and having a time-tested process. They explore key elements such as sequencing milestones correctly and using scorecards to objectively assess opportunities. The guests bring valuable insights into common pitfalls in sales processes, like the misconception that a CRM can replace a well-defined sales process. Dave Kurlan stresses the importance of understanding and evaluating sales stages, while David Newman shares practical advice on building best-practice sales processes from initial contact to closing deals. They underscore the need for salespeople to have a detailed plan and enough opportunities in their funnel to achieve revenue goals. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to transform their sales approach by grounding it in a robust, replicable process. Tune in for actionable strategies and expert insights that can help elevate your sales game. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don’t and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales. Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com. Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes’ Coaches Council since 2019. Music and Editing by Doug Branson and Pod About It Productions

In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, host Kelly Riggs delves into the critical issue of trust in sales, exploring why salespeople are often not believed by prospects. Riggs highlights alarming statistics showing that salespeople are trusted as little as lawyers and politicians, raising the question of whether traditional sales training is to blame. He critiques the common sales approach where representatives immediately boast about their products and services, which makes them indistinguishable from each other and therefore not credible. Riggs suggests that to gain trust, salespeople need to avoid generic claims and instead provide concrete, specific data and real-world examples that clearly differentiate their offerings. Riggs further explains that sales training often focuses too heavily on product knowledge rather than on teaching salespeople how to genuinely connect with prospects. He underscores the importance of presenting oneself as a professional consultant who understands the client’s business and can offer tangible solutions. This approach not only sets salespeople apart but also helps in building a trustworthy relationship with potential clients. Riggs advises that companies should rethink their sales training strategies to emphasize believability and specific, verifiable claims, rather than the usual, repetitive sales pitches that prospects have come to distrust. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don’t and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales. Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com. Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes’ Coaches Council since 2019. Music and Editing by Doug Branson and Pod About It Productions  

In this compilation episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs shares his best insights into the crucial distinction between sales coaching and sales training, highlighting how effective coaching can be the key differentiator for successful sales organizations. The episode features strategies from industry expert Dave Kurlan, founder of Objective Management Group, who underscores the shortcomings of traditional sales training, which often focuses too heavily on product knowledge rather than understanding customer problems and developing practical selling skills. Kurlan argues that great sales coaching involves continuous, hands-on development and problem-solving, rather than just onboarding and product training. The episode also features Graham Hawkins, founder of Sales Tribe, who discusses the under-appreciated role of sales coaches and how leaders often misinterpret coaching as merely giving directives. Hawkins and Riggs agree that true coaching requires creating an environment where salespeople can admit their weaknesses and work on them constructively. The conversation touches on the importance of role-playing, real-time practice, and the need for sales leaders to spend more time in the field with their teams. This episode is packed with actionable advice for transforming sales training into a more dynamic, supportive, and effective coaching process. For more insights, visit Objective Management Group and Sales Tribe. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don’t and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales. Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com. Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes’ Coaches Council since 2019. Music and Editing by Doug Branson and Pod About It Productions

Kelly Riggs sits down with Alex McNaughton, co-founder and co-CEO of Grw AI, to dissect the persistent issues plaguing the sales industry. McNaughton shares his journey from a young salesperson at 19 to an influential leader in the AI-driven sales management space. Together, they explore the staggering statistics revealing that 75% of salespeople are failing to hit their numbers and discuss the systemic causes behind this crisis. The conversation delves into the critical gaps in sales training and management, emphasizing that 95% of sales managers receive no formal training, leading to widespread inefficiencies and high turnover rates. Alex sheds light on the importance of distinguishing between sales training and coaching, advocating for ongoing, real-time coaching rather than sporadic training sessions. He introduces Grw AI’s innovative approach, which utilizes AI to provide sales managers with tailored insights and support, enabling them to better manage and coach their teams. Kelly and Alex also address the flawed practice of promoting top salespeople into management roles without adequate preparation, highlighting the need for more discerning hiring practices and better training for aspiring sales leaders. This episode is packed with practical advice and forward-thinking strategies, making it a must-listen for anyone looking to improve their sales team’s performance and management efficiency. Find out more about Alex McNaughton and Grw AI at grw.ai, and follow Alex on LinkedIn. Also, subscribe to his newsletter, The R Word, for more insights on revenue generation. • Alex McNaughton’s Background: From starting in sales at 19 to co-founding GRW AI, and leading a sales consultancy and recruitment company. • Systemic Issues in Sales: High failure rates among salespeople and sales managers, with root causes traced back to inadequate sales management training and lack of ongoing coaching. • Distinguishing Sales Training from Coaching: Emphasizing the need for continuous, real-time coaching rather than infrequent training sessions. • Flaws in Promoting Top Salespeople to Management: Discussing the common practice and its pitfalls, including lack of preparation and different skill sets required for sales leadership. • GRW AI’s Innovative Approach: Utilizing AI to provide sales managers with insights and support, enabling them to better coach and manage their teams, thereby improving overall sales performance. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don’t and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales. Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com. Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes’ Coaches Council since 2019. Music and Editing by Doug Branson and Pod About It Productions  

In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, host Kelly Riggs tackles the challenging question: Can salespeople truly be trained? Kelly confronts the widespread belief that great salespeople are simply born, not made, by highlighting the critical role of mindset in successful sales training. Drawing on his extensive experience and research, Kelly argues that without the right mindset, even the best training programs will fall short. He compares the complexities of selling to martial arts and language learning, emphasizing the importance of consistent practice, emotional intelligence, and understanding customer motivations. Kelly also explores essential factors that determine the success of sales training, such as the salesperson's desire, discipline, and grit. By referencing Angela Duckworth's concept of "grit," he underscores the importance of passion and perseverance in achieving sales success. Throughout the episode, Kelly provides actionable insights and strategies for transforming traditional sales training approaches to make them more effective. Whether you're a seasoned sales leader or a new salesperson, this episode offers valuable lessons on how to change your mindset and enhance your sales training and performance. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don’t and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales. Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com. Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes’ Coaches Council since 2019. Music and Editing by Doug Branson and Pod About It Productions

In this episode of Sales [UN] Training, Kelly Riggs hosts a discussion on the importance of mindset in sales success. But he doesn't do it alone! Kelly brings in top industry experts to share their insights. David Newman, Author of 'Do It! Selling' explains how mindset influences sales outcomes more than tactics. Graham Hawkins, Founder of SalesTribe, emphasizes the need to change beliefs before behaviors in sales. Jeff Bloomfield, Author of 'NeuroSelling', discusses the pivotal role of understanding neural triggers in sales conversations, and Jeff Bajorek, host of the Rethink The Way You Sell podcast, talks about belief and integrity in a unique way that leads to better sales outcomes. Kelly also highlights the significance of identifying and developing the right talent for sustained success. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don’t and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales. Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com. Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes’ Coaches Council since 2019. Music and Editing by Doug Branson and Pod About It Productions