Training

Choosing the right people to work with to provide training for your staff can be difficult – how do you make sure they understand your business, your market, your team? You don’t want off-the-shelf training; you want a tailored approach that works with you, for you.

That’s why your first conversation is a no strings, no fee discussion. I want to take the time to understand your business and understand what you’re looking for and want to achieve.

This is a truly consultancy based approach, which is why it’s difficult to make lists of things like courses that I offer - clients are all different, so the training is different each time too. The main themes and topics are outlined below.

Teamworking

Sales is a team sport. It often looks like it might be played by individual sales people or business leaders, but the most successful organisations are 'as one' - everyone pulling together in the same direction at the same time is hugely powerful.

Successful teams are motivated teams - I can deliver sessions to individual teams (sales teams or otherwise), or to the whole organisation to help you develop a real team mentality and harness the power of teamwork. The total is always greater than the sum of it's parts!

Leading Sales Teams

Being a sales team leader can be a difficult job. It’s common to see sales people and BDMs promoted into team leader and Head of Sales roles, but getting the best out of the team doesn’t necessarily come easily. Being a great sales person doesn’t automatically translate to being a great sales leader.

I can help sales managers become great sales leaders, creating enthusiastic, competent and motivated teams. I can help you develop and deliver training yourself, absolutely ensuring that the content is custom-made and at the same time strengthening your bond with the team and adding to the value that you bring to the business.

I'm proud to have recommendations from previous team members like those below, and would love to help you build the same sentiments in your teams.

"Stewart ... was one of the best managers I have ever had in all of my working life. ... He gave me the courage to do things I was nervous about doing but was always there to help me along the way. I learned an awful lot from him."

"An astute forward thinker with a most concise and structured approach to Business Development, whilst always encouraging innovation. Stewart ... quickly fostered an excellent team spirit, co-operation, and work ethic between my colleagues and I."

"A natural leader with sound coaching and developing skills."

Prospecting

Identifying and connecting with the right people is fundamental to any sales effort.

Whether it's taking the time to really know your customer, harnessing the power of referrals, or learning to use tools like LinkedIn effectively, I can help you see the people that matter to you.

Leadership

Lots has been written about the difference between a 'manager' or 'boss' and a 'leader'. Essentially it comes down to great leaders inspiring their team to follow them, rather than a boss compelling a team to do as they say. I like the saying that a manager can light a fire under somebody, while a leader lights a fire inside somebody!

Leadership is about influence - creating teams that accept and respect your influence. There are many books and theories on 'leadership' - I'll bring together some of the best, along with my own thinking, to help you develop your own successful approach.

Panel Management

Developed by drawing on a long background in field based B2B sales, the core principles of panel and territory management apply equally to office or field based teams.

I can share techniques and tools such as the Impact - Ease Matrix and the Business Bridge to ensure you're spending time in the right areas and with the right people to maximise returns.

Influencing

Whether in a leadership context or as part of successful selling strategies, the ability to influence others is central to what we do.

Sessions draw on principles of behavioural economics, sales psychology, the power of language (right down to the words to use and when to use them) and how people think and make decisions to help you maximise your ability to influence others.

Presentation Skills

The ability to effectively get your message across, regardless of medium or method, is a core skill for every sales person. In a survey of sales leaders in the financial services industry almost 80% reported that Presentation Skills was an area they and their teams would benefit from some further training in.

Whether it's delivering a presentation in the traditional sense, standing up in front of an audience and showing slides, or it's about how you present yourself and your proposition more generally, I can help you make sure you always make an impact.