Sales Trainer In St Louis

A few jobs back, I sat down with my boss for an evaluation, and he told me that he thought I could use some sales training and that he would pay for it.

It infuriated me.  It wasn't the idea of training - it was the idea that he thought I had no formal process, and was just winging it.  Needless to say, our ability to work together was a key reason I'm no longer with the company, but I found it out that I bristled at the mere suggestion that I needed sales training.

It's not that I hadn't gone through it before. I've take over a dozen courses and seminars on sales process, and to be honest, most of the time I felt like I could have accomplished more back at the office on the phone.  Of course, I was young and invulnerable back then - and brute force worked a lot better than it does today when cold-calling.  Not to mention that when you're a commodity (as most salespeople are), you don't care as much about your reputation as you do when you run your own business.

So I'm curious.  In St Louis, what's the best sales training one can take?  Is there an individual who can help you benchmark your processes,  create a plan for your industry, and most important, convince your staff that this is an important part of their employment, and not just a notch in the HR file for the day you don't make quota?

Who offers the best sales training in Saint Louis?  Have you taken the courses?  In what industry?  I'd like to hear from you at jdurbin@durbinmedia.com or in the comments (although comment spam will be deleted).

Comments

[Jacques Werth]

Perhaps you should rephrase the question.
How about "What is the best sales training I can get without leaving St. Louis?"

Some sales training companies provide interactive telephone and/or webinar training. The training takes place over the telephone and/or your computer. Training sessions are usually 60 to 90 minutes - once or twice a week for several weeks. Retention rates are much higher than when you try to cram everything into your mind within a few days.

You get a training workbook in the mail.
A maximum of ten participants, from almost any geographic location, are taught by one trainer. The trainer also guides you in customizing the sales process for your products, services and markets. You do role playing and get coached during the time you are in the course. Some companies also offer ongoing coaching on-demand. This form of training can be very effective.

If the training course you select is just an elegant presentation of what you already know, decide whether that is that what you really want. If it is, you will probably get some incremental improvements in the way you sell now. If you want substantial improvements in your selling skills, compare companies that offer a substantially different sales process than you already know.