How to Train [Academy]

Confucius said, “Learn as if you were not reaching your goal and as though you were scared of missing it”.

I changed one word in that quote to fit what I want to talk about today. “Train as if you were not reaching your goal and as though you were scared of missing it.” 

So what are the differences between learning and training? Learning is a broader, ongoing process that focuses on acquiring new knowledge and information that will allow you to be better prepared to do your job. Training is different. Training is actually putting that newly acquired knowledge and information to work, practicing using that knowledge on a simulated sales call, oriented toward a specific goal and designed to improve performance in a particular role or task.

But it's amazing to me how much learning is offered to most people in the seed business. Most companies “learn the hell” out of their people, especially when it comes to teaching them about their products technologies and programs. There is so much knowledge and information being given to seed sellers today that it’s hard to find a seed rep who doesn’t have the knowledge they need to be an expert in what they’re selling.

Unfortunately for farmers and for every seed company out there, there is a huge shortage of training. Too many companies call the learning sessions they hold with their seed sellers training sessions, but they aren’t training sessions at all, they’re learning sessions. Those learning sessions don’t help students APPLY what they learn. When that happens, more learning often just creates the wrong belief that since they KNOW MORE, they will be able to sell more. Yet the opposite is actually true.  

So how do I know companies don’t do enough actually training, like role play and application training? I know that because there is no real training going on. Few if any sales reps are told top role play or even placed in sessions designed just for practice. They never have the opportunity to apply that new knowledge by practicing it, putting it into play before they ever make a sales call. Role play has a negative connotation in the minds of salespeople. They’ve come to believe it’s  fake and a waste of time. Yet, those who do it, see the value and wouldn’t make a sales call without practicing first.

The single biggest shortage in the seed industry is not and has never been a shortage of product or good people. It’s a shortage of trained salespeople. Today’s seed sellers have more than enough information to lead modern day farmers where they need to go, but they don’t have the training to do it.  Training is learning new behaviors then applying those behaviors to change the behavior of others. That means knowing HOW to get farmers to want to buy.

Are you learning or training?

I bet you already have more than enough knowledge and information needed on a sales call. But I will also bet you lack the training, the practice to utilize that knowledge and information to get a sale. 98% of all seed sellers aren’t achieving their seed sales goals because they have way to much learning and not nearly enough training. Which one do you need to more of?

Happy Selling,

Rod Osthus