How to train your team for consultative sales?

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A minimalist, conceptual 3D image depicting consultative sales training in a B2B environment. The image features abstract shapes and lines in a clean, modern design with stylized figures of salespeople and customers interacting. The color scheme is predominantly light, with black accents and bright neon green accents, highlighting design elements and suggesting strategic communication and relationship building.
In this article, we’re going to talk about a topic that can transform your sales team’s performance: consultative sales . You know that feeling when you walk into a store and the salesperson seems to understand exactly what you need, asks the right questions, and, in the end, you leave with a product that really solves your problem? Well, that’s the magic of consultative sales! And the best part: with the right training, you can make your team make that impression on your customers too. Let’s go!

Summary
1. Understand what consultative selling is
2. Invest in product knowledge
3. Develop communication skills
4. Focus on the relationship
5. Use B2B ecommerce tools
6. Benchmark
7. Integrate internal and external sellers
8. Practice, practice, practice!
9. Celebrate victories
Conclusion
1. Understand what consultative selling is
First of all, it’s essential that your team understands what consultative selling is. In short, it’s when the salesperson acts more like a consultant than a simple order taker . He or she needs to deeply understand the customer’s needs, offer personalized solutions, and build a relationship of trust. Think of it as a partnership, where the customer’s success is the main focus.

One company that was successful in this journey was Central Autopeças . Through B2B ecommerce , they were able to leave the operational part of the sales routine to be carried out by the customer themselves, training the sales team ( inside sales ) to be more consultative.

See the Central Autoparts case study

We even did a live with Guilherme, CEO of Central Autopeças, where he shows how they managed to achieve these results.

2. Invest in product knowledge
Your team needs to know the products they sell like the back of greece whatsapp database hand. This doesn’t just mean knowing the technical features, but also understanding how these products solve specific customer problems. Hold workshops, train your team with case studies, and show practical examples of how the products were used to solve real-world challenges.

Read also: Digital catalog: Should industries still use it in 2024?

3. Develop communication skills
Consultative selling relies on effective communication. Your salespeople need to be good listeners, ask relevant questions, and communicate clearly and empathetically. Consider providing training focused on communication skills, such as active listening techniques and asking open-ended questions that help you better understand your customers’ needs.

4. Focus on the relationship
One of the keys to consultative selling is building lasting relationships with customers. Encourage your team to follow up with customers after the sale, provide support, and seek feedback. This not only increases customer satisfaction but also opens the door to new sales opportunities.

5. Use B2B ecommerce tools
For manufacturers, wholesalers, and distributors that have internal and external salespeople, a B2B ecommerce tool is essential. Platforms like Zydon’s make order management easier, allowing salespeople and customers to place orders conveniently and efficiently. With this tool, your team can access detailed product information, track order status, and customize offers for each customer. This improves the customer experience and strengthens the consultative approach.

6. Benchmark
Benchmarking is a powerful practice for improving your team’s performance. Observe and analyze the best practices of leading companies in the market. Find out which Brazilian companies are a reference in consultative and assisted sales . See how they train their teams for consultative sales, what strategies they use, and what tools they adopt. Adapt these practices to your company’s reality and share these insights with your team. Remember, learning from the best is an effective way to accelerate the development of your team’s skills.