Excerpts

Managing for Success Training

Module Summary

Training
"You train people initially, you develop them perpetually."—Gary O’Sullivan

For far too many years, being a sales manager has meant "downloading" all of the knowledge from the sales manager’s mind to the counselor’s mind; that is, managers try to teach everything the counselor needs to know all at once. What usually happens? This flood of information is overwhelming, and most of it is forgotten by the time they get into the field.

We have come to realize that managers must take this vast amount of knowledge and break it down into segments, teaching counselors just the basic essentials first in order to see if they are able to execute the skills they are taught. In other words, teach counselors enough in the beginning to be able to properly represent the pre‐need concept and the profession, and then watch them to see if they can respond to objections, have the confidence to close, are willing to ask for referrals and so on. To help you do this:

The System includes 17 easy‐to‐follow Fast Start training modules for counselors, which breaks down what they need to know in manageable segments, including The Power of Setting Goals, Prospecting, Referrals, Closing, Managing Objections, Family Service, Office Inquires, Park Roaming, and Creating Meaningful Memorialization.
Teach counselors the basics using The System’s Fast Start Series, and then drill for skill, each time adding a deeper dimension to their training.

Module Excerpts

WHAT GOT YOU HERE, WON’T KEEP YOU HERE (p. 1‐2)
If you are currently a sales manager (we refer to sales managers as advance planning managers or APMs), chances are that you got here by being a good, or even great, salesperson. But, your ability to make sales is simply not a good enough skill to get others to be as competent as you are. Now you must be able to transfer what you know to others. This is a game changer!

MAYBE YOU KNOW THIS, MAYBE YOU DON’T
Perhaps you are currently an APM and/or have been one for a few years. If so, you certainly understand what we are about to discuss. If you are new to being an APM read the following closely, it just may be what you need to know to stay in the role.

YOU WERE APPOINTED TO BE A MANAGER
The fact you were a good salesperson has no relevance to whether or not you will succeed as a manager. Remember, what got you here, won’t keep you here. Most of us were not made managers, we were appointed managers. Very few people, in this or most other selling professions, go through a training program preparing them to one day become an APM.

Therefore for most, it is on the job training. And if you don’t get it right, don’t understand the differences and requirements, and take on the correct responsibilities, you will not be able to succeed.

In Managing for Success, one of our goals is to give you insight into what is required of an effective APM. We want you to know what the expectations of an APM are, what executing means, and your responsibilities to both your counselors and your company.

Being appointed as a manager is exciting . . . at first. Being successful as a manager requires the discipline to master and execute an entirely new set of skills.

THE FOUR BASIC PRINCIPLES OF GOOD TRAINING (p. 6‐7)

We mentioned this earlier in the things effective APMs always do. Here, we present four simple phrases. These are the essence of what an APM does. You should be doing one of these four things with every one of your counselors every day:

TEACH THEM – Teach them everything they need to know to be successful. Remember, people forget and stop doing things that work. Think not only about training people; think about reinforcing what they know. Use The System’s training schedule and materials to optimize your success.
SHOW THEM – Show each new counselor a sufficient number of successful pre‐need presentations for them to believe that they too can achieve success. It is important for counselors, new and veterans alike, to see things in action. Remember, seeing is believing!
WATCH THEM – Watch them present and close in a variety of situations. Classroom training and role play is simply insufficient. You must watch them present in the office and in the field during pre‐need situations. Anyone can do well when role playing; having them make a presentation in a real live situation shows them, and you, where they are in their development process. This allows you to be absolutely sure that they are giving the presentation properly and are able to complete the presentation and closing process.
CORRECT THEM – Your responsibility to your new counselor is to watch them a sufficient number of times to ensure that you identify all presentation and closing issues they may have. Then you have to correct them and watch them a sufficient number of times after correction until they can successfully present and close.

REAL SELLING DOESN’T TAKE PLACE IN A CLASSROOM
Much has been written about the importance of field training. After all, most of us understand that classroom training or even role playing is just not the same as the real thing. As an example, just because we can hit a baseball thrown by machine at a batting cage, doesn’t mean we can hit a ball thrown under the pressure of a live game.

In our profession, the difference between practice and reality is even more dramatic than at a batting cage. In real life, there are a limitless number of different situations that can arise. In addition, just learning and keeping in mind all the products, services, terms, and conditions of our huge array of offerings can be daunting in itself, especially to new counselor.

IF YOU WON’T SIGN OFF ON IT, THEY ARE NOT TRAINED
The initial training that you give a new counselor must include sufficient field experience so that they have seen, in the field, the entire selling process from initial contact to signed contract. In addition, you must see the new counselor accomplish the entire process themselves and you must be willing to say, “I believe this counselor is ready!”

TRAIN INITIALLY; DEVELOP PERPETUALLY
When you recruit someone into this profession, you must train them in the skills required to be successful. This will teach them how to plan their day—how to prospect—deal with rejection—get into a home—make a presentation—handle objections—close the sale—complete all the needed paperwork—and to get referrals. Yet regardless of how well they are trained initially, you must develop your people perpetually.

THE REQUIREMENT OF SUCCESS (p. 26)
In creating The System, we have tested and discarded many deeply held beliefs, tested wacky theories, and tried endless ways to create success. As we have mentioned in other modules, the same characteristics that allow great counselors and managers to talk to total strangers are not ones most suited to great organizational skills and attention to detail. As a consequence, we have noted that, as a rule, APMs are not great enforcers of rules or experts at driving accountability to prospecting schedules, record keeping, or the best at administrative tasks which are essential to driving sales success.

We know that both skill sets are necessary for success.

Without the administrative tasks properly executed, there is not enough accountability to get new counselors off to a good start and make sure that they are using The System properly. But, without the enthusiastic expert counselor spreading the love of the sale to newcomers, the organization can become listless and unproductive.

We realize that small organizations have limited resources and may not be able to accommodate all of our suggestions as given below, but they must have someone perform the tasks that are enumerated.

For example, we may call for a Success Administrator (SA) to track appointments, drive prospecting, and keep certain records. But, even if you cannot afford to have someone devoted to that job, the tasks still need to be done whether by the owner, the advanced planning manager, an assistant manager or a clerk. Under our system, the SA provides the discipline and the APM provides the magic that is so difficult to articulate, but is so essential to success. Either way, someone must be responsible for discipline.

In addition, we know that most APMs at larger locations that require large advance planning teams are not able to run their sales team, drive accountability, fully train new counselors (including field training), and do all the paperwork required for sales success.

We believe that larger locations also require a senior counselor, assistant manager, or field trainer to help field train new counselors.

The most important thing to remember is that all of the tasks described below must be done by someone; leaving some out by choice is not an option.

{The tasks are described fully in The System.}

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