CASE STUDY: Improving the Close Ratio

Challenge

Exhibitgroup/Giltspur provides exhibit designs, quality construction and superior field services for clients; helping them to maximize the value of their tradeshow marketing activities, client events and retailing efforts. With big growth plans set by new management, and a recent shift in sales structure to a hunter/farmer mode one of the areas ExhibitGroup/Giltspur wanted to improve was the sales skill of their Sales Executives. In the past ExhibitGroup/Giltspur has done little ongoing sales training and with a recent slew of new hires it was time to invest more consistently in their skill development.

Analysis

In analyzing the existing team's skill set, Focus America concluded that:
· The biggest opportunity was to help improve the overall close ratio on active projects.
· Whatever training tool was implemented must be consistent with the current sales process/methodology of the company.
· The training should also include a tool that the sales team could use to reinforce what was taught and to help them practice their new skills in an every day, real life situation.

Solution
· Develop a customized Needs Analysis Worksheet & Project Analyzer Test to help the Sales Executives to properly understand the client's situation, needs, decision making process, budget, timing, alternatives & hurdles for any project.
· Training was held where by the sales people were asked to bring in their current active projects. These projects were discussed in an open form and the tool was then applied. Instead of lecturing the group on theories and concepts, the application of the tool on active projects allowed for an outcome of real life actions and strategies to help the sales people close those specific projects in hopes they would then apply what was learned to future projects.
· Follow-up meetings with each Sales Executive to reinforce the tool, discuss their projects, get updates and come up with new actions to drive particular projects forward

Result

As a result of the great work put forth from Focus America:

· The tool that had been developed has become mandatory for all sales reps to use.
· Across the board it was thought that the training had a tremendous impact. Focusing on real projects (instead of theories) made the experience a far more enjoyable way to learn.
· Evaluations concluded a score of 4.75 out of 5 for the quality of workshop, facilitation, relevance of topic, etc… Here are some comments from the attendees:

"I came expecting a sales "lecture" but was excited to find out it was not. I was in a constant state of learning & like working with real examples."

"I learned good tools & reasoning skills. The tool digs deeper into what is important to the client and helping us better align ourselves with their goals."

· For 2004, Focus America will be training all new sales executives who missed the 2003 training. As well, an entirely new training session, built on the same structure, will begin for the Account Executives.