Class Act

Are you burned out on the sales scene and considering a sales seminar to recharge your batteries? Don't expect any earth-shattering changes--that is, unless you do the proper homework before, during and after the seminar.

The illusion is that people are going to go to a half-day seminar and dramatically change their sales behavior, says Tim Connor, author of Soft Sell (Source Books), but if they do, chances are most [changes] will only last 24 to 48 hours.

To get the most out of any sales seminar, you've got to work hard and plan ahead, says Connor. Consider your strengths and weaknesses, decide what you need to learn, and have an idea of some questions you want answered.

At the seminar, listen to the speaker with an open mind. Jot down ideas you want to remember on a single keeper page. Be sure to sit near the front of the room, and make an effort to ask questions and participate; then relate what the speaker is saying to what you sell and do.

When you return from the seminar, immediately review your notes. Develop an action plan describing exactly what you want to do with the new information you've gained. Place the keeper page within easy reach when you begin testing new techniques. And set aside an hour each week to reflect on your action plan and how these new tactics are working until you've either adopted them into your behavior or decided against them.

Most people won't do what is necessary, cautions Connor, and that is why so few people benefit from the learning experience you can get from a sales seminar. But if you follow these tips, chances are you'll have spent your time much more wisely.

--H.P.