30 Day Plan For New Job

[GeoffT]

Hello,
I've got an 2nd interview for a trainee sales job. I've been asked to produce a report detailing my daily activity for the first 30 days. Essentially planning my own induction. I have no sales experience, and my knowledge of the service is limited. I have a few ideas down, but am unsure how to fill the full 30 days. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks
Geoff

 

[ITsoldUK]

Hello,
I've got an 2nd interview for a trainee sales job. I've been asked to produce a report detailing my daily activity for the first 30 days. Essentially planning my own induction. I have no sales experience, and my knowledge of the service is limited. I have a few ideas down, but am unsure how to fill the full 30 days. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks
Geoff

Don't want to be harsh Geoff BUT if they have asked you to do this (along with other candidates) to ascertain your skill levels relating to this task which is obviously a part of the job and you are unable to do it....what would that tell you if you were doing the hiring?

Soz dude.

Good luck

 

[Geoff T]

Namesake (all that's missing is a "space")

Depending on the industry - allow a core 5hrs phone time, take it from there...but allow for human - so build in "natural" breaks...

HTH

 

[GeoffT]

Hi and thanks for the reply.
I appreciate what you are saying, and take it on board completely. I'm not asking for someone to do the entire thing for me, just any advice. This is what I have so far:

• Initial meeting with supervisor. Detail what is expected and by when.
• Basic sales/service training
• Set-up data/comms network
• Travel with experienced colleague
• Weekly progress reports
• Analyse current customers
• Meet marketing team
• Develop introductory call / email / letter format
• Practice phone delivery technique

It's more a case on advice how to fill the days



Thanks

 

[Geoff T]

TBH what you've got listed so far needs to be split into weeks (30 days = working weeks 1-4)

Week 1 - acclimatisation/induction/analysis
week 2 - set up/ shadow experienced colleague/complete analysis
week 3 - calls/book meetings
week 4 - calls/ follow up calls/ book meetings

as an extra - maybe you could add on "potential week 5 - provide quotes" as part, to show that you intend to be able to quote for - and hopefully win - business...

best of luck...

 

[GeoffT]

Thanks Namesake !

I think I can fill weeks 1 and 2 following the suggestions you have given, and that's about where I was up to. I'm really struggling with the day to day organisation of weeks 3 and 4, as that is where my lack of experience shows. I know they don't expect me to have it down to hour, as I am wet behind the ears, but I dont know exactly how to structure those two weeks.

Thanks again

 

[Liybpg]

GeoffT and Geoff T - are you two different people?

 

[GeoffT]

GeoffT and Geoff T - are you two different people?

I can only speak for myself on this.

 

[Geoff T]

GeoffT and Geoff T - are you two different people?

definitely...

no idea who namesake#2 is, but damned sure who I am

(if you'd like a link to my other ID's for proof - linkedin,etc please PM me - as I'm a freebie these days..)

 

[GeoffT]

Anymore advice would be really appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Greg Black]

Hi Geoff

If this is a field sales role, then face time with clients is critical, so I would think about putting in time to go and speak with clients and prospects.

Plus many sales people are expected to do their own prospecting too, so you will want to put in time for prospecting.

Knowing the product or service inside out is important to be able to sell effectively, so put in time to sit and learn from the guys and gals who create the product or service.

Lots of people think sales is about tricks, but really it is about building relationships and doing something positive for the person you are selling to.

I would recommend Tom Hopkins' material to anyone starting in sales so you get off on the right foot. This audio book is a pretty good introduction:
http://www.audible.co.uk/pd?asin=B004EW8Y80

 

[GeoffT]

Thanks Greg, that's really useful advice and I will certainly check out Tom Hopkins. I finished the plan today and I'm pretty happy with it.

One final question: I have to talk about what tools are available within the company to assist me. I've got the sales team (their knowledge and experience), the marketing team (their strategy and materials), the software used (CRM etc) and the current customer database (for analysis to identify new potential customers).

Can anyone add anything to this ?

 

[Geoff T]

Your own contacts? What does the new firm do, and how can they help the people you already know?

(Not just personal, but through things like linkedin etc...)

building on Grge's post - who have you already built relationships with....

 

[ThePublisher]

Is it a product you are selling rather than a service? If so where's the product made, can you go and visit the production side so that you can then talk knowledgeably to your prospects about how it's made, its quality etc etc?

 

[GeoffT]

Thanks to everyone for the continuing advice. It's a range of services I will be selling, based at different sites, so I will certainly detail visiting these sites to see how the services work. Unfortunately Namesake this is a completely new venture for me, so as far as LinkedIn is concerned that is new also. I have incorporated joining into my action plan.

Thanks again

 

[PIngels]

I don't know how open minded the company you're going to work for is but I would add what you've been doing here to the list: continually learn and receive advice and guidance from other experts via forums and blogs. They must accept that you, like everyone else, are not all wise so if they see you know how and where to get information from so you can learn and adapt to any situation then that must surely be a plus point.

Let us know how it goes.

 

[GeoffT]

Thanks to everyone for their help and advice.

I got the job

Cheers
Geoff

 

[Greg Black]

I got the job

Awesome, congratulations!

 

[Geoff T]

Well played Namesake!

 

[captaincloser]

Saw this thread a bit after you got the job. Well done !
Would highly recommend you to Geoffrey Gitomer's book 'Little Red book of sales'- possibly the best ever introductory book to sales.