To Tell or Not to Tell

Here’s a dialogue I had this week with two sellers I’m coaching:

Me: How do you feel about telling your clients you’re in training?

Seller #1 (with three years of sales experience): What would the purpose be? After all, I’ve been in this business for a few years already.

Seller #2: (new seller): Telling my clients I’m in training might make them doubt my abilities. They may think I don’t know what I’m doing.

At RAB, we have the privilege of working with sellers and sales managers to help them become even more successful. On a personal level and why I love my role at RAB, WHY I do what I do is: “To inspire engage, educate, equip and empower people so that they can believe in themselves and achieve even greater levels of success.” My mission is to think big and make big things happen. As a result, I aspire to be the best marketer, educator, coach, presenter and coach that I can be. I read, research and study constantly.

I’m always in training.

Does my telling you that I’m in training make you think less of me?

Telling your clients you just attended a seminar, read a book or are getting some coaching and have new information to share with them is a great way to set yourself apart. It tells them that you are interested in being the very best “partner” you can be for them. It’s foolish to assume you know everything… and even more foolish to assume your clients will ever think you know everything. The goal is to do better and be better this year than you were last year. That is possible only through continuous learning.

Consider this conversation that would have been common just 12-15 years ago:

Client: I’ve been hearing a lot about this world wide web and websites; what do you think of that?

Seller NOT in training: I have no idea. I’m guessing it’s just a fad; I haven’t looked into it. How do you like the copy for this week’s ad?

Seller IN training: I was just reading about that in the Wall Street Journal and I attended a class at the local university to learn more. I think...

Which of those answers do you think will resonate more with the client?

Be proud to share with your clients that you are constantly “in training.” Not only does it separate you from others, but it also demonstrates your desire to be the best for them.

Jeff Schmidt is the SVP of Professional Development. You can reach him at Jeff.Schmidt@RAB.com. You can all so connect with him on Twitter and LinkedIn.