Many business development executives (BDEs) have years of experience and are familiar with the entire sales process—but there’s one thing that they often forget: how to properly train their team. The reality is that most BDEs don’t really know how to teach someone else how to sell or how to coach someone else.
Sure, some BDEs can do it well—and they should be recognized for that. But the majority of them simply don’t have the skill. So how do you break this trend?
Arrange a Business Development Training and then track the results.
Why BDEs Need Training For Specific Business Functions
When training a new employee or when bringing on a new team member, it’s important to consider what role he or she will play on your team. There are specific functions that all employees must be able to perform, and you want to make sure that your new hires can fill those roles.
Once you identify what skills are needed for each position, determine whether a formal or informal approach would be more suitable.
What are your Most Common Problems and How Can They Be Solved By A BDE?
As a business development executive, you spend a significant amount of time in meetings, networking, and working on various initiatives. Some of the most common problems faced by your business are (in no particular order):
* Lack of focus on the value of the product/service
* Unclear product strategy
* Product roadmap is outdated
* The product isn’t aligned with what the customer wants
* The team is too large and/or diverse
* No marketing plan in place
* There is no budget for B2B sales/marketing
* The product development is slow and needs more resources
* The team doesn’t understand the product or how to develop it further
If you’ve experienced any or all of these problems, you might be interested in learning more about the BDE position and how it can help your company overcome these issues.
How to Find the Right BDE Trainer?
As the owner of a small business, you know you need some type of business education if you want to grow your business. But how do you find the right trainer who can help you?
The answer is simple: ask around. Ask family members, friends, co-workers, and people you’ve met online. You never know where a great business education opportunity might come from.
How to Evaluate Training Programs?
First, you’ll need to know the number of people involved, what the training is designed to accomplish, and what it’s being used for. Then, you’ll want to break down the training program into smaller chunks. You should also determine the amount of time you’ll allocate for the training, whether you’re in-person or online, and what kind of training you’ll provide (e.g. lectures, group sessions, or exercises).
Next, set your expectations for the training program. What’s the point of the training? Why is it important? Is it a one-time event or part of a series? If it’s a recurring training, is it mandatory, or optional? What are the objectives of the training, and how do you want it to help the participants? Once you have these answers, you can evaluate the training program and make any necessary adjustments before it’s implemented.
In conclusion,
For some businesses and sectors, the learning curve is too steep. They need to get the basics right first before they can move on to the more advanced stuff. And even in those cases where a business can afford to skip the training, they can still benefit from it. It will give them a competitive edge in their industry, and they will become better people in the process.