Tim highlighted a significant gap in sales training specific to the building materials industry. While product training is abundant, sales training often falls short. According to Tim, salespeople became reactive order takers during the COVID-19 pandemic — today, they need to be proactive prospectors. This revelation underscores the need for a comprehensive approach to sales training that focuses on building relationships and understanding client needs rather than just pushing products.
Tim elaborates on the fear of looking dumb (FOLD) that paralyzes many salespeople, particularly those new to the industry. Without adequate sales training, new salespeople can feel overwhelmed and inadequate, leading to high turnover rates.
Tim emphasizes the power of storytelling — both getting stories from customers and being able to tell a compelling sales story oneself. According to Tim, the onboarding process often focuses too heavily on product knowledge at the expense of training new hires to be effective communicators.
He asserts that understanding and conveying the right story can make or break a sales pitch, and new hires should focus on receiving information from clients rather than just giving it.
"We've lost the power of story. And so often when I'm working with owners of distributors or dealers, I'll say, so you've got this new sales rep. She started about three months ago. Does she have the story down?” - Tim Rethlake