We enjoyed an informative webinar earlier this month about the Sales Apprenticeship. In addition to hearing interesting insights from the panel, the audience asked some great questions about the Level 4 Sales Executive programme. Scroll down to access the APS webinar recording.
Your apprenticeship questions
Barry Hilton, Mercuri’s Managing Director and Dan Hodgetts from the Association of Professional Sales answer your apprenticeship questions.
Do you have any advice on a progression route for this Apprenticeship?
“Successful salespeople often want to be sales managers. I don’t think this is always the right career progression. The switch from personal to group success is too dramatic for many. It may be better to consider progression in job role terms first then, support that choice with a qualification rather than the reverse – ie choosing a learning route first and then looking at career options.” Barry Hilton
“Progression can be in many forms, either academically onto higher level programmes or progression within your company or industry into other more senior sales roles.” Dan Hodgetts
We are just starting on the apprenticeship journey, I want to offer work and personal/career mentoring, is there any suggested training/reading for the mentors to help ensure they give the right support?
“Firstly be clear in your organization about the difference between performance coaching and mentoring. Mentors should be chosen by the mentee and not allocated by the company. There is a lot of free resourcing available in terms of reading material, easily found by online search. I would not advocate a single go to source. Consult widely. Speak to organizations who are expert in mentoring and ask for their experiences of both success and failure. You will learn much from those conversations. ” Barry Hilton
“Nothing in particular, just a recommendation that the Learning and Development Coaches spend time supporting their Apprentices.” Dan Hodgetts
To hear more about the apprenticeship, click to listen to the recording.
Level 4 Sales Executive
The Sales Apprenticeship
Now is the perfect time to help your sales and customer focused teams deliver outstanding results with professional remote sales training funded through the apprenticeship levy.
Thank you André Lahiff from Royal Mail and Angela Van Driel from St. Modwen Homes for joining Barry Hilton on the Association of Professional Sales webinar. Andre and Angela demonstrated tremendous passion for apprenticeships whilst sharing their insights and tips around nurturing and developing sales professionals.
Both Andre and Angela reiterated the significance of management buy-in and the role of the mentors and coaches during the apprenticeship journey. Andre discussed the impact of the Level 4 Sales Executive on their sales team, talking about a mindset change resulting in increased motivation, confidence and sense of achievement. Angela spoke about the connection between the company strategy and the apprenticeship as well as the desire to invest and grow their people. The National Apprenticeship Week 2021 theme: #Buildthefuture could not be any more apt.
