It’s Time To Transform Our Sales Training   2020 is here and there is an opportunity to update sales strategies. The most common ways to execute sales systems, processes, and training have historically been written by men and for men but how do we get take those same techniques and update to include the natural strengths of women?   All about Cynthia Cynthia is a keynote speaker and sales trainer who shows sales professionals how to influence decision-makers through her company, the Barnes Sales Institute. Between her company’s focus on women-centric sales training and her global organization, Women who Sell, there is a focus on empowering female sales professionals in  male-dominated industries. Their organization is giving saleswomen a voice to be heard, so they can stand out from the competition, and be counted.   Buyer’s journey  Salespeople need to realize that 70-80% of the buyers’ journey includes conducting their own research, even before they get in front of the first salesperson. In addition to doing the research, they get recommendations from their friends, make a decision about what they’re going to purchase, and then decide who or where they’re going to buy from. Their minds are pretty much made up before they get in front of an expert.   Because consumers do so much research on the product they need, they can have more knowledge than the people selling their products. The truth is, this buyer wants to be sold to by an expert. As consumers, they want to know what the salesperson can tell them that Google couldn’t. If you are the salesperson, you have to figure out how to be their expert.    Sales training and programs of today  Being a saleswoman in a male-dominated industry is difficult. Most sales training today have men in mind. They expect women to act like the opposite sex to be effecting at their job. The majority of sales programs were created 40 years ago by men for men. It was at a time when men made up most of the sales force. In 2017, women made up to 49.8% of the sales force and there are even more today. However, the model still hasn’t evolved despite the change in demographics.   Women have the innate ability to be patient and intuitive in the way they interact with people. Instead of using traditional scripts, they can utilize their natural talents by tapping into their authentic selves and their own communication skills to connect with their prospects.  Women control 51% of the wealth and influence over 71% of the household spending. Knowing this, it’s wise to train female salespeople. The alpha male approach doesn’t work for the female brain.    Effects of gender in the buying process In male-dominated industries such as logistics and truck brokerage, it’s not as common to have a female salesperson. This means a woman coming in as a sales rep has to know the material frontward and backward. Unlike their male counterparts, they tend to have to prove their expertise. Cynthia had her fair share of working with men and the experience taught her how to play in the field. She learned how to become an expert and it allowed her to go from being a salesperson to a consultant. Her natural ability to build relationships and network helped her talk to men on a deeper level, get to know them and build a friendship. Because she was able to break down initial barriers with her expertise, she even knew her clients’ favorite beer and wives birthdays!    Women have strong emotional intelligence, excellent listening skills, and they are natural networkers. These qualities allow them to build strong relationships. They shine when the sales cycle is slow enough to build stronger relationships with their clients.    Tweaks that can be done for sales programs today Women’s natural abilities include intuition, patience, and relationship building.  Women are also perfectionists, address their own weaknesses, and like to play it safe.  It’s wise to tap into this resource but many of the current sales programs are not cater