The document outlines a proposed Sales Academy program with the goals of equipping partner sales teams, accelerating ShoreTel revenue growth, and exceeding customer expectations. The program is based on adult learning principles and consists of three pillars: a Boot Camp for foundational sales skills training, Flight School for more advanced selling strategies, and a Top Gun Master Class for professional development. Key factors for the academy's success include selecting the right Sales Dean to lead the program, engaging partner sales managers, and demonstrating a clear return on investment.

1. Creating
Sales
Academy
ROI
Mission
Equip and empower Partner sales teams
Accelerate and grow ShoreTel revenues
Increase sales velocity
Exceed customer expectations
Optimize Sales
Effectiveness
More sales wins
Increased Revenue and Profit
ShoreTel
Partner
Shareholders
Higher margins due to higher
average selling prices Better negotiation skills
Better
relationships
More follow-on sales
Increased market share
More customer
satisfaction
Understand more
customer needs
Solve customer
problems
Prove and
communicate
ROI
Increased productivity
Higher close rates
Larger Pipeline
Shorter sales cycles
More sales control
Better territory coverage
Ability to penetrate Enterprise opportunities
Ability to Sell to Executives
Better business focus and communications skills
Develop and deliver real value
Build Partner and
Customer Loyalty
Sales mind share grows
Knowledge
increased
ShoreTel product
Customer needs
Market
Confidence
increased Drives motivation
Sales skills
improved
Professional
Learning
Environment
Adult Learning Principles Followed
· Adults are autonomous and self-directed.
They need to be free to direct themselves.
Participants must know how the training will help them reach their goals
· Adults have accumulated a foundation of life experiences and knowledge
They need to connect learning to this
knowledge/experience base.
· Adults are
goal-oriented.
Adult learners appreciate an educational program that is organized and has clearly
defined elements
· Adults are
relevancy-oriented. Theories and concepts must be related to a setting familiar to participants
Adults need to be
shown respect. Instructors must acknowledge the wealth of experiences that adult participants bring to the classroom
· Adults are
practical, Adults will focus on the aspects of learning that is most useful to them in their work.
Critical elements that must be addressed
Motivation
The participant must recognize the need for the information or the instructional effort to assist the
participant to learn will be in vain.
Many ways to
motivate learners
Specific feedback
Methods
Have an appropriate a feeling or tone for the session
Have an appropriate level of concern. The level of tension must be adjusted to meet the
level of importance of the objective.
Have an appropriate level of difficulty. Challenging but not frustrating. Predict and reward
participation, culminating in success.
Provide
application and
practice to
increase
retention
Reinforcement
Apply both positive and negative
reinforcement
Retention
Transference
Ability to use the information taught
in the course but in a new setting
Transference
Occurs when:
· Association -- participants can associate the new
information with something that they already know.
· Similarity -- the information is similar to material that participants
already know; that is, it revisits a logical framework or pattern.
· Degree of original learning -- participant's
degree of original learning was high.
· Critical attribute element -- the information learned contains
elements that are extremely beneficial (critical) on the job.
Academy
Blueprint
3 Pillars
Boot Camp
ShoreTel and VoIP Market
ShoreTel Solutions
Application development
Competition
Demo skills
Demo selling
Flight School
Opportunity selection and Pre-flight
Managing complex sales
Selling to
executives
Business acumen
Drivers
SWOT
ROI
Relationship
selling
Sales strategies
Competitive
Sales campaign
Political
Territory
management
"Check Ride"
Academy
Field
Top Gun Master Class
Professional
development
Guru speaker
Best practices
Recognition
Awards Dinner
Weekend retreat
Voice of the
Partner
Product
Service
Marketing
Legal
Administration
Competition
Sales
Support
Field
Coaching
Sales People
Sales
Management
Sales
Certification
Multi-level
process
Pre-work
In-Academy
performance
Field demonstration of new
knowledge/skills
Proof of
transference
Certification
Portfolio
Joint ShoreTel/Partner
agreement
Administration
Selection
Logistics
Budget
Client satisfaction
Coaching and communications
Critical Success
Factors
The Sales Dean
Entrepreneurial
Passionate
Wisdom and
Credibility
Pure IP unified communications systems
Technology Expert
Sales Expert
Training Expert
Channel Expert
Sales Coach
Classroom
Field
Role Model
Team Leader
Aligned with Marketing and rest of
ShoreTel
Listening and understanding Voice of Partners
ShoreTel experts
Partner Sales Manager engagement and share the risk
Salesperson's desire to improve
Funding
Staffing
Academy standards
Executive Team
Continued process Improvement
Academy ROI.mmap - 12/11/2007 - Greg Haskell