Summer is the time of year when the days are longer. We spend more time outside and take family vacations. We also ponder the days when we were able to take a summer vacation like the school kids.
And while we stress the importance of taking a summer vacation, we also recognize that this is a great season to learn and grow! While the rest of the competition is taking a break, this is a great time to sharpen some skills and get ahead of the game. Consider this your formal invitation to Summer School. There’s always an excuse to put something off, so challenge yourself this summer to take the leap and learn a new skill or take that class you’ve had your eye on.
Never stop learning
Continuing education is fundamentally important for any professional to stay on top of industry trends and keep your skills sharp, especially in this changing market. Not quite knowing the direction of business trends tends to force us to be more proactive and prepared. And what better way to be prepared than to educate yourself? Knowledge is power! And managers, this is a perfect time to get your team together for some skills and drills.
Let’s walk through some of the reasons why you and your team should go back to school.
- Sales/Service Skills: Refresh more tenured team members’ skills while also training the newbies with the latest techniques. Since every job is a sales job, you can strengthen the whole team’s sales and service proficiencies. From admin to consultants, there’s room for improved job performance, confidence, adaptability and customer satisfaction.
- Evolving Customer Base: With younger Millennials and Gen Zs entering the market, it is critical to understand how different their needs are from the generations that precede them. We’ll need to start catering our techniques to serve a whole new group of people. First, we have to learn about them.
- Emerging Technologies: Going back to school can introduce new types of emerging sales technologies to leverage. From fully integrated CRM platforms and communication tools to learning how to use AI to your advantage can help streamline your sales funnel and better organize the business.
- Build Your Network: Meeting new people through course forums or even in person at conferences and seminars builds a strong professional network. Joining professional associations and connecting with communities on social media establishes connections for potential partnerships and referrals too.
- Boost Morale: With so much change in recent years, a lot of companies have been focused outward vs. inward. Now is a perfect time to show your team and colleagues that they are appreciated and valued. New skills can instill confidence in employees as well as increase productivity and workplace engagement.
Summer school does not have to be a punishment, it can be a plus!
Getting Started
Here are some places you can look for inspiration, training and motivation:
- Podcasts (check out some of mine here)
- Books (a couple to get you started)
- Online learning. Our very own Orange Leaf Academy (OLA) offers 3 modular-based courses for you to choose from. From sales beginners to seasoned pros and everyone in between, the OLA courses offer something for everyone. All self-paced, The Art of Selling, 6 Secrets to Grow your Title Business and Embracing Your Inner Salesperson (Coming soon!) will give you and your team the strategies and confidence to unleash their potential.
You will never regret learning something new. Challenge your employer, your colleagues, but more importantly, challenge yourself to commit to continued education. From growing your business to improving morale and building more connections, there are only positives to Summer School.
So, find what fits your lifestyle and Grow Big or Go Home!