Cisco Offers New Sales Training Modules for Partners

Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO) has rolled out a new series of sales training modules for channel partners as part of an ongoing expansion of its year-old Partner Plus enablement program to boost sales opportunities for partners selling into midmarket accounts.

According to Andrew Sage, Cisco Worldwide Partner Organization Partner Led vice president, the vendor’s new Partner Led Sales Excellence Training Modules aim to arm channel partners with the sales tools necessary to become strategic advisers to their customers. Sage, detailing the program in a blog post, pointed out that channel salespeople must command the right offerings with the right message to reach their sales targets among the worldwide pool of 1.4 million midsized and large business prospects.

“It takes a good understanding of the sales cycle and most importantly the knowledge of how to start the conversation around business planning and strategy,” Sage wrote.

According to Sage, Cisco’s new sales training module zeros in on effective business planning to help partners learn how to map out their sales strategies both for individual accounts and geographic territories—as well as designing an IT blueprint for specific customers.

“Effective business planning is an important value that we bring to the customer,” said Sage. “A roadmap and a list of recommendations helps customers make strategic decisions across their organization without having to piece together all the offerings and connect all the dots themselves. That level of planning and consulting ultimately secures your place as a trusted advisor (sic) with the customer.”

Business planning materials in the training are the same as those available to Cisco’s direct sales team, which Sage said affords partners the benefit of being “on the same page” when it comes to the fundamentals of business planning,” for existing customers or prospects. “It’s truly a collaborative learning process that we have seen transform partners from salespeople into more strategic advisors (sic) that get at what customers really want and need,” he said.

Partner sales representatives can access the training at the Partner Led section of the Partner Education Connection (PEC), with an assessment available at Pearson VUE to validate successful completion of the material.

And, there’s a goodie at the end of the rainbow for partners. Cisco’s new Winner’s Circle program rewards a group of top performers among its Partner Plus members with a special event at a luxury resort to meet and greet Cisco’s top brass with recognition as one of the vendor’s key partners.