When Larry Williams and Doug Leslie entered the sales training arena, they came from similar backgrounds: they both were successful sales representatives and sales managers at top Fortune 500 companies. Also, they both had career path stops working in training departments that struggled with outside resources.
The vision for the Williams Leslie Group was formulated based on these experiences and grew because of unique approaches to client relationships. These approaches are:
- Training is not a one-time event, but a continuing process that is integrated through the management and the culture of an organization. It is not just classroom workshops; it is the appropriate methods to convert skills into execution on a continuing basis. The reason you initiate sales and sales management training is to get results, not because it is required by law.
- Skills training should be based on what an organization needs, not what is in the manual of the company selling you the program. A client relationship is not based on how many manuals you have inventoried, but how relevant are the recommendations of an outside consultant to the goals of the business. Williams and Leslie were frustrated by outside vendors who were more interested in loading you up with materials at a discount rate rather than understanding what you were trying to accomplish.
- The turnover in the training industry is extremely high, which impacts client relationships. Many times the so-called "account managers" have nothing to do with the execution of the training - they just sell you things.
Larry and Doug decided that if they were truly concerned with the outcome of the client's sales execution, they had to be involved in the training. They also had to make a commitment that this was truly a long-term career endeavor, not a two-year job stop.
Today, the Williams Leslie Group works with some of the top sales organizations in the world and has continuing client relationships that are over twenty years old - unheard of in the training industry.
Although Larry and Doug are well known in the financial services, medical technology, and chemical industries, they are proud of their diversity. This includes working with major collegiate football programs involving recruiting student athletes and teaching in a business school of a major university in the area of executive education focusing toward sales and sales leadership.
The greatest reward comes in feedback from clients and students. Here are some examples:
"I really thought they were company employees."
"They know our business and what we are trying to accomplish."
"They use ideas from many industries, not just ours."
"The skills I learned from Doug ten years ago are the reason I am the President of the company today."
"They are fun, engaging and most of all credible with our people."
"When they make a call on you they exhibit the sales behaviors I want our people to exhibit. That is important when you are selecting an outside resource."
"I wish I would have had this training twenty years ago."
"Could I hire them to make calls with me?"
"Larry is so well read he sends me articles on our industry even I haven't seen."
"They were the only training company that was up to date on the reality of what our people experience. I think that is true because Doug and Larry still sell everyday. The value of that reality has never been proven by other training organizations we have used."
"These guys have continuous encores because they are good."