Member News: Sales training - exclusive and free to GAI Members 

Essential sales skills will be the subject of an exclusive online four-part training course available free of charge to members of The Guild of Architectural Ironmongers (GAI) this autumn.

This course has been developed by the GAI in partnership with TACK TMI, a world leader in learning and development solutions including specialist sales excellence training. 

The course has been offered to help members in the architectural ironmongery and associated industries to win new contracts, maximise revenue and retain valued customers. It will cover the core skills needed by salespeople to reach and exceed tough targets, and for sales leaders to motivate and support the team around them to achieve their full potential. 

Structured around four 90-minute webinars, the new course will include (for those attending the live sessions) plenty of opportunities for interaction, supplemental training videos, and workbooks with exercises supporting the learning in each session. Those attending all four sessions will receive a certificate on completion, with CPD points also available.  

GAI technical manager Douglas Masterson said: "For any architectural ironmongery company to thrive in the current business environment, sales leaders and their teams need expertise in a wide range of skills and techniques. 

"This course has been specifically designed to meet these challenges as they arise in our industry, providing a comprehensive look across those core skills to ensure an expertly trained, confident and motivated sales workforce. 

"These modules have been specifically chosen for our sector, in order to complement and support the previous sales training webinars we have delivered on specification sales, contractor sales, trade counter sales and telesales " 


The four sessions, with dates are as follows (international members are advised to note the switch after the first two sessions from British Summer Time BST to Greenwich Mean Time GMT): 

Consultative selling

Thursday 24 October 9-11am BST 

Understanding our differentiators and why they would matter to the customer. 

Account and channel management

Friday 25 October 9-11am BST 

Mapping, understanding and influencing all the decision makers and influencers in the sales process.   

Negotiation skills

Tuesday 12 November 9-11am GMT 

How to use variables to broaden out a negotiation. 

Sales management and leadership

Wednesday 13 November 9-11am GMT 

Optimising the performance of the whole sales function, including identifying performance categories and sales management styles. 

For more information and to reserve a place on these four sessions, members should visit www.gai.org.uk/events