This is hilarious. I have an “expert” on bypassing SPAM filters offer to teach me, and his email lands in my SPAM filter.

Think about its application for sales trainers.

This man’s credibility as a subject matter expert (SME) is ZERO. If a negative rating could be attained, he’d be our first-place finisher.

So how well do you affirm your expertise when you’re in front of a roomful of learners?

I encourage sales trainers to brag a bit on their experience and track record at the start of a training program. The selling pros in the room are more inclined to pay attention and they are much more open to learning, when they are sitting at the feet of a successful salesperson.

And if you’re doing sales training, but you’re a non-selling professional who’s a trainer, you can still attain great credibility by bragging on the methods you’re teaching, the experts who developed them, then your skills as a training pro.

The key point here is to help learners set aside any fears related to their instructor, early in the training experience.

And that’s the best way to keep attendees from dumping your message into their SPAM filters.

So go brag a bit, it’s good for everyone.

Yesterday I’m with a financial services client and partway through the morning’s sales training I do a “confession session” where reps share their most embarrassing moment. It’s a very funny time.

This slide (pictured here) is up on the screen and during the break a woman walks up.

“I’m very offended by that image.”

“You are?” People start to gather when they hear the energy in her voice.

“Yes, it is very obvious that the man is looking up her skirt.”

“Are you serious?” I say.

Then silence as everyone around peers closely at the picture.

A man says, “But he has no eyes!”

She retorts, “He is looking up her skirt and it is very offensive.”

I’m shocked and struggle with whether to make a witty comment or a sarcastic one, then resign myself to…

“I’ll have to get that guy a male psychologist.”

Here’s the thought for you training pros:

What kind of baggage is she bringing into the training?

Because you’ll teach salespeople to be aware of what kind of baggage their prospects bring to the selling table.

Everyone has concerns, complicated by biases in their background. Your job is to discover what they are, allay fears and get learners to change behavior in order to improve performance.

How flexible are your facilitation skills? Are they great? If not, why not? Your ability to uncover the heart and mind of the sales training attendees will help you paint a picture of prosperity for them. At that point they are prepared to engage, practice and adopt new learning.