Gaurav Bhagat Academy’s 10X Mantra, The Real Game-Changer In Sales Sector

Gaurav Bhagat, Founder, Gaurav Bhagat Academy (GBA) in conversation with Outlook, spells out how the Gaurav Bhagat Academy is working towards transforming individuals into dynamic professionals with special tailor-made courses.

How has your experience as a salesperson influenced your approach to sales training and coaching?

first ventured into sales when I was still in college in the mid 90’s. There was very little in terms of structured sales training, everything was cumbersome and lengthy. Sales can be challenging and these courses did not make it any easier. Over the last two decades things got only worse in the offline space until the pandemic, when new developments happened with the explosion of online content and online trainers. Here too the curriculum lacked personal touch and there was limited use of role plays and case studies. Several concepts were great in theory but would not work in the real world. Keeping all this in mind, and based on my experience with Grant Cardone from Miami, USA, we at the GBA came up with one of the most powerful and impactful sales courses in the country. The content was easy to consume and could be taught in as little as 2-4 full day sessions. The course allowed role plays, doubt clearance sessions and gave real world practical insights that would ensure all participants get the best value and results. More than 50% of the content had real-life situations based on my past history as a sales person and entrepreneur, and had helped garner crores in sales over the years.

What are some of the unique challenges that sales teams across industries face while selling products and services?

While not necessarily unique, some of the challenges that are faced by sales teams are a growing number of rejections. In the pre-pandemic world, if sales people were getting 6 rejections for every Yes, now it’s probably gone up to 10-11 rejections for every Yes.

The other challenge that the under informed sales person is facing is a very smart buyer, a buyer who thanks to the data and information available online, is well versed with what he/she wants and hence cannot be coaxed into buying a subpar solution that will not meet he/she needs.

In the post pandemic world clients are working hybrid, some still virtual and getting stakeholders and decision makers to meet in person to reach a decision is becoming a challenge. Buyers are also flooded with a lot of information and options from different suppliers and having so many choices have in some cases increased the selling cycle, and follow up is now key in winning sales.

How do you tailor your training to suit individuals with varying levels of sales knowledge and experience?

Our students range from people who have been selling for 25+ years to people who are complete novices. Our entry level programs are often about educating participants on what exactly is sales and the mindset required to succeed in this field. Medium level courses get into the nuances of how the right sales process can be structured and the crucial tips and tools required to make an impact in sales. This also covers advice on negotiating, objection handling, closing and follow-ups. And finally our advanced level courses in sales get into how different stakeholders can be identified and sales pitches tweaked for better results. This also marries traditional sales knowledge with modern AI tools and brings in the added elements of psychometrics and DISC profiling.
We offer no ‘one-size fits-all solution’, and each program and workshop is created after strategic fact-finding and seeing what will move the needle the most for participants and their organisations.

Can you share any success stories who have gone on to become successful sales people?

The Gaurav Bhagat Academy has directly trained thousands of participants through our courses and workshops. There have been countless success stories where participants have gone from increasing their sales several hundred percent on a year-on-year basis.

When we run our two-day sales bootcamp at the GBA, our tagline states - Grow your sales between 40-100% within 6 months of attending the training. I’m happy to share that this holds true in majority of the case. Also, while sales do go up there is so much more that everyone takes away from these training sessions. We teach the 10X mindset and that’s a game-changer for almost everyone who comes into the GBA.

Can you share some insights on Awesome Sales Job (ASJ)?

Awesome Sales Job (ASJ) came about because corporate India needed well trained, presentable and focused sales people. There was a big shortage of sales people that met these criteria and many were doing sales until they found their ideal career. Many students and young working professionals did not see the true potential that a career in sales presented and were missing the opportunities to make great money and impact. That is where Awesome Sales Jobs came in, we already had the best sales training content out there, we have the facility and the infrastructure and also the will to help. By spending 5 weeks with us, the students or young working professionals would be equipped with the best sales insights and knowledge, which would enable them to go out and make an impact right from Day 1. The team at the GBA would also assist in placements and has a large database of companies that are seeking sales people who we train. All in all, it’s a win-win for all stakeholders, the young working professional, the corporates and even the Indian economy.

Can you tell us more about your personal motivation for wanting to help young professionals succeed in sales?

I was once a college student looking to master sales. There was very little guidance and almost no mentorship available when I set out. A lot of the results/lack of it was because of the hit and miss approach. This resulted in a lot of rejections and loss of motivation when it came to pursuing a career in sales. I probably stuck around because of desperation rather than aspiration. I feel that the youth today should not be burdened by such a situation and that is where I decided to launch this offering. There is also a very big demand for trained and presentable sales people across corporate India and with our current offering we intend to plug that gap for good.

The Gaurav Bhagat Academy headquartered out of a state-of-the-art training facility in Noida offers online/offline training and recorded courses. With the mission of offering the best training, coaching and programs to empower every participant to be the ultimate version of themselves, it is India’s top sales training academy licensed by Grant Cardone, the world's number 1 sales trainer, and is the only 10X licensee in India and the first in Asia.