Linda Richardson to Provide Keynote Speech at ASTD's Virtual Sales Coaching Forum

PHILADELPHIA, March 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Richardson, a leading global sales training and performance improvement firm, today announced that Linda Richardson, Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, will be delivering the keynote speech at the American Society of Training and Development, Sales Training Drivers Online Virtual Sales Coaching Forum, being held on April 7-8, 2010.

During this session, Ms. Richardson will focus on how to make sales coaching the platform for sales success.  Sales organizations are struggling to develop sales coaching cultures.  The transition of sales managers into sales coaches has been an uphill battle for many organizations.  Today, the role of sales manager as super salesperson on the team is not sustainable, and many organizations recognize that sales coaching is the missing link to developing high-performing teams.  Ms. Richardson will explore why front-line sales managers are the single most important people in the sales organization in achieving goals and how sales coaching leads to high motivation and closes performance gaps and where the carrot and stick fit in.  She will focus on participants' roles in helping put coaching at the top of their "to do" lists.

"Coaching is the technology of sales success," says Linda Richardson.  "It is the key to motivation and performance improvement.  Training and development professionals who focus on sales coaching with their sales managers are force multipliers.  They will help their organizations achieve levels not thought possible."

"For sales training to have real impact, it must be accompanied by a solid and well-managed coaching approach," says Dr. Brian Lambert, Director ASTD's Sales Training Drivers.  "We are very pleased that Linda is able to provide this relevant, actionable, and highly engaging content with the purpose of helping sales team's succeed through better coaching in today's economic environment."

Linda Richardson is the Founder and Chairwoman of Richardson.  As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence for 2006, and in 2007 she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the "Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals."  Her new books, Perfect Selling and Sales Coaching: Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach (2nd edition), won gold and silver medals from Sales Book Awards.  Her NanoBook series on Coaching was the gold medal winner for audio books.

The ASTD Sales Training Drivers Online Virtual Coaching Forum is designed to provide online, interactive, and relevant opportunities to learn best practices, ideas, and real-world solutions to some of today's toughest sales training and performance challenges.  Ms. Richardson, a New York Times Best Selling Author will be delivering the keynote session entitled, Sales Coaching: Leave the Carrot and Stick Behind. To register for the event, please click here or visit http://www.salestrainingdrivers.org/virtual/registration.aspx

About Richardson

Richardson (http://www.richardson.com) is a global sales performance company focused on improving sales results.  We do this in three ways.  We analyze the structure and talent of your sales force, we train and develop your sales team, and we continue that development through coaching and reinforcement.  We equip your sales leaders and sales force with the skills and strategies they need to win in today's complex selling environment.  What is unique about Richardson is how we create truly customized solutions that change behavior and provide measurable results.

SOURCE Richardson