IAU class of 2006: throughout International Ag University's 3-year sales training program,...

Students who graduate from the three-year Sales Training Program of International Ag University (IAU) see themselves transformed from being ag equipment salespeople into true Ag Equipment Consultants, said Frank Lee. He is not surprised; that's the way he planned it.

Lee founded International

Ag University in 2002, after he became frustrated with "event-style" short-term training, where salespeople absorbed a lot of knowledge in a short time but couldn't turn the knowledge into sales back at their dealerships. So the next year, the sales staff is sent to a different sales class with a different instructor.

Lee saw two main problems with this continuing cycle of sales training: the salespeople had no follow-through and nobody held them accountable for their training.

"I thought there was a better way to train salespeople," he said. "I knew I could do a lot with salespeople in two days. But I also knew if I could have them for three years, I could do a great deal more."

The IAU three-year program he started in 2003 has three one-year phases. During Year 1, the students learn to break down old habits and change their view of selling. In Year 2, the classes focus on looking at a sales career as a business, and students learn how to negotiate and sell as businesses. In Year 3, the class focuses on the salespeople developing into business consultants to their customers who think through problems and bring true value to their customers.

An annual finance class shows them how to be creative in finding financial solutions for their customers. Other subjects not usually covered in two-day training sessions are part of IAU's curriculum: Negotiating, Positioning, Consultative Selling, Leveraging and Profiling.

Classes are held regionally for easy two-day access, including travel time. Classes are scheduled three times a year from noon until 7 p.m. on day one and from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m. on day two. Currently, 296 students in various stages of the program are attending 20 different classes in Chicago, Dallas, Fargo, Kansas City, Minneapolis, Omaha, Reno, Denver, Atlanta, Toledo, Portland, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Moncton and Toronto.

Completed homework assignments and class participation are necessary for the students to progress through the program, Lee said. He keeps store managers updated through regular newsletters and schedules of what students are expected to accomplish at the dealership between class sessions.

There are no requirements of career stage, age or experience for entrance into the IAU program. "Some students are new to sales, and others have been in sales for a long time," Lee says. "It doesn't matter. The goal is for them to develop into true Ag Equipment Consultants."

The change in sales philosophy

Case IH was the first corporation to co-op their dealers for the IAU program, followed by New Holland. Thus, the first graduating class is made up of Case IH and New Holland salespeople. Some of the following classes are also made up of one brand, and some are mixed, from dealerships throughout the U.S. and Canada and representing all the major brands.

Mark Jones, Case IH Business Manager (CBM), said he already sees results from students who were diligent about their homework assignments and follow through. He was particularly impressed by Frank Lee's "back to basics" approach. "He takes the basic sales concepts to new levels he said. I wish I could have had every one of our salesmen go through the program."

"Some of the salespeople don't believe they can become a resource for all kinds of things the customer needs," he said, adding that it took some students longer to accept this long-range consulting concept.

"Frank teaches students to look at customers' overall needs," Jones said. "The bigger producers are looking for an equipment consultant they trust to help them make decisions."

Fred Bower, CBM, also watches the salespeople from his territory who are at various stages of the program. "I've seen the salesmen grow and mature as they put what they learn into practice," he said. "As they do their homework assignments and start seeing some success, their philosophy about selling changes."

Bower, whose territory includes many Titan stores, said the support of the company's owners and the store managers are instrumental in helping their salespeople meet IAU program's goals. "Dealers who set high standards want their salespeople to be successful, and they have begun seeing more sales as a result of these classes."

"Going through Frank's program is like having a doctor's degree in sales," he said. Both Jones and Bower attended all the program sessions and were awarded certificates.

2006 Honor Graduates

Of the 120 students who began the IAU program in 2003, 89 graduated from the course. Lee said these students are consultative solution providers who take long-term views. "They represent the future of the ag industry."

Five students were selected as outstanding students for their success in becoming Ag Equipment Consultants:

* Santiago Aguirre--Booth Machinery, Inc., Yuma, Ariz.; $3.2 Million volume during the past 12 months. He credits IAU for teaching him to look at sales through the customer's eyes and negotiate deals that benefit both the customer and dealership. "IAU taught me to ask appropriate questions that help me uncover the customer's needs and expectations," he said.

* Jason Basset--Redhead Equipment LTD, Saskatoon, Sask.; $2.9 Million volume during the past 12 months. Crediting his secret to success to hard work and luck, he said, "IAU helped position me as a professional consultant. My development was encouraged and expedited through homework and exchange of ideas."

* Tom Kleinwachter--Red Power International, Crookston, Minn.; $2.2 Million volume during the past 12 months. "IAU keeps me focused on the things that will make me successful," he said.

* BJ Knutson--Titan Machinery, Fargo, N.D.; $5.5 Million volume during the past 12 months. "IAU taught me how to get more repeat business with my customers and ways to help me get all of their business, how to handle objections, and how to add value to my customers' operations," he said.

* Jason Wickham--Wickham Tractor Co., Fort Morgan, Colo.; $3.4 Million volume during the past 12 months. "I am not only a better salesman because of IAU; I am a better person. The confidence that I got from the course is almost unmeasureable, and it spills over into my personal life daily."

For detailed information about the IAU sales program, contact Frank Lee, International Ag University, 2628 Timberhaven Dr., Flower Mound, TX 75028; tel: 972-355-6761, fax: 972-874-2864, email: Franklee@salesacademy.com; www.sales-academy.com.

IAU Graduating Class, 2006

Alliance Tractor, Alliance, NE: Mike McGinnis; Arnold's, Kimball, MN; Wayne Mackereth; Arnolds of St. Martin, St. Martin, MN: Keith Englund; Bishop & Wachholz, Kasson, MN: Kendall Klaehn; Booth Machinery, Inc., Yuma, AZ: Bobby Walker, Santiago Aguirre; Coleman Equipment, Bonner Springs, KS: John Coleman; Construction Ag. Supply, Wichita Falls, TX: Scott Newsom; Curly Olney's, Inc., McCook, NE: Kris Wilson; Earth Power, Stayner, ON: Steve Ree; ESS/Future Eq, Brenham, TX: Maurice Graeber; Fairbanks International, Lexington, NE: Eric Nichols; Fairbanks International, Holdrege, NE: Monte Schultz; Fairbanks Kearney, Kearney, NE: Jon Garner; Farmers Implement & Tractor, Yuma, CO: Arick Davis; Fergus International, Fergus Falls, MN: Mallory Fronning; German-Bliss Equip., Princeville, IL: Gary Eklund; Hansons Auto & Implement, Grafton, ND: Chris Olson, Dale Pesek; Hartzler Equipment, Nevada, MO: Phil Haubein; Hartzler Equipment, Harrisonville, MO: Randy Henry; Hartzler Equipment, Nevada, MO: Linn Nitsche; Henderson Implement, Welsh, LA: Steve Eastman, Kenny Lawrence; Hlavinka Farm Eq, Nome, TX: Kyle Lee; Hlavinka Farm Eq, Bernard, TX: Roy Robinette; Hub International, Lindsay, ON: Jeremy Malcolm; Johnson Tractor, Jonesville, WI: Brian Davis, Mark Hickey; Jones Truck, Colfax, WA: Dan Helbling; JRJ Services, Inc., Hermiston, OR: Kirk Herres; Kayton International, Neligh, NE: Gary Borer; Kayton International, Albion, NE: Dana Labenz; Leo's Sales & Service, Winnipeg, MB: Ryan Grandmont; Magic City, Minot, ND: Dustin Kennedy; Marks Machinery, Yankton, SD: Ken Guenther, Ben Van Osdel; Metcalfe's Garage, Ltd., Treherne, MD: Maurice Grenier, Hubert Hutlet; Minnesota Ag Group, Plainview, MN: Randy Benson; Mitchell & Bourland, Terrell, TX: Chris Taliaferro; Moker & Thompson Impl., Ltd., Melfort, SK: Randy Martin; Moker & Thompson Impl., Ltd., Prince Albert, SK: Ron Mihilewicz, Terry Wawro; Monroe Tractor, Adams Center, NY, Bruce Bandych; Ord Equipment, Ord, NE: Keith Shellhase; Pankonin's Inc., Louisville, NE: Larry Schliefert; Rabe International, Fairmont, MN: Brian Meyer; Read Bros., Inc., Henry, IL: Phil Read; Red Power International, Ada, MN: Steve Rude; Red Power International, Crookston, MN: Tom Kleinwachter, Mike Kolstoe; Redhead Equipment, Ltd., Saskatoon, SK: Jason Basset, Trent Moody; Reiten & Young, Grand Forks, ND: Tim Weber; Roth Equipment Company, Lamed, KS: Troy Mead; Service Motor Co., Seymour, WI: Steve Carlin; Service Motor Co., Dale, WI: Scott Hein; St. John Hardware & Impl, Nezperce, ID: Gary Blakeman; St. John Hardware & Impl, Airway Heights, WA: Ron Boone; Stewart's Equipment, Erin, ON: Mike Metcalfe; Stoltz Sales & Service, Mildmay, ON: Ian Dickison; Stoltz Sales & Service, Listowel, ON: Dean Jackson; Stoltz Sales & Service, Elmira, ON: Steve Osborne: Straub International, Great Bend, KS: Doug Barrett; Straub International, Salina, KS: Kevin Mortimer; Titan Machinery, Casselton, ND: Jim Levos; Titan Machinery, Fargo, ND: BJ Knutson, Dave Leiran, Joe Scheffier; Titan Machinery, Jamestown, ND: Dave Etter, Doug Etter; Titan Machinery, Kulin, ND: Don Aberle; Titan Machinery, Lidgerwood, ND: Don Kiefer; Titan Machinery, Lisbon, ND: Scott Johnson, Paul Radcliffe; Titan Machinery, Wahpeton, ND: Kevin Hudson; Toner's Inc., Grand Island, NE: Brian Quandt; Town & Country Implement, Rock Valley, IA: Rich Rozeboom, James VanVeldhuizen; Twete, Inc., McVille, ND: David Aaser; Uglem-Ness, Northwood, ND: Brent Nesdahl; Victor's Inc., Fremont, NE: Roger Hunteman; Wardale Equipment, Ltd., Preeceville, SK: Jason Reine; Wardale Equipment, Ltd., Yorkton, SK: Cory Andres, Perry Berezowski; Wells Equipment Sales, Litchfield, MI: Matt Avery; Wickham Tractor, Ft. Morgan, CO: Jason Wickham; Young's Equipment, Regina, SK: Mark Van Luven; In transition, Dauphin, MB: Dave Shumka