Winona State University Adult & Continuing Education (ACE) partnered with Mississippi Welders Supply Company (MWS) and JDLake Consultant, John Lake, to deliver a customized training program for the MWS sales team. The three-part training series titled, Pathfinder Sales Process: The Journey from Order Taker to Trusted Advisor, included multi-step sales strategies of positioning, connecting, exploring, suggesting, and fortifying sales practices.
MWS sales professional shared, “When the sale is closed, that is only the beginning. Maintaining timely contact with the client is extremely important to make sure clients’ needs are being met.”
In addition to supporting the sales team, John Lake also provided one-on-one executive coaching to emerging leaders on the MWS team. Team leaders reported heightened self-awareness, higher levels of empathy, and overall improved leadership abilities.
Lisa Lorisch, HR Manager at MWS, said “We value our relationship with WSU Continuing Education and John Lake. John has worked with several employees as an Executive Coach and we have seen fast results. He is efficient with his time and takes a unique approach that has been greatly appreciated by those he has coached. Our need was unique, but Julie Kiehne (WSU Business Outreach Coordinator) took the time to gather information so that she could find the right coach to match our culture. The results were better than expected and we look forward to sending additional people to John for Executive Coaching in the future. “
Bruce Nuttall and John Lake
Bruce Nuttall, MWS Sales Manager, said “The Pathfinder Sales Process training met our goal of equipping our salesforce with the skills necessary to take our company to the next level. We were proud to partner with WSU Adult & Continuing Education and John Lake, Corporate Trainer on this initiative.”
Mississippi Welders Supply Company provides welding supplies, cryogenic gases, analytic gases, industrial gases, metal fabricating equipment, industrial supplies, PPE and fire safety equipment. MWS has eleven locations to serve a growing customer base throughout Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa. The company’s tenacity in following sound business practices and sticking to their mission ensures strong relationships between employees, manufacturers, and loyal customers. MWS is a certified Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB).
Adult & Continuing Education (ACE) at Winona State University offers a wide range of non-credit and for-credit offerings to enhance professional development. Whether through online learning, immersive classroom experiences, or hands-on training, Winona State strives to meet student needs so that they can reach their goals. For information on customized training and other continuing education opportunities through WSU, contact Julie Kiehne at jkiehne@winona.edu or call 507.457.5080.
