Today, I am going to do my best to dispel the myth that sales training is a magic elixir. Because that is the manner in which too many companies view sales training… a popular box on the management checklist that, once checked off, will transform sales performance and boost sales output. Then when sales training DOESN’T work, they quit doing it, change training companies, or dismiss the internal sales training department. The “magic” simply doesn’t materialize for some organizations. If we were to do a post mortem on the instances of failed sales training initiatives, what would we identify as the fatal flaw? Why do some companies achieve amazing results from sales training while many others fail miserably?
The most common culprit isn’t what many people might think. The real reason for success or failure DOES NOT generally rest upon the quality of the content or the training process itself. In most cases of failed sales training initiatives, the culprit was something very simple: the sales force didn’t use what they learned after they left the class. In some cases, the process they were taught might have been too complicated; but most of the time, it is as simple as a lack of true implementation. The company invested in a great EVENT. The EVENT got rave reviews on the post training evaluation forms. The sales professionals left the program with a temporary inspirational boost… and then went back into the field and sold pretty much the same way they did before the class. Six months later, those companies may as well have spent the money to send the sales team to the circus, because the results are about the same.
When it comes to sales training, the difference between success and failure is simply a matter of focus. Companies that focus on the EVENT of the sales training class usually fail, while companies that focus on sales training as an ongoing change initiative usually succeed. In choosing a sales training partner, understanding where they focus their efforts is critical to a successful mission. What happens AFTER your people leave the classroom is where the focus needs to lie. How are you going to institutionalize the new behavior? How are you going to create and enforce the expectations of that different behavior by the sales team? How will you support sales management in leading and coaching to those expectations? How will you evaluate and monitor the ROI? How will you provide a blended reinforcement solution that supports the training? Sales training partners that support their clients in providing ongoing solutions to these questions are the ones that succeed.
The good news is that sales training does indeed work. Certainly, there are differences between programs, and some are better than others to be sure. But none of them are magic. Success comes when people use the new process in the field. And most people will only use the new process if they are required to do so and receive ongoing training and reinforcement to assist in the transition. With that being said, it is what happens AFTER the training box has been checked off that separates the winners from losers!
Chuck Terry is the Executive Vice President and CSO of Carew International and is regular contributor to Carew’s blog – Executive Insights
Carew International is a leader in sales training and leadership development; specializing in comprehensive, proven training programs for sales, sales management and customer service excellence. For over 30 years, Carew has earned its reputation of delivering increased productivity and profitability to our valued clients world wide.
