You may have recently gone through sales training or you're considering investing in sales training for your team. But, what truly makes sales training effective? Is it the way it’s delivered, taught, or utilized?
The fact of the matter is that sales is a talent-based profession, and so, the best sales training will only improve the performance of an individual on average by 20%. While over 50% of sales managers are too busy to train and develop their sales teams; a sensible investment in recruiting and developing real sales talent produces amazing returns. (Source)
Although the results of sales training for a sales team can be marvelous, it can also only last for a short-term. Below are examples of common mistakes some sales training companies do not address.
1. Training is Not Ongoing
Training a group of salespeople for let’s say three days might have immediate impact on their selling skills. But what if you could apply these selling skills throughout a longer amount of time giving you maximum potential. Just like athletes, if you practice everyday and apply your training it will benefit you in the long run; leading you to reach your goals and succeed.
A sales curriculum designed to keep training ongoing is not only beneficial to the seller but to your future selling potential. Over time a seller can evolve by applying these techniques through practice and scenarios he or she will only encounter at different stages of the sales funnel. This allows an opportunity to put your skills through the tests of closing a sale.
2. Boring Content
Whether your sales training is live with an on-site trainer or taught through an LMS (Learning Management System), the way the learning material is presented makes all the difference in the learners comprehension. Boring content is ineffective because let’s face it, do you really think being lectured will be effective?
The solution to this is to engage with the learner with sales exercises, activities, and discussions to promote thinking beyond just the content being taught during the training. The learner must interpret the content for themselves to gain any kind of real value out of the training. If a learner is engaged and interested they’ll show signs of comprehension and thought provoking ideas that will better prepare them for continuing sales challenges.
3. Sales Leadership is Not Addressed
Scenario: You just finished a two day sales training session with a sales trainer and you’re feeling great! But wait, now you have to apply these new techniques just learned among your sales team. How do you do that?
Sales team leadership is one of those many things that trainers may overlook while training individuals. As a whole the sales team should be working together to create an overall sales strategy. This strategy is something the sales team can refer to each time they may be stuck in ‘limbo’ between sales. Refining the strategy over time will solidify your process and aid in the success of closing sales. It is by taking leadership that will help keep a sales team on target and continue to move sales down the funnel.
We hope you enjoyed this blog post, please leave a comment below letting us know your experiences with sales training. Have a wonderful week! #YOUGetTheMOST
