How to Improve Sales Training Programs with this One Word
How to Improve Sales Training Programs with this One Word
The answer to this question lies in this one word - sustainable. For a sales training program to be truly successful, the foundational curriculum needs to be sustainable. Unfortunately, far too many training solutions focus the majority of time on sales skills. When analyzing poor selling results, the real obstacle is poor attitudes and habits.
Sales research suggests almost 50% of all leads are left hanging on the vine to wither and die. Even without extensive education those involved in selling know leads are the source of future revenue. Not following up on leads is truly not an issue of knowledge and skill, but clearly demonstrates poor attitudes and habits.
To achieve sustainability in any education and development initiative requires the participants to answer this question: Do I know it or Do I want to do it? The wanting will always trump the knowing.
Since many corporate learning and development courses are constructed from earlier experiences (beliefs), this becomes the “Achilles” heel. After interviewing and surveying over 1,000 educators and sales professionals, this is how America learns:
Sales Coaching Tip: When learning is constructed using this underlying belief system, sustainability is far more difficult to achieve.
To achieve sustainability requires the following:
Infusing the development of positive attitudes and habits along with the necessary knowledge and sales skills is probably the best way to achieve long term sustainability. By taking this action, your sales training program will also deliver a positive return on your investment.
How to Improve Sales Training Programs with this One Word - To learn more about this author, visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website.
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Many sales training programs are very good. Yet if good was the key criterion why are people still seeking new learning and development courses, seminars and workshops? Why not use the very good program you already have?
The answer to this question lies in this one word - sustainable. For a sales training program to be truly successful, the foundational curriculum needs to be sustainable. Unfortunately, far too many training solutions focus the majority of time on sales skills. When analyzing poor selling results, the real obstacle is poor attitudes and habits.
Sales research suggests almost 50% of all leads are left hanging on the vine to wither and die. Even without extensive education those involved in selling know leads are the source of future revenue. Not following up on leads is truly not an issue of knowledge and skill, but clearly demonstrates poor attitudes and habits.
To achieve sustainability in any education and development initiative requires the participants to answer this question: Do I know it or Do I want to do it? The wanting will always trump the knowing.
Since many corporate learning and development courses are constructed from earlier experiences (beliefs), this becomes the “Achilles” heel. After interviewing and surveying over 1,000 educators and sales professionals, this is how America learns:
- Read it
- Learn it
- Test it
- Forget it
- Move to the next chapter
Sales Coaching Tip: When learning is constructed using this underlying belief system, sustainability is far more difficult to achieve.
To achieve sustainability requires the following:
- Alignment to the overall strategic action plan
- Shorter learning engagements (Sales Coaching Tip: The brain only absorbs what the butt will endure.)
- Opportunities for practice and feedback
- Review of all policies and procedures ensuring no conflict with training and development
- Participation of all sales managers (Sale Coaching Tip: One Doubting Thomas supervisor can undermine the efforts of the best facilitator.)
Infusing the development of positive attitudes and habits along with the necessary knowledge and sales skills is probably the best way to achieve long term sustainability. By taking this action, your sales training program will also deliver a positive return on your investment.
How to Improve Sales Training Programs with this One Word - To learn more about this author, visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website.
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John BrennanJohn Brennan Ed.D. Dr. Brennan is President of Interpersonal Development, LLC, a training and development firm. Interpersonal Development has provided sales training and coaching to more than 3,000 sales reps from over 100 companies. A native of Australia, Dr. Brennan received his doctorate from the University of Rochester. His dissertation researched the effectiveness of Behavioral Modeling Technology in training people in interpersonal skills. While he has spent most of his career designing or delivering training, he was also a Vice-President of Sales of a training and development franchise with operations in 25 markets. Dr. Brennan has designed and delivered sales training in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. He has been a guest speaker at numerous national and regional professional conferences. When Microsoft wanted Best Practices articles on sales for their web site, they called Dr. Brennan. The results are at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011387391033.aspx His firm’s clients have included Volvo, The Prudential, Merrill Lynch, Eastman Kodak, Gannett, Equifax Europe, the Economist Group and countless small businesses. - Visit John Brennan's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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John AlexanderJohn has taught keyword research and SEO skills to small groups of business owners and Webmasters from over 80 different countries world wide since 2002. John is also the Director of Search Engine Academy ; Co-director of Training at Search Engine Workshops offering live, SEO Workshops with his partner SEO educator Robin Nobles, author of the very first comprehensive online search engine marketing courses at SEO Training Online and the SEO Workshop Resource Center. I look forward to hearing from you! - Visit John Alexander's Website |
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Casey GollanCasey Gollan, Business Coaching & Mentoring Programs. Add $1 Million to $10 Million in the next 1 to 3 years. Since 1996 Casey has to added hundreds of millions of dollars to businesses. Watch a free video see client results Business Coaching website. - Visit Casey Gollan's Website |
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