READ TIME – 6 MINUTES
A highly effective way of increasing staff productivity, employee motivation and business profits, a sales training course should be the springboard every organisation uses to propel themselves to the next level.
Sadly, not every business sees the effectiveness of sales training courses.
A sales training course can provide your business with several benefits, but they are so often improperly utilised. Poor sales training can not only halt business growth, but it can also cause your Sales Reps to quit.
Here’s why poor sales training courses are causing your sales reps to leave and how to fix it!
Your Sales Training Course Isn’t Engaging
A good sales training course should be practical, inclusive and engaging.
A poor sales course is entirely theory-based and has your sales reps sitting in rows watching a presentation.
Which format did your last sales training course take?
Whilst theory in sales training is crucial, it shouldn’t overwhelm the participants with too much information. People who are told and not shown what to do are less likely to retain the information shared with them.
According to ES Research between 85% and 90% of sales training has no lasting impact after 120 days.
Your Sales Reps will leave if your training is bland, uninspiring and entirely theory-based. Poor sales training will result in mass staff turnover because your team are bored by the training courses.
AvA-V’s Sales Solution: Provide your sales reps with fun, practical and educational training courses. Allow them to feel engaged in the training and show them the learning rather than just telling them.
It Isn’t Role-Specific
Many organisations require every salesperson in the business to attend sales training sessions. Regardless of experience, potential or desire, everyone partakes in the same course.
This is a major no when providing sales reps with training.
If it is a mandatory requirement that every Sales Rep attends your sales training course, you risk creating hostility from the people that didn’t need to be there.
As with any level of education, the content should satisfy the largest group. In the case of sales training, this could be the group that requires the most assistance OR the least engaged group.
This is a lose-lose scenario for the trainer delivering the session. If they tailor the session towards the group that requires the most attention, they risk alienating the group that doesn’t want to be there. If they try to engage the second group, it may dishearten the group that requires the assistance and put them off attending future training events.
AvA-V’s Sales Solution: Only enrol the Sales Reps who require the most assistance on a sales training course. Sales training isn’t designed to equal the level playing field amongst your reps; it should be used to motivate and develop the people who require specific training.
Your Sales Training Course Doesn’t Involve Your Sales Manager
In many cases, Sales Managers have never received adequate Sales Leadership Training for the level at which they find themselves. Sales Reps often inherit a management position out of necessity, usually caused by the sudden departure of a team leader.
Inexperienced Sales Managers are great Sales Executives in their own right, but they often lack the experience to lead a team. Because of this, they may exclude themselves from sales training simply because of a lack of know-how.
On the other end of the spectrum, there are Sales Managers who have been in the role for decades. These managers are often stuck in their ways and see training as something below them.
There is always something to learn, regardless of your experience as a Sales Manager. If you align your management training with the training your sales reps receive, you can assist them in implementing what they’ve learnt.
Motivating reps to practice what they learn requires total buy-in from yourself and your team. If, as a Sales Manager, you show you’re not willing to adapt the way you work, you risk causing unrest amongst your team, causing lots of them to leave.
AvA-V’s Sales Solution: Enlisting yourself in a sales leadership course will benefit you and your team. It shows that you’re adaptable, understanding of your team and willing to change your ways for the greater good. This, in turn, will create buy-in amongst your Sales Reps and make them more willing to partake in a sales training course.
It Doesn’t Have A Purpose
Every business needs goals and targets to work towards. Without aspirations, you can’t measure the impact that a sales training course has on your team.
Aligning individual targets with the company goals and providing your staff with the material that’ll help them achieve their goals sounds like a recipe for success.
So why is it that sales training causes unrest amongst your Sales Reps?
The answer – your staff don’t understand the purpose of the training.
This all stems from a lack of clear communication with your team. If you can’t communicate the purpose of sales training to your staff, they may begin to think that they’re not good enough and that you don’t highly of their sales skills.
This could lead to potential conflicts in the office.
AvA-V’s Sales Solution: Being clear and conscience is vital for the success of your sales training – and don’t be afraid to share wider company goals with staff to get them to agree to the training courses.
Do you want to increase profits by a certain amount? Do you want to help your staff close more deals? Are You looking to book more strategy sessions?
As long as your staff understand the reason behind the training, they’ll be more likely to engage with the sessions.
How Can Sales Training Help Me Retain Sales Reps?
Sales training is an integral part of any organisation and is often the driving force behind business development.
Sales training possesses many benefits for both yourself and your staff. It can unite the sales team, increase profits and provide extra motivation to work hard and hit targets.
However, you must remember that not everybody requires sales training at all times.
Select members of your salesforce will be better at negotiation and close, and others will be better at managing accounts. These people will have different training courses to aid their development – help them grow by providing the correct material.