In an era of constant disruption — from artificial intelligence (AI) innovations to customer relationship management overload, from economic unpredictability to rising customer expectations — the decision to invest in sales training can feel more confusing than ever.
Is now the right time? Will it make a difference? The uncomfortable but honest answer is probably no — unless you approach it with clear intent, committed leadership and the right structure. Sales training isn’t a magic fix; it only works when it’s deeply connected to your business goals, your team’s reality and a larger strategy for change.
In this article, we’ll break down why most training fails, and what conditions must be in place for it to ignite lasting impact, not only a temporary activity.
6 tips for successful sales training
Let’s go back to the original question: Does sales training work? The answer is no, unless you do the following:
1. Understand what you want to address. I asked a client of mine early in the process a question: “What is one major change you would like to see happen?” The answer was a very quick story that my client shared about his team showing up to customer locations to do a demo, thinking it was the sales call.
After a bit more discussion and learning, one of the key areas we focused on was discovery. Those of us in sales are seduced by activity, but activity without consistent results is draining and certainly not productive. And selling without learning or understanding what is on the customer's “whiteboard” is pitching, not recommending.
Partner with the right team that will invest in the change you are looking for by focusing on the root cause.
2. Invest in your sales leaders. Engagement among team members continues to erode, and we must teach leaders to coach, not only manage. Will you commit to meaningful coaching and follow up with your team by also investing in your sales leaders?
The difference between a good sales organization and a great sales organization is in the quality and cadence of your front-line leaders. Those who do coaching and do it well will always perform higher than those who limp through and do it “as needed,” if at all.
Two questions always seem to get in the way of great coaching: “How do I find the time, and how do I do it?”. Find a partner who can help you and your team do both.
3. Support with tools to stay relevant. It’s not only competitive for your company in the marketplace, but the competition for the best salespeople is fierce. Your team wants to know that when they go to battle for you, they will possess the right tools (with the right expectations) to succeed.
Part of staying relevant to both your customers and your team is understanding exactly what tools should be used and how to use them effectively (without overdoing it or having a tech stack that looks as high as the Empire State Building). With AI being added to the list, it would be crucial to address tools as part of any sales training initiative.
Find a partner who has the knowledge and understanding of the tools to make the right recommendation to you and your team.
4. Find the knowledge and fit that matches your team. Your team will be looking at this closely. They will immediately size up who stands in front of them (in person or virtually) and assess whether they have the “goods” to help them.
If you have a team selling in the industrial segment (i.e., going into factories, garages, jobsites, backrooms, etc.) and the person in front of your team is more comfortable selling (or facilitating how to sell) software to clients in high-rise buildings, there won’t be a match. Who stands in front of your team matters — choose wisely
5. Make sure the process works for you and your team. Very little changes because you conducted a workshop; it’s not even the start. Great training and development begin with great planning and preparation. Great training does not always need to be highly customized, but it should be personalized.
If you are going to partner with a team, find one willing to do the planning work — the assessments of the team, alignment with your leadership team, the knowledge of the industry and the specifics of your business. This needs to be done long before there is a workshop.
Even after a workshop, you should decide — and support — what comes next. Sales training never works after a one-time event. Whether in person or virtual, workshops will introduce concepts and practice, but the real change happens with what you are going to do next.
Reinforcement sessions with the team, training on how to be a better coach, technology and virtual practice sessions are all examples of how to keep the momentum and transformation going and making meaningful change stick.
6. Make sure the workshop ignites desire and is fun. Boring training sucks and your team will be glued to their phones and email and won’t learn a thing. Great workshops should accomplish eyeballs to the front of the room, not stuck in the back of their heads. If a workshop is PowerPoint-based and drones on about how more widgets can be sold if you follow this technique, the room will be lost.
Interactive is a word that is often mentioned as a goal but seldom achieved. A workshop that is interactive is not simply moving around, the number of breaks or even exercises, but also how the team interacts with the content (what they see and hear). Find a team that knows how to design a workshop for maximum activity and attention.
In the end, sales training can work as it is likely that it will be worth the investment. If you start with solid preparation, conduct a workshop that ignites the desire to do more and is followed up by steps to fuel the transformation, your team will learn valuable skills and achieve meaningful change.
If you are thinking about doing sales training and looking for a team, pay close attention to how they sell you. Do they practice what they preach? They should make you feel like you want your customers to feel. Ask yourself, do I want my team to sell like I was sold? If not, the workshop and training may not work.
John Ferguson is a sales consultant and trainer with ASLAN Training & Development, conducting workshops and training worldwide. Ferguson has held CEO, sales and leadership roles with Getty Images, Coca-Cola USA, Quaker Oats and Inforte. He’s also been an adjunct professor at DePaul’s Kellstadt School of Business. Contact him at [email protected].
