Chapter 7

Developing,
Delivering,
and Reinforcing
a Sales Training
Program
Those who seek mentoring will rule
the great expanse under heaven.
Shu Ching
Chinese Book of History

McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Fig. 7-1 Developing and Conducting a Sales Training Program
Establish program objectives

Identify who should be trained

Training assessment
Identify training needs and specific goals

How much training is needed?

Who should do the training?

When should the training take place?

Where should training be done? Program design

Content of training

Teaching methods used in training program

Determine how training will be reinforced Reinforcement

What outcomes will be evaluated?

Evaluation
What measures will be used?

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Fig. 7-3 Objectives of Sales Training Programs
Increased
sales
productivity

Improved
self- Lower
managemen turnover
t

Sales training
program
objectives

Improve
customer Improve
relations morale
Improved
communica-
tion

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Examples of Specific Training Objectives
Company Understand company goals and objectives
orientation Understand company selling philosophy
and Understand organizational structure
administrative Understand company policies and procedures
Improve call reports
skills: Improve call patterns
Improve time management
Knowledge: Existing products - features, benefits, and
applications
New products - features, benefits, and
applications
Industry trends
Competitive products - features, benefits, and
applications
Specific customer applications and problems
Promotional programs
Selling skills: Improve pre-call planning
Improve prospecting methods
Improve strategy selection
Improve presentation skills
Improve closing techniques
Improve understanding of and handling
objectives
Improve customer sensitivity 7-4
 Who Should Train Salespeople?
Source Advantages Disadvantages
Line -Greater credibility -Lack of time
Executive -Clearer -Lack of teaching
expectations ability
-More thorough
evaluation of
candidates
Staff -Greater time -Additional expense
Trainer -More resources -Lack of authority
-Better training skills -Less credibility
Outside -Greater -Additional expense
Specialist specialization and -Program content not
expertise specific to company
needs

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When Should Training Take Place?
Two basic attitudes:
1) Train immediately because…
-no rep should be placed in the field until he
or she is fully trained.
-cannot risk exposing customers to poorly
trained reps.
2) Delay training because…
-much easier to train people who have had
some field experience.
-weak salespeople are eliminated before
company spends money on training them.

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 Where Should Training Take Place?
Where? Advantages Disadvantages
Decentralized -Less expensive -Sales manager often
Training lacks time and skill to
-Can take more properly train.
time.
-Involves the sales
manager.
Centralized -Involves personnel -More expensive.
Training dedicated to and
highly skilled in -Limited amount of time.
training. -Reps kept away from
-Allows interaction home and family.
with home office.
-Reps focus on
training.
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 Training Content and Methods Matrix

Lectures Discussion Demonstra- Web-based Audio On-the-Job Videos Mentoring Role

tion learning cassettes Playing

Company
knowledge
* * * *

Product
knowledge
* * * * * * * *

Market/indus- * * * * * * *
try knowledge

Selling skills * * * * * * * * *

Time
management * * * * * *

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Task, Growth, and Meta KSAs
Task
KSAs:
Selling Skills
Business Principles
Product Knowledge
Company Knowledge
Customer Knowledge
Territory Management
Relationship Building Skills
Computer Skills & Legal Knowledge
Growth KSAs:
Adaptability, Creativity, Coping Skills, Emotional
Intelligence, Training Receptivity, Selling Beliefs

Meta KSAs:
Self Management Learning Orientation

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 Fig. 7-4 Prevalent Myths about the Selling
Process
 Myth No. 1 Salespeople are born – not made.
 Myth No. 2 Salespeople must be good talkers
 Myth No. 3 Selling is a matter of knowing the right
techniques or tricks.
 Myth No. 4 A good salesperson can sell anything.
 Myth No. 5 A good salesperson can sell ice to an
Eskimo.
 Myth No. 6 People don’t want to buy.

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 To Insure Training Effectiveness
Managers Should Ask the Following Questions

 Is your training aligned with your company’s strategic goals?

 Does top management support your training?
 Does it reflect the needs of your customers/
 Is it immediately relevant to your business?
 Are the salespeople empowered to leverage what they
learn?
 Is the training reinforced?
 Are the results of the training measurable?

Source: Adapted from Mark McCaster, “ Is Your Training A Waste of Money?” Sales & Marketing Management,
Management, 2001, p. 47.

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