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

Copyright © 2003 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?

Program design
Where should training be done?

Content of training

Teaching methods used in training program

Reinforcement
Determine how training will be reinforced

What outcomes will be evaluated? Evaluation

What measures will be used?

Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

 Fig. 7-3 Objectives of Sales Training Programs
Increased
Sales
Productivity

Improved
Self- Lower
Management turnover

Sales training
program
objectives

Improve
customer Improve
relations morale
Improved
communica-
tion

Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

 Examples of Specific Training Objectives
Company Understand company goals and objectives
orientation and Understand company selling philosophy
administrative Understand organizational structure
Understand company policies and procedures
skills: Improve call reports
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

Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

 Who Should Train Salespeople?
Source Advantages Disadvantages
Line -Greater credibility -Lack of time
Executive -Clearer expectations -Lack of teaching ability
-More thorough
evaluation of
candidates

Staff Trainer -Greater time -Additional expense

-More resources -Lack of authority
-Better training skills -Less credibility

Outside -Greater specialization -Additional expense

Specialist and expertise -Program content not
specific to company needs

Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

 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.
Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Where Should Training Take Place?
Where? Advantages Disadvantages
Decentralized -Less expensive -Sales manager often lacks
Training time and skill to properly
-Can take more time.
train.
-Involves the sales
manager.

Centralized -Involves personnel -More expensive.

Training dedicated to and -Limited amount of time.
highly skilled in -Reps kept away from
training. home and family.
-Allows interaction
with home office.
-Reps focus on
training.

Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

 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
* * * * * *

Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

 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, 2001, p. 47.

Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.