Every year, companies spend billions of dollars on sales training with the hope that their investment will result in increased sales and revenue. And yet, despite all this effort and expense, a staggering 70% of sales training programs fail to achieve their desired results. So, what’s going wrong? In this blog post, we’ll explore the top five reasons why sales training fails and what you can do to make sure your program is one of the 30% that succeeds.
1. Lack of a clearly defined purpose or goal.
All too often, sales training programs are rolled out without a clear understanding of what they’re trying to achieve. As a result, the program lacks focus and direction, and it’s difficult for participants to see how the training will benefit them personally. Without a clear purpose or goal, it’s no wonder that so many sales training programs fail to achieve their desired results.
2. Inadequate preparation by participants.
For sales training to be successful, participants need to be adequately prepared for the program. This means taking the time to understand the objectives of the program and being committed to applying what they learn during the training. Unfortunately, many participants enter sales training programs without having done any prior preparation and as a result, they’re unable to get the most out of the experience.
3. Lack of follow-up or reinforcement after the program ends.
Sales training doesn’t end when the program ends—it’s only just beginning. For Sales Training to be truly effective, there needs to be some sort of follow- up or reinforcement after the program has ended. This could be in the form of regular check-ins with participants, ongoing coaching, or mentoring, or even just an email blast once a week with tip sheets or articles related to what was learned during the training. Without follow-up or reinforcement, it’s all too easy for participants to forget what they’ve learned and fall back into old habits.
4. Program is not tailored to meet the needs of the organization.
One size does not fit all when it comes to Sales Training programs—what works for one organization might not work for another. That’s why it’s so important to tailor each program to meet the specific needs of the organization it is being implemented within. Failure to do so will likely result in a Sales Training program that fails to produce desired results.
5. Unrealistic expectations set by management.
It’s important for management to set realistic expectations for what Sales Training can realistically achieve within their organization. All too often, management sets unrealistic goals and expectations—such as expecting Sales Training to boost sales figures by 20% within two weeks—which sets up both the Sales Training program and its participants for failure. By setting realistic expectations and goals, management can help ensure that Sales Training is more likely to be successful.
These are just some of the reasons why Sales Training programs fail. By being aware of these pitfalls, you can increase your chances of success. Sales training is a critical component which should improve the effectiveness of your team. Our clients have seen higher closing rates, shorter sales cycles and larger deal sizes after working with us. The good news it is possible.
To learn more about the RevHeat Sales Training services, check out our page here.