How to Choose the Best Sales Training Program for Your Organization
Company culture at The Brooks Group isn’t just a line we add to our new employee handbook. We’re dedicated to putting it into practice every day – with our team members, our strategic partners, and our clients.
We believe that the culture we operate from is one of The Brooks Group’s greatest differentiators. We understand growth and unwavering commitment to the customer, and every team member exemplifies our core values while fulfilling our purpose of helping sales organizations achieve sustainable excellence.
Determine Who Should Be Involved in Your Sales Training Initiative
An important business decision such as selecting a sales training provider should involve multiple stakeholders from within your organization. The members of your committee should understand your business goals and strategies since they will be partnering with the provider to develop the most effective courses and training solutions.
Who Are the Top-Rated Sales Training Companies?
Once you have designated your team of managers and leaders, you can begin your research to find sales training companies who are highly-rated in the industry.
Two reputable sources are Selling Power and Training Industry. Each year, both release a list of the Top Sales Training Companies based on criteria such as:
- Depth and breadth of training courses offered
- Innovative offerings or delivery methods
- Thought leadership and influence on the sales training sector
- Breadth and quality of sales training topics and competencies
Research Top-Rated Companies to Create a Short List of Providers
We could tell you that The Brooks Group provides the best sales training courses available, but it’s important that you conduct your own research to find a partner that’s right for your business.
Look for the following when you narrow down the list of top sales training companies:
Experience
Longevity speaks volumes about a training provider’s success in the industry. A sales training company that has many years of experience has had the time to perfect the concepts and strategies that lead to sustainable results.
Experience in your specific industry is a plus, while the main factor to consider is whether they teach a sales process that is flexible and adaptable to fit any selling situation.
Customization Capabilities
Your organization is unique, and your sales training program should be too. Check to see that a company offers customized training solutions built with your selling situations in mind. A program that has been customized with language and case studies that mirrors the everyday reality of your sales team will be much more engaging and likely to be applied in the field.
Assessments
Assessments allow sales training to be highly-individualized to the learner. Using this information, the sales trainer can adapt their approach to be most effective. In addition, the assessment results help training attendees understand their own strength and gap areas, as well as communication style.
Sales training providers that offer the option of assessments increase the ROI and overall effectiveness of the training initiative.
Coaching and Reinforcement
A sales training program must be followed up with quality coaching and reinforcement in order to solidify your team’s new selling skills.
Be sure that the training provider you choose has a robust reinforcement program to build on the momentum of the training and turn knowledge into action. Reinforcement should be engaging, interactive, and easily integrated into your sales team’s daily routine.
Sales Management Training
Your sales managers will guide your salespeople after the training program is over. It’s critical that they are trained in best practices for coaching and ongoing sales development.
The best sales training courses offer a sales management training component to help your sales team achieve sustainable sales performance improvement.
Thought Leadership
The field of sales enablement is constantly evolving. It’s important that you partner with a sales training provider who is continuously evolving along with it.
Determine which sales training companies are providing the most up-to-date thought-leadership resources and learning solutions.
Interview Potential Providers to Find the Best Fit
Once you have narrowed down your list of sales training providers, reach out to them individually to identify the best match for your organization’s needs.
Use the conversations you have as an opportunity to observe the effectiveness of the sales representative you’re speaking with. If they’re trained in the selling methodology you’re researching, it’s a good opportunity to see how it feels when you’re in the buyer’s position.
The following 5 questions should be incorporated into your conversations:
1. “How can my team observe the sales training methodology before we commit?”
Ask any solution providers you’re in conversations with how you can observe the training courses they deliver before you make a decision. Whether it’s in person or by way of video, you should see a system in action to truly gauge if it’s a match for your team and organizational goals.
2. “How will the sales training be customized to my business?”
The most effective training programs are customized to include the specific challenges, selling scenarios, and industry language that participants are familiar with.
Customized training courses that include relevant examples are much easier for participants to understand and buy into—which means they’ll be more likely to use the new skills once they’re back on the job.
3. “What sets you apart from the competition?”
You may discover that one provider specializes in your industry or the challenges your organization is up against. Some of the differentiators may be things that weren’t originally on your radar, but that could enhance your sales effectiveness strategy beyond what you’d initially envisioned.
4. “What other clients have you helped, and what did success look like for them?”
Inquire about notable clients and whether the provider has testimonials available to share with you. It can also be helpful to speak directly to the client if the provider has referrals available.
5. “Which training formats do you offer?
Research shows that live, instructor-led training is the most effective format in terms of new skills being adopted by a sales force. That being said, unique circumstances will call for other training formats to be used, including:
- Virtual sales training
- eLearning sales training
- Licensing opportunities
- And more
Ask which formats each provider offers to see which is right for your team’s needs and budget.
If you’re investing resources in a sales training initiative, give the project the best chance of success by selecting an outsourced provider that’s the right fit for your organization.
The Brooks Group would be delighted to work with you to develop an action plan for achieving both your short and long-term sales enablement goals. We’re here to answer any questions you may have.