Are sales training effective? 

This is probably one of the most common questions asked by any sales training professional. And if you work in the sales realm, you probably are aware that each year, companies are investing billions of dollars on sales training. 

Yes, training is a form of an investment. Companies invest in human potential with the expectation that at the end of the training, they can immediately see a boost or improvement on sales performance. However, if the training does not yield favourable results, then that only means this huge investment just ends up going down the drain.

How can you tell that the training is effective? Obviously, if newly trained individuals start closing more deals, and reaching or exceeding their quotas, then it is a successful training programme. Whereas if the numbers they produce are below the company’s baseline, then the training must have been a failure. Defining training success is not rocket science, yes. However stellar results do not always manifest immediately right after the training. We need to put into consideration that every newly trained individual has to go through this metaphorical journey called as the learning curve.

According to a study conducted by ES Research, between 85% - 90% of sales training has no impact even after 120 days of post go-live. This data gets you thinking that most sales training does not work. 

In this critical 120-day window, a person who had just undergone sales training is expected to become better in the execution of sales skills desired by the company to get the job done. That is most definitely the ideal result in the ideal world. But we are living in a complex world where competition is tough in almost every industry you can think of. Take note that it is also possible that within those 120 days post-training, an exponential loss of information can happen. 

Most training is easily forgotten after the first week of delivery. The science behind this one can best be explained by the theory called Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve, named after this German psychologist names Hermann Ebbinghaus, who conducted extensive studies in the capacity of human memory to retain information. The basic idea of this theory is that our brain decreases its ability to retain information if there is no reinforcement. Hence, if the things learned are constantly reinforced to the learners whilst in training (or after training), then the more likely the new information gets crystallised into their memory banks.

So let’s go back to the question, “why do most sales training fail”? Here is a simple answer: It is due to the lack of reinforcement. And this can be traced back to how the training programme has been structured, in the first place. 

Being in the training field for quite a while, the author of this blog has witnessed first-hand how people learn best: that is through constant real-world application of theories and concepts learned during the lecture. 

Gone are the days when training is just equivalent to a humdrum lecture wherein the sales trainer was doing most of the talking. If you want the training to stick to your learners for a long time, you must make sure they have an active role in their own learning. Reinforce the learning by making your trainees apply what they learned through role-plays, or in real-life by letting them handle real customers.

Training is one of the foundations of every company. And the quality of training provided to new hires help shape not just their careers, but also the future of your company. So if your new hires are not producing good sales numbers and you start asking why, then consider revisiting your sales training programme when you do a root-cause analysis.

Remember, training, in general, is an investment. But you do not literally invest in the training, rather you invest in results this training brings.

Looking to get a better return on your sales training investment?

Mindcell Sales Training offers a unique approach that emphasizes real-world application and ongoing reinforcement. Our methods ensure that your team retains what they learn and translates it into improved sales performance.

Ready to see the difference?