What to Look for When Considering a Professional Sales Training Program

By Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter”

Professional sales training programs are not quick solutions.  Rather, they are a part of the solution in growing sales. As important as it is to implement the right one, it is equally important to ensure you have a culture and a management group that will embrace the sales training program and will work to reinforce its outcomes.  Therefore, when determining which one is right for your company, consider the following questions.

• Who else has participated in the program in the past?  If the provider of the training cannot provide references, don’t participate!
• How does the supplier of the program determine what its ROI is and how do the projections compare to actual?
• How customized is the program to your industry and your specific needs? Off-the-shelf programs are fine for off-the-shelf problems, but 99% of the time, the sales training needs are unique to your company, your industry and your people.
• What are the tools that salespeople will be shown in the program and are they compatible with your existing sales process?
• Has the provider of the program taken the time to learn your business, your culture, and most importantly, your sales training needs?
• Do past participants speak positively of the program and are they actively using the tools they learned six months after it is over?
• Will the provider of the program guarantee their work?
• What follow-up activities is the provider willing to do after the program concludes to ensure the content sticks?
• How confident are you in the people who will be delivering the program?  Do they have a contagious personality Do they have a confident and competent delivery style?
• How will you determine if the program is a success?

Investing in a professional sales training program can yield tremendous results — if it is the right program and you are certain it will be customized to your particular needs.  Don’t settle for a program that will offer only minor improvements.

Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter, is author of “High-Profit Selling: Win the Sale Without Compromising on Price.” He is a consultative selling expert committed to helping individuals and companies identify better prospects and close more profitable sales. To get a free weekly sales tip, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com. Read the first chapter of his instant-classic “High-Profit Selling” here.

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