Why Sales Training Fails
As a child, I’m sure you enjoyed summer camp or a similar experience. For me, it was church camp. Every year, sometimes twice a year, we would head off to a remote retreat with other churches for a weekend focused on building character, re-establishing religious fire, and setting in stone the great habits that keep you connected with your higher power. For you, maybe your “retreat” was football, science, math, athletic, camping, or something else. Whatever it was, the purposes were all the same—to allow you to grow you as an individual, physically or mentally, and form best-practices.
I always enjoyed these types of camps because (1) you learn a lot about yourself, and (2) you leave with the most intense fire in your belly to stay focused. But the same thing always happens…Decay. The fire fades, the good habits slowly become bad, and you gradually get lazy with your “form.” Until the next camp, you may experience some ups and downs, but nothing truly motivates you the same way camp does. Right?
Sales Training is the Same as Summer Camp
In an article by Harvard Business Review, studies identified “participants in traditional curriculum-based training forget more than 80 percent of the information they were taught within 90 days.” In one quarter, you’ve lost the majority of what it takes to be a superstar. It’s the same reason we all faltered after summer camp! It’s incredibly hard to be in perfect form every time, especially when you have a process that requires flawless execution. The law of averages wins every time.
Businesses spend approximately $1,500 per salesperson on training per year. That’s a lot of money! What’s worse, if that money is spent on one event, the business is only getting a strong return for 90 days. How can your company or you, as a performer, be better for the other 270 days?
How to Stretch Your Sales Camp
5 Steps for Improving Sales Training Retention
Sales training is an essential aspect of any successful organization. However, ensuring that sales professionals retain the knowledge and skills taught during training sessions can be a significant challenge. To enhance sales training retention, consider implementing the following five steps:
Personalize the training experience: Recognize that different sales professionals possess varying skills, experience levels, and learning styles. Customize the training content to address individual needs by incorporating interactive activities, case studies, role-playing exercises, and real-life scenarios. Providing sales professionals with personalized learning experiences will increase their engagement and improve the retention of vital information.
Focus on practical application: Encourage sales professionals to immediately apply the knowledge and techniques learned during training sessions. Incorporate practical exercises and simulations that simulate real-world scenarios, allowing participants to practice their skills in a controlled environment. Providing ample opportunities for hands-on experience will not only reinforce the training material but also increase confidence and competence when facing actual sales situations.
Implement spaced learning techniques: Recognize that the human brain learns more effectively through repeated exposure over time rather than cramming information in a single session. Utilize spaced learning techniques, such as breaking down training material into smaller modules, with regular intervals for review and reinforcement. This approach optimizes memory retention by allowing sales professionals to review and consolidate their understanding over an extended period.
Employ multimedia resources: Utilize a variety of multimedia resources, such as videos, infographics, podcasts, and interactive e-learning modules, to enhance the training experience. Incorporating visual and auditory elements into the training material can improve engagement and information retention. Additionally, make these resources easily accessible for continuous reference, allowing sales professionals to revisit and reinforce their understanding whenever needed.
Provide ongoing coaching and support: Recognize that sales training should not be a one-time event but an ongoing process. Offer regular coaching and support sessions to reinforce the training material and address any challenges faced by sales professionals. This support can include one-on-one coaching, group mentoring sessions, or even virtual forums where professionals can discuss their experiences and learn from one another. Ongoing support enhances retention by ensuring that sales professionals have the resources and guidance necessary to apply their training effectively.
By personalizing the training experience, focusing on practical application, implementing spaced learning techniques, employing multimedia resources, and providing ongoing coaching and support, organizations can significantly improve sales training retention. Through these steps, sales professionals will become more equipped and confident, leading
Need Help?
Whether you’re trying to identify sales training topics, create the training material, or trying to find the time to administer and ensure your sales team retains the knowledge you share, Black Bubble is here to help.
