In May 2010 Aberdeen Group conducted a survey through 835 organisations to investigate their use of sales training. Only 465 of the companies were providing sales training. The study used 'quota achievement', company annual revenue improvement, and average deal size to evaluate their performance. Much of this data and findings from several of their other projects is referenced in their Sales Training: Deploying Knowledge, Process and Technology to Consistently Hit Quota report.

The following paragraph is an excerpt:

"Aberdeen research conducted for Sales Intelligence: Preparing for Smarter Selling (February 2010) found that the Best-in-Class (top 20% of performers around quota attainment and sales cycle reduction) among 528 companies were 52% more likely than laggards (35% vs. 23%) to deploy externally provided training on behalf of their sales team. Moreover, companies from this study that deployed sales training report an average of 58% overall team attainment of quota compared to 42% of those who do not; 30% of sales training users saw this metric improve on a year-over-year basis compared to 18% for other companies."

Additional facts stand out in the report:

Those companies achieving best-in-class performance maintain regular training activities as well as provide separate training for sales managers.

The report makes some specific recommendations for companies who want to develop best-in-class performance. Here is a summary:

• Provide easily accessible sales training content linked to stages in the sales process.
  
• Customise sales training to match the needs of each audience, beginners, established sales people, sales managers, channel sales, customer service staff, and non sales customer facing staff.
  
• Ensure regular review and refreshment of sales skills, habits, and practices.
  
• Establish sales training as a strategic imperative at board level.
  
• Appoint a domain expert to champion the sales training process. This role could easily be combined with several other high value assignments. Read this article for more: 'Improve Internal Communication'.
  
• Increase the sales teams understanding of other roles in the business - the responsibilities and motivations. More here
  
• Increase customer understanding through cross fertilisation of the data held by different departments. More here
  
• Facilitate internal dialogue and networking through the use of technology and social meetings. Create an internal grapevine flow of information. More here
  
• Create sales tool kits that are customised for specific sectors, initiatives and even opportunities. Follow this link for a free sales tool kit template.
  
• Embed sales methods and practices into the cultural fabric of the organisation. Turn best sales practice into 'how we do things around here'. This too could be the function of an 'Internal Communications Champion', a role described in a special report, accessible to subscribers at www.salesense.co.uk.

Up until the 3rd of December 2010, a complimentary copy of the report referred to above is available here.

Aberdeen Group also offer an assessment to find out where your company's sales capabilities rank among the top performing companies. You need to give them your inside leg measurement however, the assessment takes less than ten minutes and provides some in-depth feedback. Follow this link to take the assessment.

If you want to implement some or all of the recommendations and need some outside help, we can help through our business development support services.