Sales Training Implementation Guide [Checklist]
Sales Training Implementation Guide
[Checklist]
[Checklist]
[Research Report]
Building a new digital sales team from scratch is no small feat. Just ask Lisa Hubbard, VP of Sales and Marketing at Vernon Graphics & Promotions. When her team shifted toward inside and digital sales, she wanted to give them more than scripts and sales decks, but she wanted skills.
That’s where Factor 8 came in.
In this interview, Lisa shares why she chose to invest in sales training, what made Factor 8 stand out from other programs, and the lasting impact it’s had on her team’s confidence, collaboration, and results.
Prefer to watch or listen? Hear Lisa share her experience below.
We just started a digital sales team, an inside sales team here at Vernon. It was new for the company, and we felt the need to bring in robust sales training. I’ve been familiar with Factor 8 for many years, so it was a great opportunity to tap into that resource and bring their sales training to the team.
They’re our digital sales team, and they handle everything an outside account executive does, just over the phone or via Teams or Zoom.
They also take the lead on our marketing efforts. They monitor customer engagement with our campaigns, track interest from marketing emails and social posts, and connect with customers who are actively engaging with us.
What I really liked about Factor 8’s training is that it was very tactical. You learn a skill, then practice it. The modules covered all types of sales functions, like prospecting, getting through the gatekeeper, leaving a voicemail, those baseline skills you sometimes take for granted.
The team would go through a module, practice the skill, record calls, listen back, and have open discussions about what worked and what didn’t. It created great dialogue around the skills they were learning. It also helped rebuild that “muscle memory” for skills they knew but had fallen out of practice with.
They loved the hands-on practice and the discussions. It wasn’t just training, it was interactive. They could immediately apply what they learned, share what worked, and learn from each other.
The biggest change was that they kept talking about it. They still reference the training when we have lockdown days or team huddles. They remind each other, “Don’t forget your voicemail skills,” and share success stories from what they learned.
That kind of peer reinforcement has been great to see.
Confidence definitely increased. Practicing those skills helped rebuild their confidence, and hearing each other’s success stories reinforced it.
For example, someone would share, “I tried this approach, and I finally got through to the contact I’ve been chasing,” or “I asked for a referral, and it worked.” Seeing those wins motivated everyone to try new things and build on their success.
Priceless.
It’s worth every penny.
There are so many selling skills we take for granted—things we might’ve learned ten years ago but haven’t revisited. This training helps you dust those off, go back to the basics, and then build on them.
It’s absolutely time well invested.
I’ve followed Factor 8 for 15–18 years, and my experience has always been great. The training is genuine and personal. Our trainer, Steve, worked closely with each individual and made it personal to them. You can tell Factor 8 genuinely wants you to succeed, and my team felt that.
I’ve followed Lauren and Factor 8’s journey on LinkedIn for years; they’re always sharing great insights and nuggets that truly help people be more successful.
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Lisa’s story is proof that great sales training doesn’t just build skills—it builds confidence, connection, and momentum that last long after the sessions end.
If your team is ready to level up like Vernon’s did, learn more about our customized sales training programs or reach out to see how we can help you hit your goals faster.
Special thanks to Lisa Hubbard and the Vernon Graphics & Promotions team for sharing their experience!
“I never asked!”
Margaret, a CMO, shared a phenomenal story at her company’s “Gals in Sales” event in Seattle.
In a previous role, she was asked to interview candidates to be her new boss. But halfway through the process, she realized…
“I can do this job.”
Problem was, she’d never let anyone know.
Margaret’s story isn’t uncommon. We see this all the time with high-performing sales reps and managers. They’re doing great work, hitting goals, and showing leadership potential… but they’re not actually communicating what they want next.
More than one-third of #GirlsClub participants say they hesitate to ask for development or discuss their career goals for fear of wasting people’s time. This fuels the “Confidence Gap” that HP identified a few years ago, showing that women tend to wait until they feel 100% ready before raising their hands for a role, while men often do so at around 60%.
What you may not realize yet is that Margaret is amazing. Microsoft. Intel. Wharton. Northwestern. I’m feeling more and more inferior as I type this. Ladies, if Margaret felt intimidated to raise her hand, it’s more than fair for the rest of us to feel that way too.
But this story has a different ending.
Because Margaret found the courage (I call this putting on my big girl pants) and asked her boss to be considered for the position.
Please note:
She didn’t complain that she wasn’t considered.
She didn’t blame him for the experience of interviewing people she felt less qualified than.
She didn’t assume she was being disrespected or marginalized.
She simply realized she hadn’t communicated and fixed it.
And his reaction?
“I had no idea.”
Margaret quickly found her way to the top of that organization and others. I won’t say it starts with raising your hand, because it doesn’t. It starts with being exceptional, working hard, having great ideas, following up. You know, all the things you’re already doing.
But the next part of your story starts with raising your hand and communicating what you want. Because confidence isn’t just personal, it directly impacts your performance, visibility, and career trajectory. If your manager doesn’t know what you want, they can’t help you get there.
Not sure how?
Check out our webinar, “Earn That Promotion: Asking For It The Right Way,” where we cover not only how to throw your hat in the ring, but the earlier step of letting people know you even have a hat and want to learn more about the ring. (And yes, this is something we coach sales teams and leaders on all the time.)
In summary, I hear this story over and over. Why aren’t there more women in sales?
Sure, there’s bias in job descriptions. There are still boys’ clubs that make us feel like outsiders. The numbers aren’t always in our favor.
But we are often our own biggest blocker.
If you’ve read this and haven’t talked with your boss in the past six months about where you want to go in your career, make that appointment.
Not to demand.
Not to complain.
Not to convince.
To discuss, learn, absorb advice, and consider.
This is one of the simplest, most overlooked skills we see in sales organizations. The people who grow fastest are the ones who communicate early and often about where they want to go.
It’s step one.
And it certainly worked for Margaret.
Scale revenue-driving behaviors with Gong Enable. Turn every rep into a top performer with enablement powered by real customer conversations. Gong uses conversation data to pinpoint winning behaviors and drive data-backed behavior change across your revenue team.
Check out their guide, ROI of sales enablement: Using AI to prove business impact, to tie enablement initiatives to growth.
Sales metrics are your early indicators, your coaching roadmap, and your proof of sales training ROI.
They show you what’s working, where your team needs help, and whether your sales training investment is actually paying off.
But not all metrics tell the full story.
Activity is easy to measure and quota attainment is easy to celebrate. But by themselves, those numbers don’t tell you if reps are building skills, progressing deals, or gaining the confidence to hold real sales conversations.
That’s why we’re breaking down the top sales metrics to track by role.
Because every sales position contributes to pipeline and revenue in different ways, and tracking the right metrics helps you spot success earlier, coach more effectively, and tie enablement wins to revenue.
Here are the roles we’ll cover:
Let’s take the guesswork out of performance and start measuring what matters.
Confidence shows up in activity. Skill shows up in conversion. That’s why the best BDR metrics don’t just tell you how many calls they made, but what actually happened after they hit “dial.” You won’t measure all of these, but pick 2-3 that are easily reported in your world. Focus on quantity and quality.
These metrics help you go beyond the mindset of “more dials = better rep.” You’ll see who’s dialing scared, who’s winging it, and who’s actually applying the skills from training.
When BDR/SDR training is working, reps get more voicemails returned, keep prospects on the phone longer, and confidently set next steps. These are your first signs that sales training or coaching is making an impact.
READ: How to Keep Prospects on the Phone
Inside Sales Reps do it all: prospect, qualify, demo, and sometimes close. That’s why tracking ISR performance requires more than just activity. You need to know if they’re creating pipeline, overcoming early objections, and setting up seamless handoffs (or closes).
*SaaS companies will track a few additional standard metrics like Customer Acquisition Cost, Lifetime Customer Value, MRR, and Customer Churn.
These metrics show you how effectively ISRs are turning conversations into qualified opportunities and moving deals through the pipeline. They help pinpoint where in the sales process training can create the biggest lift.
When ISR training is working, you’ll hear better discovery calls, improved demos, stronger objection handling, and confident next steps. And you’ll see it in stage-by-stage conversions in your pipeline.
READ: Call Bridging 101: Paving the Way for a Follow-up Sales Call
AEs get judged by the number, but that doesn’t tell the full story. You can close a big deal and still be losing pipeline behind the scenes. That’s why it’s critical to track not just what they’re closing, but how they’re progressing deals, and where they’re getting stuck.
These metrics give visibility into each stage of the sales cycle so you can see where deals are progressing smoothly and where they may need coaching or additional support to move forward.
When account executive training is working, you’ll see cleaner pipeline stages, stronger discovery, and tighter forecasting. It’s less “I think it’s coming in” and more “Here’s where we are, here’s what’s next.”
WATCH: How to Fix the Top 5 Mistakes Made During Sales Demos
Account Managers and Customer Success Managers are the face of your brand after the deal closes. But renewals and growth don’t come from check-in emails and good vibes. These reps need to earn trust, uncover new opportunities, and consistently demonstrate value. That’s how you keep customers, and grow them.
Here’s what to track:
These metrics provide a clear picture of account health and growth potential, helping you spot risks early and identify where strategic conversations can open new opportunities.
When account manager training is working, you’ll see AMs running stronger account reviews, finding new revenue inside existing customers, and proactively addressing risks before they become churn. They’re not just retaining customers, they’re growing wallet share, keeping renewal pipelines clean, and avoiding last-minute surprises.
READ: How to Ask Existing Customers for a Sales Referral
Good managers build great reps. That’s why your manager scorecard should go beyond team quota and focus on how well they coach, develop, and retain talent. The best metrics show whether their reps are getting better, faster, and sticking around. You don’t need all of these, but pick a few that help you measure both leadership impact and team performance.
These metrics measure a manager’s impact on team development, consistency, and overall performance, giving you insight into both leadership effectiveness and team health.
When sales manager training is working, you’ll see faster ramp times, stronger forecast accuracy, and more reps hitting quota consistently. Team skills improve quarter over quarter, retention goes up, and promotions happen more often. Great managers coach with purpose, run effective meetings, and keep their teams performing without the burnout rollercoaster.
READ: Build Your Sales Manager Cadence (& Save Time and Stress)
Tracking the right sales metrics isn’t just about managing performance, it’s how you prove what’s working, where to coach, and when your sales training is actually paying off. Whether you’re investing in new training programs or reinforcing skills with your current team, these metrics are your clearest window into what’s driving real behavior change and revenue impact. Because when you can connect skill development to pipeline movement, you’re not just improving performance, you’re proving sales training ROI.
Gong is the #1 AI Operating System for revenue teams. Move faster, coach smarter, and hit targets with fewer surprises. Gong cuts down manual work, captures real buyer signals, and guides reps to action so more deals close and more sellers hit quota.
Check out their guide, “Sales playbook for frontline managers: 4 coaching best practices“ to unlock your team’s potential.
[Video Recording]