Inside/Virtual Sales Tips

increase sales coaching

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Tips for Enablement Leaders to Increase Sales Coaching Focus

This one is for the enablement folks. Truth: I’m an enablement leader in my heart and soul.

I was just talking to an enablement leader friend who was really frustrated that they spent so many months building a robust training program – rolled it out beautifully – and had to hand their baby over to the sales manager to keep those skills alive. Which did not work…

I’m here to tell you why it’s not their fault.

READ: Why You Need a Sales Training and Enablement Budget

I’ve been both an enablement leader and sales manager and can tell you that sales management is the busiest job in the world. We spend the bulk of our day fighting fires and there’s never been a learning emergency.

So if you’re an enablement or training leader and you’d like some tips to get sales managers to coach more often and keep rep skills alive, keep reading.

WATCH: Creating A Coaching Culture

I’ve got 20 tips to help you increase the sales coaching focus at work. Below are my top 3 (get the rest at the bottom of this article).

#1 – Don’t expect them to do more work. As I said previously, sales management is the busiest job in the world. If you want them to coach, you’ve got to fit coaching into their jam-packed schedule. What meetings do sales managers have often? Rep performance 1:1s, pipeline meetings, team meetings, and sales huddles. You’ve got to find ways for your managers to keep rep skills alive during their existing meetings. 

At Factor 8, we’ve built manager toolkits that have activities a sales manager can run during a sales huddle to keep skills alive after training.

#2 – Make it easy. If they need to build a deck, it’s not going to happen. If they need to create a process, it’s not going to happen. If they need to go on a scavenger hunt to find different information for the coaching session, it’s not going to happen. You’ve got to make it fast and easy for managers. 

At Factor 8, we’ve created coaching guides for various rep skills that managers can easily use for skill reinforcement. They combine a cheat sheet of what “good” looks like, which questions to ask during coaching, and a ready-to-use worksheet that coaches both the will and the skill with an easy grading form.

#3 – Most managers don’t know what “coaching” means. Sure, they understand the definition, but they don’t know what it means to actually coach a rep and they definitely don’t know what “good” coaching looks like. That means you get a lot of things like this…

“Hey rep, let’s work on this deal.” You’ve been coached. ✔

“Hey team, what’s the forecast?” You’ve been coached. ✔

“Let me get on this call and help you close it.” You’ve been coached. ✔

Folks, this isn’t coaching. As enablement leaders, we know that.

READ: How to Increase Sales Coaching Frequency

So, in training hundreds of sales managers over the last few years, I’ve learned that it’s a tough skill, it’s not natural for sales managers, and they’re too nervous to do it (though they’ll never admit that last one out loud).

Just put yourself in their shoes. Imagine going to a top player and saying “Let me listen to your call and give you feedback on how to do it better.” Sounds terribly nerve-wracking, right?

That’s why we’ve got to address it and build confidence in their sales coaching, call coaching, and rep skill coaching skills.

If you haven’t taught your managers how to coach to build up their own confidence, it’s probably no surprise that you think they can be doing more coaching.

If you’d like to talk about more specific strategies or a particular issue you’re dealing with in making that connection with sales leadership so they really get behind enablement, I’m here to talk. Email me at LB@factor8.com. 


Want more tips to increase the coaching focus at work?
Download our guide on “20 Ways To Increase Sales Coaching Focus At Work.”

Are you looking for sales training?

Contact us today to request information on our customizable virtual sales training programs
available for reps (and managers).


sales training and enablement budget

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Why You Need a Sales Training and Enablement Budget for 2024

Tons of amazing sales trainers and enablement folks fell victim to RIFs because of this year’s slow economy.

It’s unfortunate, but not surprising, right? We all know that when companies cut spending, training is one of the first things to go.

I’m here to talk to the progressive leaders who are seeing things turn around and planning for next year.

I beg you, please budget – or over budget – to bring your trainers and enablement people back so you can focus on reinvesting in your employees.

READ: How to Budget for Sales Training

Before the economy went south, we were fighting for talent (hello, Great Resignation). 

And what were these people looking for? Hint: Not just a paycheck.

  • They want career growth
  • They want learning opportunities 
  • They want a chance to do good
  • They want a boss they don’t hate
  • And, of course, they want more money 🙂

Then, we cut their learning.

Oh, and then we left them at home on an island with a swamped sales manager drowning in Slacks and emails and without the ability to listen to peers to learn how to do their jobs.

Folks, we have a crisis ahead of us.

DOWNLOAD: Sales Team Retention Survey

That’s why I’m here to offer you the chance to get ahead of the problems that are coming.

  • Plan ahead for 2024 training budgets
  • Bring back your trainers/enablement folks
  • Do more than buy video-based learning (it doesn’t work, trust me)
  • Buy reputable training content (check out The Sales Bar)
  • Train your managers (they’re the key to motivating reps)

Sellers are struggling. Our close rates are going down, our engagement rates are going down, and satisfaction rates are going down, this isn’t a coincidence. We quit training them and put them on an island with busy managers (who can also use some skills).

Do your future self a favor, and get back on track with enabling people to succeed. They need that investment so they can get these wins, be successful in sales faster, hit quota sooner, and stay longer.

Not sure what you should budget for sales training? Email me at LB@factor8.com and I’ll share some stats in the industry that will help you hit goal and be best-in-class. 

Are you looking for sales training?

Contact us today to request information on our customizable virtual sales training programs
available for reps (and managers).


sales training technique

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Associative Learning: Why It’s the Best Sales Training Technique

Last week, I soapboxed about how videos aren’t training sellers anything (read that post here).

So today, I’ll share a learning strategy that ACTUALLY works if you really want to use a new skill (or want your team to try it)…

“Associative Learning” – wait! Don’t go to sleep!

This theory is why everyone says, “Oh, you’re like Sandler” to me about my training company.

It’s also the reason your college lectures were SO BORING:

Adults learn by relating new knowledge to older knowledge and to experiences.

That’s it. The whole magic.

We’ve got to talk about it. We’ve got to know where to “file it” in our brains.

  • Early call rapport-building is like when you met your freshman roommate
  • Late call bridging to the next call is when you asked her out again before the first date was over
  • Getting a decision-maker on the phone is like getting to first base 😉

Your amazing new software with zero competitors – “OH, so it’s like Ambition had a baby with Gong.” Don’t be offended, at least they’ll remember what you do.

Here’s why it works (for my fellow training nerds):

The “Associative Learning Rule” is the theory behind the phrase “Synapses that fire together, wire together.” It explains that brain cells grow stronger by sending off impulses at the same time, therefore, connecting them and overall growing stronger. When connections grow stronger, learning has taken place.

It’s why your video-based “learning library” is a waste of money. I get it, they’re easy, cheap, repeatable, and scalable – but nearly worthless when it comes to helping your team retain knowledge – let alone use it on the job to pick up the phone and sell something.

Big takeaways:

  1. Don’t think that telling or showing a video will result in behavior change
  2. Create opportunities for your team to talk about what they’re learning and tell their stories
  3. Use your LinkedIn Learning budget to hire a trainer or a training company that can interact, workshop, and actually help sellers apply new skills on the job

(Now, if only I knew a great sales training company… Seriously, if you’re looking for sales training techniques that actually work, contact us here.)

Want to learn more sales training techniques?

Contact us today to request information on our customizable virtual sales training programs
available for reps (and managers).


video sales training

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Why Sales Training Videos Don’t Work

Calling All Leaders Training Sellers! 

There’s something wild happening in the sales training industry right under our noses, and it’s severely impacting the skill level of your front-line sellers. Truth: Sometimes I’m part of the problem.

Riddle me this, my friends:

If it takes 8 meaningful interactions for a buyer to take action (Salesforce) or 900 digital touches before a major purchase decision (Google), then…

Why do we expect sales reps to try a new skill after watching one video? 

Video learning is as passive as it gets (not that anyone ever checked email while playing a training video) and yet we’re “training” sellers with this single touch (not even eight touches like SFDC says we need. Video alone should take hundreds, right?)

Getting a seller to try a new skill = getting a buyer to make a purchase. 

And a 30-minute training video = a single commercial.

In other words, sales training videos alone don’t work – they’re not effective in teaching skills. In fact, I’m going to climb up a little higher on my soapbox and say… 

Video-based sales training is NOT ACTUALLY TRAINING.

It’s entertainment. “Edu-tainment” at best. In our marketing vs. sales analogy, training videos would be the equivalent of content marketing. Its purpose is to brand, to “passive touch”, and to warm a prospect. 

READ: 10 Signs Your Sales Team Needs Sales Training

Unfortunately, not a lot of leads convert from content alone. Especially from a single blog or ad. This is where marketers share the stat that it takes eight “meaningful interactions” before someone will take action. And sales leaders get that “meaningful interactions” are best driven by the sales team – things like asking the right questions, qualifying, customizing the pitch, applying the solution to their world, showing value, etc.

Training works the same way. What we’re selling is a behavior change – the breaking of one habit and the installation of another. Let’s say the goal is to stop sellers from prematurely pitching as an example. We want to replace the habit with a new one like asking prospects 5 questions before delivering a custom pitch.

A great webinar or video on the subject will at best introduce this concept or maybe passively gain some attention or buy-in to the idea. Great first step!

READ: What Makes Good Inside Sales Training?

But as leaders, it is irresponsible of us to leave it there. We left off the entire rest of the learning cycle!  If your training is only (or primarily) video-based, then your learners are missing:

  1. If and how the idea applies to them
  2. When in the sales cycle it’s happening
  3. Which behaviors they do today that they need to stop
  4. How to write better questions
  5. When to ask new questions
  6. What to do when they get the answer
  7. How to ask the questions confidently
  8. How to bring up the pitch
  9. When to bring up the pitch
  10. Practice and support doing this over and over until it’s a habit

The most important parts of training to gain behavior change are missing. Don’t even get me started on maintaining that behavior (heard of the forgetting curve?)

Here’s the hard truth: If your training does not include an opportunity to try the skill, customize the application of the skill, share examples of the skill being done in different situations, practice using the skill, or feedback on the execution of the practice, then I’m sorry to tell you that you’re not training. You’re entertaining.

READ: How to Level Up Your Team with Sales Training

It’s gotten harder to influence buyers to take action with all the “noise” out there, right? Your sales teams are right in the middle of all that noise, and the younger generation is accepting video training as complete. It’s up to us to do it better. It will be a competitive differentiator for those who do.

Please do yourself, your managers, and your salesforce the favor of checking. Here are some questions to ask your training/new hire/enablement team:

  1. What percent of our new hire (or ongoing/career path) training lessons are video-based? 
  2. What do we do after the video?
  3. When do they customize and practice the skill?
  4. Who gives feedback on the execution of the skill?
  5. What actions are being done to keep it alive?

Sales enablement leaders and trainers, I know you feel me. You’ve been preaching this for years, and you could chart out where video lands on Bloom’s taxonomy and how much real estate is between a video and the confident application of the skill. Need some buy-in? Send this blog, and then go ask your sales leaders these five questions:

  1. What are you doing to teach new hires basic selling skills?
  2. How much of their training is video or webinar/zoom-based (aka a “talking head”?)
  3. What percent of their time in training is spent listening to live calls or practicing the skill?
  4. What tools do the managers use to reinforce the training?
  5. Have you taught managers how to coach and reinforce the skills?

READ: How to Find the Best Inside Sales Training Company

Let’s all do this better. There are too many young salespeople failing out of sales. Very few get to sit next to a rockstar to soak in how it’s done. It’s up to the sales and enablement leaders to demand better skills training! I’d LOVE to share how we built 10-15 interactive touches into our training at Factor 8. If you have teams of front-line digital sellers or managers, please let us show you our methodology and our results.

Want more information on why sales training videos don’t work?

Contact us today to request information on our customizable virtual sales training programs
available for reps (and managers).


scale inside sales team

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How to Scale Your Inside Sales Team

In the past decade, inside sales has been out-pacing field sales by a 10-15x ratio. Scalability is a challenge inside sales leaders will continue to face for years to come.

While I normally focus on building your process, today my job is to talk about the people angle. Although, a good half of my people’s suggestions are process suggestions! Allow me to highlight the top 3 common pitfalls we have all faced when trying to scale your inside sales team and a few outside resources that can help.

Pitfall #1: The success of a massive growth number will live or die in a rep’s ramp time.

Ramp time means something different to each company. It could be time to quota, paying for their overhead, or something unique to you. Whatever your ramp goal, you’ll be creating projections to hit a 1.5x, 3x, or even 5x number and you’ll be doing it with a new headcount.

That means your success hinges on the ability of your headcount to:

  • Be hired on time
  • Be trained on time
  • Hit goal on time

Really dig into your new hire training program, and start doing it six months before your first hiring wave. If you haven’t onboarded recently, check out our sales rep onboarding best practices. And if your offices are still remote, brush up on virtually onboarding new sales reps

Pro Tip: Hire a sales-focused training leader NOW. Most new hire training programs need a LOT of work, and the good ones can cut your ramp time by HALF.

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Pitfall #2: We don’t change our hiring process.

Even if you previously onboarded an awesome team that is still with you today, your process likely needs a few tweaks before being pressure-tested during scaling. We usually see breakdowns in two key places:

  • The pool isn’t as deep any longer. We are in a hiring crisis, folks. Many companies stole great talent when they were new on the scene, but now they’re competing for headcount like everyone else. So even if the number of candidates and job postings are similar, you may find the depth of talent more shallow.
  • The hiring and onboarding process wasn’t built for volume and is probably too dependent on your managers (but the slew of new hires on the floor will need them more too!) At launch, these managers had all kinds of time to hire. If you triple your model (then double it for the shallow talent pool), think of how many hours per day they will be in interviews. Ouch!

Pro Tip: Pull hiring out of HR and to a recruiter – even if you need to re-appropriate a sales headcount. You need someone doing passive recruiting on the front end, AND who can handle a phone screen for sales. It’s the only way to free up your managers’ time. Make sure you tie the recruiter’s compensation to the RIGHT hires that align with your goals, instead of fighting a recruiting company’s goal of straight-up bodies. I’ve seen way too many new hire classes filled with “live bodies” by recruiters only to have to rehire a replacement class a month later. Sales leaders make no mistake, the need to retrain or rehire is how your hiring goals will be perceived in a culture of scale.

Also, check your hiring process. It should look like your pipeline, with your managers involved only toward the final stages. Oh, and let them hire their own team, OK? (Managers, you can send your cash directly to the Factor 8 HQ for that tip).

Pitfall #3: Develop your managers, NOW.

I’m watching a friend’s floor triple in size right now. They’re super successful and swimming in leads. They need a headcount to maximize the revenue. What they’re missing is strong leadership, definitions of what ‘good’ looks like, and consistency among the management team. And folks, it’s being held together with duct tape and rainbows right now. These managers are SO (say it like a teenage girl) green. Everyone runs different reports, they all manage a different sales process, there are seven disparate call methodologies, no one can forecast because pipelines are atrocious, teams are mixed and matched constantly (because managers are leaving the chaos!) and no two are managed the same. I’d say they’re all marching to a different beat, but no one remembered to hire the drummer.

Pro Tip: Hire a drummer…as long as that drummer is a series of documented processes (management cadence, performance improvement, sales handoffs, sales process to name a few). Then, TEACH your managers how to execute against them. You and I both know these people were reps five minutes ago. They need training. They need help being better leaders (or you’ll quickly wind up back at #1 hiring even more bodies). Reps join companies and quit bosses, right? New managers are going to FLAIL in a rapid-growth environment, and your reps will be confused, frustrated, and complain about a lack of development (which also happens to be the number one reason reps leave).

So, save yourself some time and a headache by updating your training program, and getting the professionals to help you with hiring, and developing those managers! I promise, the work now will be worth it once your sales floor is full (and stays that way!).

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What is Inside Sales

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What is Inside Sales?

What the heck does it mean when we refer to “inside sales”? 

Inside sales is the practice of selling products or services remotely, and it’s seen HUGE growth in recent years. As technology continues to advance, so does the future of inside sales. This is an exciting time in the industry! Keep on reading for key takeaways on what to expect in the future.

READ: Different Inside Sales Roles Explained

Artificial Intelligence

One of the biggest trends in the future of inside sales is the use of artificial intelligence (AI). AI can be used to analyze data and identify patterns, allowing sales representatives to focus their efforts on the most promising leads. When used correctly, AI can even assist with customer service – freeing up time for sales representatives to focus on closing deals.

Another trend in the future of inside sales is the use of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technology. These technologies can actually give potential customers an immersive experience, allowing them to see how a product or service will look and feel before making a purchase. This is really useful for products that are difficult to visualize, like home renovations or new furniture.  

READ: How to Use ChatGPT to Write Sales Emails

Remote Work

One of the most significant benefits of inside sales is the ability to work remotely. More and more companies have recognized the benefits to remote work after significant changes around the world (especially the pandemic). Remote work allows sales representatives to be located anywhere in the world, which also allows companies to expand their customer base and tap into new markets!

READ: Transition from Field to Inside Sales

Communication & Marketing

In the future, inside sales will also be impacted by advancements in communication technology. With faster internet speeds and more reliable communication channels, sales representatives will be able to communicate with potential customers more easily and efficiently. We can expect faster response times and better customer service, ultimately resulting in increased sales.

Another development is increased use of video and multimedia content. Sales representatives will be able to create videos and other multimedia content to showcase products and services, but also to provide personality and interact with a more human touch.

This human element ties into the idea that companies will need to focus on developing a strong brand identity. They’ll need to create consistent messaging across all channels and build a reputation for quality and reliability. Sales representatives will need to be brand ambassadors, and work to build trust with potential customers.

Companies will also need to focus on data-driven decision making. With access to more data than ever before, sales teams will be able to analyze customer behavior and make informed decisions about their sales strategy. This will require a strong understanding of analytics and data management, as well as a willingness to embrace new technology.

DOWNLOAD: Human-Centered Communication

Building Relationships + Customer Engagement

As the inside sales industry continues to grow, companies will also need to focus on building strong relationships with their customers through a combination of personalized marketing and customer service. Sales representatives will need to develop a deep understanding of their customers\’ needs and preferences, and tailor their approach accordingly.

Changes in the buying process will also have a huge impact moving forward. With more consumers conducting research online before making a purchase, sales representatives will need to adapt their approach to meet these needs and even anticipate them. This may involve providing more information online, offering live chat support, and using other digital tools to engage with potential customers.

Final Thoughts

The future of inside sales looks increasingly bright! With advancements in AI, VR, and communication technology, sales representatives will be able to work more efficiently and effectively than ever before. 

And as companies continue to adapt to changes in the buying process, inside sales will play an increasingly important role in the sales industry. Utilizing all of the above will set you up for success and help you make a big impact on your bottom line!

READ: What Makes Good Inside Sales Training? 

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10 Actionable Tips for Creating Your Sales Team Development Plan + Budget [“Sales Shot” Workshop]

10 Actionable Tips for Creating Your Sales Team Development Plan + Budget

[“Sales Shot” Workshop]

HOW TO BUILD YOUR SALES TEAM DEVELOPMENT PLAN + BUDGET

Smart leaders know that ongoing training and development is the #1 way to keep employees happy and engaged. It’s also the top thing that Millennials and Gen Z seek when job hunting. With attrition at an all-time high and the talent pool shrinking, companies need to shift their focus to retention strategies.

Watch our 30-minute, tip-rich session to learn everything you need to know when creating your sales team development plan. We’re covering the mistakes to avoid, how to budget for sales training, tips on executing development with low bandwidth, and much more!

Bonus: You\’ll also gain access to our Sales Training Budget Cheat Sheet!

Watch the video replay!

HOW TO BUILD YOUR SALES TEAM DEVELOPMENT PLAN + BUDGET

Smart leaders know that ongoing training and development is the #1 way to keep employees happy and engaged. It’s also the top thing that Millennials and Gen Z seek when job hunting. With attrition at an all-time high and the talent pool shrinking, companies need to shift their focus to retention strategies.

Watch our 30-minute, tip-rich session to learn everything you need to know when creating your sales team development plan. We’re covering the mistakes to avoid, how to budget for sales training, tips on executing development with low bandwidth, and much more!

Bonus: You\’ll also gain access to our Sales Training Budget Cheat Sheet!

Watch the video replay!

I’m in Sales [Live Event Recording]

I\’m in Sales!

[Live Event Recording]

TEACH YOUR REPS HOW TO LOVE SALES!

Let’s get this party started right with a kickoff from one of Ambition’s faves, Lauren Bailey from Factor 8 and #GirlsClub! “LB” is talking about why she’s proud to be in sales, her personal crusade to help more people come to sales on purpose and stay, and a war that’s been brewing in our industry for a decade (and how we can win it together). She’ll make you laugh, she’ll make you cry, and she’ll try like crazy to make you swear, because, “We’re in Sales Dammit!”

This recording is from the Ambition PEAK Sales Summit.

Watch the video replay!

TEACH YOUR REPS HOW TO LOVE SALES!

Let’s get this party started right with a kickoff from one of Ambition’s faves, Lauren Bailey from Factor 8 and #GirlsClub! “LB” is talking about why she’s proud to be in sales, her personal crusade to help more people come to sales on purpose and stay, and a war that’s been brewing in our industry for a decade (and how we can win it together). She’ll make you laugh, she’ll make you cry, and she’ll try like crazy to make you swear, because, “We’re in Sales Dammit!”

This recording is from the Ambition PEAK Sales Summit.

Watch the video replay!

maximize sales training investment

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5 Tips to Maximize Your Sales Training Investment

After you’ve hired a sales training vendor, there are a series of questions you need to answer in order to ensure you’re getting the most out of your sales training investment, like:

  • How do I maximize sales training ROI?
  • How do I measure training success?
  • How do I get results FAST?

Having been both the vendor and the buyer in this equation, I definitely have some insight to share. I’ve made mistakes as the Training Director hiring a sales/sales leadership training vendor, and I’ve had clients do some really smart (and less than smart) things. 

Although I could write about this topic forever, I’ve narrowed it down to my top 5 tips to maximize your sales training investment.

1. Customize the Customization. Then customize that. Twenty years ago, I paid a vendor $15,000 extra to customize the training for my company. I spent countless hours sending them examples, marketing data, and websites. I forwarded redacted emails and unpublished case studies. I just KNEW they would get the “real feel” for how special our snowflake was. The result?

The vendor added one half-page sheet to the back of the workbook with two custom role plays. TWO! The pages weren’t even numbered with the rest of the workbook. Total afterthought! Literally, nothing else was custom.

Ready for the vendor flipside? Six years ago we up-leveled all our workbooks for Factor 8. This meant I couldn’t build custom workbooks from scratch anymore for clients (the downside of totally custom is a less professional look – even a few errors). Now each of our course workbooks of about 10 pages has around 15 sections in bold red font that our Advisors tailor prior to delivery. It might be the customer’s language, an industry example, a customer voice example, specific sales objections, etc. During the live interactions, our coaches play their sales calls, coach actual delivery, and will give custom samples/scripts of every skill. That’s customization!

Tip: Get an actual list of what is tailored to your organization, its format, and when/how it is delivered. 

2. Require Manager Involvement. Note: I didn’t say attendance. You need attendance AND involvement! Back when I was delivering training in an enablement organization, we were afraid to invite all the sales managers to our training. They were so busy and important (and let’s be honest, a little rude). As I gained more confidence, I would meet with them 1:1 after the training with tips on what we trained and what to look for. As I got busier, I would schedule a 15-minute meeting so I could do this all at once. When I was put in charge, I required them to come AND met with them for 30 minutes afterward.

Guess what? They still couldn’t coach the skills. Sure, they attended the training, but they didn’t participate. They didn’t come and play to win as if they, too, would be graded on their adaption of the skills. They half-listened, did some email, smiled and nodded, and stole the stage as often as possible to give sage advice.

Vendor Flipside: At Factor 8, we meet with managers before the training, require attendance at the training, train the managers on how to coach the skills after the training, give managers 3+ tools to make it easy to support and coach the training, then do a follow-up meeting with the managers on how skills went, AND certify the managers to certify the reps on the skills. It may seem like overkill, but trust me, it works.

Your ROI will be cut in half if your managers aren’t underlying the importance of using the new skills and coaching their execution. Go overboard making sure they are trained, incentivized, and supported by your vendor to do this! 

3. Measure Your Heart Out! If you aren’t crystal clear on the results, KPIs, and metrics that should be impacted by the training, then you’re not ready to outsource sales training. (Really, a vendor just said that!) In fact, ask the vendor what numbers they expect to move with this engagement (and don’t hire them if they don’t know!) At some point, you’ll have to show your sales training ROI, so define during the interview stage what success looks like and then go get a 3-6 month baseline on these metrics. As a training manager, I was nervous early in my career to do this. It only took one sales leader saying, “You are not solely responsible for the 35% uptick in XYZ…!” for me to start backing down and measuring success anecdotally or with smile sheets. As I grew in my career, all I did was add two words: “contribute to.” If we measure pre and post, we can all SHARE the credit! 

Vendor Flipside: I love a case study. Number one reason I don’t have one on every client? They don’t provide us with their reporting. The leader pulls the trigger on the contract and then sales managers or the enablement team are left to execute and the ask never bubbles to the top. In fact, I’d love to take contracts based on the up-side (we get paid when you improve) and have offered it many times in the past, but the baseline metrics and results weren’t available from the client.

4. Get Leadership Involved (more than they are). How do I know they aren’t very involved? I’ve had about 3 clients out of 300 who were. As a training leader, I had about none. Why is this critical? Because your attendees determine how important the training is based on what the leader says, does, and spends money on. Even if you have to write the script for the VP to kick off the meeting and send over the questions they need to ask in their 1:1 meeting afterward, take the time and do it. Otherwise, you may be the flavor of the month. 

Vendor Flipside: They’re my favorite three clients ever. And when they ask for anything extra, they get it. I’ve helped them get jobs 10 years later, spoken free at their conferences, and featured them on our blogs. When a leader lends their time, voice, and stature to training, it will literally change the organization’s culture. Help convince them they’ll get more ROI by being involved. Make it easier on them with cheat sheets and reminders. These clients get double their money’s worth.

5. Focus on Long Term. Ever met with an internal client who wants you to train 5 things in 20 minutes? Me too. Try every single sales leader ever. Here’s why: Most people don’t know the difference between telling and training. That’s why their people don’t change their behavior after being told. Folks, if you want people to change what they’re doing, the training will take 5x longer than you want it to AND the support “tail” for the training will be months, maybe even years. Don’t make training an event – studies show they’ll remember about 30% of what is taught. The best leaders get this fact:

Training isn’t something you did, it’s something you do.

Vendor Flipside: Events are fun. They’re low risk and high reward. We often would have better selling days during training than normal days (live calling during training). Lots of energy, buzz, and results. But if that’s all your vendor is doing, reconsider. What about keeping skills alive? Pulling the buzz forward? Seeing skills move from the classroom to the sales floor? 15 years ago we offered a 1-day post-training follow-up. Then 90 days virtual. Now we do one-year contracts. It’s the right thing to do and the right way to do it. Doesn’t fit the SKO? Hire a speaker instead.

If you’re evaluating sales training, we’re here to help. Fill out the form or email info@factor8.com and let us know how we can help.

Want more information on how to maximize your sales training investment?

Contact us today to request information on our customizable virtual sales training programs
available for reps (and managers).


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