Sales training remains one of the most consistently deployed enablers of sales effectiveness among business-to-business (B2B) companies. Contemporary business development teams are well aware of the dual external pressures of increasingly well-educated buyers and savvy, aggressive competitors. “Train, Coach, Reinforce: Best Practices in Maximizing Sales Productivity,” a new report from analyst firm Aberdeen finds that Best-in-Class sales organizations provide frontline reps with ever-increasing levels of training to prepare them for these conversations.

Between July and September 2012, Aberdeen surveyed 310 end-user organizations about their sales effectiveness practices and accomplishments to understand how sales training is most effectively deployed. Survey results show that Best-in-Class organizations share several common characteristics:

• 86% use a formal sales training methodology

• 82% have executive-level support for sales training initiatives

• 81% identify subject matter experts and make their knowledge available to other members of the sales team.

Drilling down further, Best-in-Class performers are more likely to make formal sales training mandatory (82 percent) compared to Laggards (only 68 percent). The reason sales training is a must-have rather than a luxury is clear: with an average sales quota of $1.063M, companies need polished and educated reps ready for effective sales discussions at a highly professional level at every stage of the sales cycle.

The data also suggests that sales training uses many modalities. It seems a healthy stew of training ingredients nourishes a successful and nimble sales force. However, educating reps still starts with live, instructor-led training (98 percent for Best-in-Class, 88 percent for Laggards). But Best-in-Class organizations are also more likely to technology-based training, such as

• simulations (84 percent for Best-in-Class, 76 percent for Laggards)

• social networking tools (75 percent for Best-in-Class, 60 percent for Laggards)

• video-based content (83 percent for Best-in-Class, 68 percent for Laggards).

The sales training report goes on to describe how top performers distinguish themselves by implementing specific capabilities and enablers, and outlines the PACE model for sales effectiveness. It also details specific actions Laggards can take to improve their sales organizations.

The Aberdeen Group is making “Train, Coach, Reinforce: Best Practices in Maximizing Sales Productivity” available to the ASTD Sales Enablement Community of Practice.  Registration is required.