ATD Blog
Top 3 Sales Training Rollout Strategies
Tue Mar 21 2017
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Many obstacles hinder the successful transfer of sales training and the improvement of on-the-job performance. But if you carefully consider three strategies, you’ll be much more likely to achieve the results you seek.
Many obstacles hinder the successful transfer of sales training and the improvement of on-the-job performance. But if you carefully consider three strategies, you’ll be much more likely to achieve the results you seek.
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Let’s start with one very important caveat. This post assumes that you have already performed the sales training basics in the areas of success metrics, money-making skills, skill gaps, and reinforcement. If you have not already done so, it’s probably too early to design sales training rollout strategies. You’re putting the cart before the horse. When it comes to sales training rollout strategies, form follows function.
Let’s start with one very important caveat. This post assumes that you have already performed the sales training basics in the areas of success metrics, money-making skills, skill gaps, and reinforcement. If you have not already done so, it’s probably too early to design sales training rollout strategies. You’re putting the cart before the horse. When it comes to sales training rollout strategies, form follows function.
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You will know you are ready to discuss training rollout options when you and key stakeholders can answer the following questions:
You will know you are ready to discuss training rollout options when you and key stakeholders can answer the following questions:
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Success Metrics: What one or two sales metrics are you trying to improve? Examples include revenue, margin, win rate, portfolio mix, deal size, and sales cycle.
Success Metrics: What one or two sales metrics are you trying to improve? Examples include revenue, margin, win rate, portfolio mix, deal size, and sales cycle.
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Money-Making Skills: What are the critical few skills and behaviors that matter most vis-à-vis your desired success metrics, sales strategy, and sales culture? Examples include calling high, qualifying, prospecting, solution selling, business acumen, presenting, pipeline management, account planning and negotiating.
Money-Making Skills: What are the critical few skills and behaviors that matter most vis-à-vis your desired success metrics, sales strategy, and sales culture? Examples include calling high, qualifying, prospecting, solution selling, business acumen, presenting, pipeline management, account planning and negotiating.
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Skill Gaps: What are the specific strengths and limiters of your target audience for those money making skills?
Skill Gaps: What are the specific strengths and limiters of your target audience for those money making skills?
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Reinforcement: How will you reinforce, coach and measure behavior and performance change?
Reinforcement: How will you reinforce, coach and measure behavior and performance change?
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Once it is time to design your training rollout strategies, I recommend reviewing three main options: participation, rollout, and participant mix. Depending upon your sales strategy, culture, budget, desired outcomes, and where you are on the learning maturity continuum, each option has advantages and disadvantages.
Once it is time to design your training rollout strategies, I recommend reviewing three main options: participation, rollout, and participant mix. Depending upon your sales strategy, culture, budget, desired outcomes, and where you are on the learning maturity continuum, each option has advantages and disadvantages.
Participation Options
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Mandatory: “Everyone Must Attend”
Mandatory: “Everyone Must Attend”
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Pros
Pros
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Ensures that the “right” sales people get the “right” sales training.
Ensures that the “right” sales people get the “right” sales training.
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Sends a clear message from the top regarding importance, accountability and culture.
Sends a clear message from the top regarding importance, accountability and culture.
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Easier and often less expensive to plan, register, measure and roll out.
Easier and often less expensive to plan, register, measure and roll out.
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Helps ensure compliance when needed.
Helps ensure compliance when needed.
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Effective for foundational, sales-wide programs or programs linked to targeted career transition points, such as moving from sales rep to sales manager.
Effective for foundational, sales-wide programs or programs linked to targeted career transition points, such as moving from sales rep to sales manager.
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Cons
Cons
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People may not get the most out of a session that they are “forced” to attend.
People may not get the most out of a session that they are “forced” to attend.
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May not match cultural or employee engagement strategies.
May not match cultural or employee engagement strategies.
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Suggested: “Recommend People Attend Who Meet Specific Criteria”
Suggested: “Recommend People Attend Who Meet Specific Criteria”
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Pros
Pros
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Allows each decision point to determine that the “right” sales people receive the “right” sales training.
Allows each decision point to determine that the “right” sales people receive the “right” sales training.
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Increases accountability and responsibility.
Increases accountability and responsibility.
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Sends a clear message regarding importance, accountability and culture from within each group.
Sends a clear message regarding importance, accountability and culture from within each group.
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Helps align the sales force to overall company goals.
Helps align the sales force to overall company goals.
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Effective for targeted sales teams and accounts that do not apply to the majority of the organization.
Effective for targeted sales teams and accounts that do not apply to the majority of the organization.
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Cons
Cons
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A process and criteria must be created and communicated to effectively sell and implement the solution.
A process and criteria must be created and communicated to effectively sell and implement the solution.
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Decision makers must have the capability to make the “right” decisions at the “right” time.
Decision makers must have the capability to make the “right” decisions at the “right” time.
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Sales managers must spend time being part of the process.
Sales managers must spend time being part of the process.
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People may not support or be in alignment with overall goals.
People may not support or be in alignment with overall goals.
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May cause inequity.
May cause inequity.
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May take more time to implement and cost more to execute per person.
May take more time to implement and cost more to execute per person.
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Selected: “Only a Select, Privileged Few Get To Attend”
Selected: “Only a Select, Privileged Few Get To Attend”
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Pros
Pros
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Allows the company to target and reward specific individuals and groups.
Allows the company to target and reward specific individuals and groups.
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Often creates a “buzz” and desire to become part of an elite sales training program.
Often creates a “buzz” and desire to become part of an elite sales training program.
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Effective for succession planning, special projects or account teams.
Effective for succession planning, special projects or account teams.
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Create a “pull” strategy with sales training and enablement.
Create a “pull” strategy with sales training and enablement.
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Cons
Cons
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Unclear selection criteria and biased processes can de-motivate non-selected sales personnel.
Unclear selection criteria and biased processes can de-motivate non-selected sales personnel.
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Time required to do it right.
Time required to do it right.
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Optional: “Attend If You Want”
Optional: “Attend If You Want”
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Pros
Pros
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Allows each sales person/manager to determine what makes sense for them.
Allows each sales person/manager to determine what makes sense for them.
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Increases accountability and responsibility of individuals.
Increases accountability and responsibility of individuals.
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Works well for foundational-level sales training for individual sales contributors.
Works well for foundational-level sales training for individual sales contributors.
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Cons
Cons
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People might not have the capability to determine what makes sense at an individual, team and organizational level.
People might not have the capability to determine what makes sense at an individual, team and organizational level.
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Random participation may not achieve stated organizational objectives.
Random participation may not achieve stated organizational objectives.
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Requires more logistical support and often costs more in the long run.
Requires more logistical support and often costs more in the long run.
Rollout Options
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Pilot: “Test It On a Targeted Group and Learn and Improve”
Pilot: “Test It On a Targeted Group and Learn and Improve”
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Pros
Pros
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Invest a little before you invest a lot.
Invest a little before you invest a lot.
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Helps increase buy-in and focus the design and implementation plan.
Helps increase buy-in and focus the design and implementation plan.
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Easier to manage expectations and succeed in initial and follow-up programs.
Easier to manage expectations and succeed in initial and follow-up programs.
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Often speeds up the design process and decreases costs.
Often speeds up the design process and decreases costs.
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Cons
Cons
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Must be willing to learn and adjust from Pilot accordingly.
Must be willing to learn and adjust from Pilot accordingly.
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Top Down: “Start with Leadership and Move Through Their Direct Reports”
Top Down: “Start with Leadership and Move Through Their Direct Reports”
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Pros
Pros
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Increases executive support, buy-in and sales coaching opportunities.
Increases executive support, buy-in and sales coaching opportunities.
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Sends a clear message regarding importance.
Sends a clear message regarding importance.
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Provides ability to incorporate executive feedback into future sessions.
Provides ability to incorporate executive feedback into future sessions.
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Cons
Cons
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May not want to wait for executives to have time to participate.
May not want to wait for executives to have time to participate.
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Sales leaders need to have the skills to communicate, coach, and model the content.
Sales leaders need to have the skills to communicate, coach, and model the content.
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As Available: “Sign Up People Based Upon Desire and Availability”
As Available: “Sign Up People Based Upon Desire and Availability”
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Pros
Pros
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Works with people’s schedules.
Works with people’s schedules.
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Meets just-in-time needs.
Meets just-in-time needs.
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Supports individual development plans.
Supports individual development plans.
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Focuses first on the most motivated.
Focuses first on the most motivated.
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May promote cross-functional relationships.
May promote cross-functional relationships.
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Cons
Cons
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May not focus on areas of highest need from a company or sales team perspective.
May not focus on areas of highest need from a company or sales team perspective.
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Registration, scheduling, and tracking may be cumbersome if a registration or learning management system is not used.
Registration, scheduling, and tracking may be cumbersome if a registration or learning management system is not used.
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By Location: “Sign Up and Deliver at One Location at a Time”
By Location: “Sign Up and Deliver at One Location at a Time”
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Pros
Pros
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Creates momentum and support systems in a location.
Creates momentum and support systems in a location.
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May save expenses by running programs back-to-back.
May save expenses by running programs back-to-back.
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Provides ability to focus on unique attributes of a location.
Provides ability to focus on unique attributes of a location.
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Cons
Cons
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May not focus on areas of highest need.
May not focus on areas of highest need.
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Decreased cross-fertilization of ideas and perspectives.
Decreased cross-fertilization of ideas and perspectives.
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By Account/Group/Team/Sales Initiative
By Account/Group/Team/Sales Initiative
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Pros
Pros
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Focuses on specific issues important to the business.
Focuses on specific issues important to the business.
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Increases business and on-the-job relevancy.
Increases business and on-the-job relevancy.
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Easier to tie to ROI.
Easier to tie to ROI.
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Ability to work on real issues, clients, and problems.
Ability to work on real issues, clients, and problems.
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Cons
Cons
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May be difficult to identify and break down appropriate groups.
May be difficult to identify and break down appropriate groups.
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Does not support cross-fertilization of ideas and perspectives outside of the team or group if cross-selling is important.
Does not support cross-fertilization of ideas and perspectives outside of the team or group if cross-selling is important.
Participant Mix Options
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Cross Functional/Cross Level
Cross Functional/Cross Level
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Pros
Pros
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Allows for a good sharing of perspectives, issues, and needs.
Allows for a good sharing of perspectives, issues, and needs.
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Promotes teambuilding and helps to break down structural and positional silos.
Promotes teambuilding and helps to break down structural and positional silos.
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Creates opportunities to solve problems, concerns, and barriers in a safe setting.
Creates opportunities to solve problems, concerns, and barriers in a safe setting.
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Provides opportunity for more experienced, skilled, or knowledgeable participants to coach others and provide reinforcement.
Provides opportunity for more experienced, skilled, or knowledgeable participants to coach others and provide reinforcement.
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Cons
Cons
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More design and facilitation skill required to ensure that examples, case studies, discussions, and role plays remain relevant and engaging to entire audience.
More design and facilitation skill required to ensure that examples, case studies, discussions, and role plays remain relevant and engaging to entire audience.
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Open and honest discussion may not be appropriate for all issues.
Open and honest discussion may not be appropriate for all issues.
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Intact Sales Teams
Intact Sales Teams
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Pros
Pros
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Naturally promotes teambuilding.
Naturally promotes teambuilding.
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Ability to focus on client and account specific issues.
Ability to focus on client and account specific issues.
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Increases business and on-the-job relevancy.
Increases business and on-the-job relevancy.
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Easier to tie to client and account revenue and margin.
Easier to tie to client and account revenue and margin.
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Cons
Cons
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Difficult for some participants to break out of their natural role/position to enhance learning.
Difficult for some participants to break out of their natural role/position to enhance learning.
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Team issues and dynamics may limit focus on learning.
Team issues and dynamics may limit focus on learning.
Putting It to Work
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Many clients puzzle over these various options. They risk making the mistake of trying to determine rollout options before knowing where they are headed and the key obstacles that they face.
Many clients puzzle over these various options. They risk making the mistake of trying to determine rollout options before knowing where they are headed and the key obstacles that they face.
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Begin with clear desired outcomes from a business and learning perspective. These clear outcomes will lead you to the metrics and resources required to achieve your sales training goals. Once these are clear, it should not be very difficult to select the combination of sales training rollout options that will work best for your initiative.
Begin with clear desired outcomes from a business and learning perspective. These clear outcomes will lead you to the metrics and resources required to achieve your sales training goals. Once these are clear, it should not be very difficult to select the combination of sales training rollout options that will work best for your initiative.