The State of Sales Training, 2012 is an analytical study that provides insight into sales training efforts within various organizations. Companies must realize that in this age of technology, all training programs must continually evolve to stay relevant and efficient. Sales training is important to the sales profession, and provides some unique challenges for the learning and development staff. Conclusions and recommendations are provided in this report. Some conclusions include:

• Selling skills and product training are the most common training topics.

• Almost all staff members believe that sales training helps them do their job better, and the majority believed that this training is “very” or “somewhat” critical in helping to meet sales goals.

• Sales team members learn differently than other professions and are most likely to learn from their peers, being formally mentored or coached, and through trial and error. This must be reflected in the trainings offered.