10/28/2023

SALES
MANAGEMENT
PHẠM TRẦN KHOA (LECTURER, MBA)

Larana, Inc.

PART 2 – SALES FORCE ACTIVITIES

Chapter 8
SALES FORCE
DEVELOPMENT
Oliva Wilson
(SALES TRAINING)
Daniel Gallego

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Learning objectives
1 Understand the benefits of sales force training.

2 Determine specific training needs for a sales force.

3 Discuss the topics to include in a training program.

4 Describe the advantages of centralized

and decentralized training
5 Understand the use of line, staff, and outside trainers.

6 Recognize the value of alternative training methods.

7 Describe the different methods for evaluating training results.

Table Of Content
1. Sales training pays off.
2. Why train salespeople?
Workshop Purpose
3. Planning for sales training Strengths
4. Developing the training program
Marketing Problem Type Digital Marketing
5. Evaluating sales training
6. Follow-up How To Get Started

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Table Of Content
1. Sales training pays off.
2. Why train salespeople?
Workshop Purpose
3. Planning for sales training Strengths
4. Developing the training program
Marketing Problem Type Digital Marketing
5. Evaluating sales training
6. Follow-up How To Get Started

1 SALES TRAINING PAYS OFF

Research results indicate that characteristics can be developed –

such as selling skills, motivation, role perceptions – are more
closely related to sales performance than enduring traits such as
appearance, aptitude and personality.

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SALES TRAINING PAYS OFF

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Table Of Content
1. Sales training pays off
2. Why train salespeople?
Workshop Purpose
3. Planning for sales training Strengths
4. Developing the training program
Marketing Problem Type Digital Marketing
5. Evaluating sales training
6. Follow-up How To Get Started

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2 WHY TRAIN SALESPEOPLE?

SALES TRAINING OBJECTIVES

▪ Increase productivity (sales or profits)
▪ Reduce role conflict and ambiguity (turnover)
▪ Improved customer relations
▪ Create positive attitudes/improve morale
▪ Improve efficiencies (time and territory)
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Table Of Content
1. Sales training pays off
2. Why train salespeople?
Workshop Purpose
3. Planning for sales training Strengths
4. Developing the training program
Marketing Problem Type Digital Marketing
5. Evaluating sales training
6. Follow-up How To Get Started

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3 PLANNING FOR SALES TRAINING

Involves three related processes:

1. Assessing sales training needs
2. Establishing specific objectives for the training program
3. Setting a budget for the program

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3 PLANNING FOR SALES TRAINING –

Assessing sales training needs
▪ Sales force productivity needs break down into 3 elements:
What to do, How to do it, Why they should do it.
▪ A training needs analysis is a process for determining
where the problems and opportunities exist and whether
training can best address the issues.
▪ A complete training needs analysis includes a review of the
firm’s strategic objectives, management observation and
survey of salespeople, customer input, and a review of
company records.
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3 PLANNING FOR SALES TRAINING –

Assessing sales training needs
▪ Strategic objectives: An organization’s strategic programs
frequently involve changes in the types of products sold, the
customers called on, the type of customer relationships developed.
▪ Sales force observation and survey: Observation of salespeople is
an excellent way to identify shortcomings to target for future
training. It is especially useful when comparing the superstars with
the lower performing salesperson.

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3 PLANNING FOR SALES TRAINING –

Assessing sales training needs

▪ Customer information: Sending customer questionnaires

can also be quite revealing.
▪ Company records: Cross-tabulating performance records
helpful in identifying which salespeople need what type of
training. Cross-tabulating involves examining performance
by certain sales force characteristics, such as years of
experience, geographic area, or area of specialization.

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PLANNING FOR SALES TRAINING –

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Assessing sales training needs

Table 8-1

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3 PLANNING FOR SALES TRAINING –

Setting objectives

Training objectives should be specific enough and

measurable so that the extent to which they have been
met can be evaluated following the training program.
▪ Help prioritize various training needs, which makes it
easier to properly sequence the training.
▪ Helpful in gaining top management’s commitment and
willingness to provide budget support for training.

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3 PLANNING FOR SALES TRAINING –

Setting a training budget

▪ The costs of training new salespeople include salary,

benefits, and sometimes lodging and meal expenses.
▪ Some factors impact on training cost is the objectives,
location, number of trainees, industry, company.

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Table Of Content
1. Sales training pays off
2. Why train salespeople?
Workshop Purpose
3. Planning for sales training Strengths
4. Developing the training program
Marketing Problem
5. Evaluating sales training
6. Follow-up How To Get Started

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4 DEVELOPING THE TRAINING PROGRAM

Decisions critical to the success of the

individual training program include:
1. What topics to cover
2. Where to conduct the training
3. What training methods to use
4. Who should do the training

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4 DEVELOPING THE TRAINING PROGRAM

– Training Topics

It depends on the products to be sold, the purpose of

the training and the background of those being trained.
For example: Firms sell technical products, typically
include more product-related material in their programs
than firms less complex products or services.

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4 DEVELOPING THE TRAINING PROGRAM

– Training Topics
Some topics typically included in training programs.
❖ Product knowledge: The time devoted to product knowledge is related
to the complexity of the offering or to the introduction of new products.
❖ Selling: Cognitive selling scripts, the knowledge of an expert.
Expert are said to possess 2 types of knowledge:
▪ Declarative knowledge permits them to recognize a selling situation requiring
a somewhat unique selling process.
▪ Procedural knowledge consists of the process or sequence of behaviors that
are necessary to achieve a successful conclusion in a particular sales situation.
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DEVELOPING THE TRAINING PROGRAM

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– Training Topics
❖ Improving teamwork: Cross-functional sales teams
❖ Customer and Market information
Give facts about the size, location of present customers, their
buying patterns, needs, technical processes.
❖ Company orientation
Well-versed in the company’s history, organization, policies,
corporate citizenship and workplace competencies.
❖ Technology-based selling skills → SALES FORCE AUTOMATION (SFA)
❖ Other topics
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DEVELOPING THE TRAINING PROGRAM

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– Training Topics

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DEVELOPING THE TRAINING PROGRAM

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– Where to Train

Centralized Versus Decentralized Training

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DEVELOPING THE TRAINING PROGRAM

4
– Where to Train
Training ở headquater là centralized Training ở chi nhánh khác là decentrailized

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DEVELOPING THE TRAINING PROGRAM

4
– Where to Train

→ Combine
Centralized training
and Decentralized
training

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DEVELOPING THE TRAINING PROGRAM – Where to Train

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4 DEVELOPING THE TRAINING PROGRAM

– Where to Train
Field training: Field or on-the-job training (OJT) is the most
widely used method of sales training for new recruits.
▪ The basic idea of OJT is that salespeople call on customers and
learn from the experience.
→ Small companies rely on this method because the high cost
of developing alternative training methods when only a few
people need to be trained.
→ OJT should not be relied on as the sole means of learning
because experience is costly and the quality of training is uneven.
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4 DEVELOPING THE TRAINING PROGRAM

– Training methods
Role-playing: typically of simulated sales presentations.
+ Effective method to reinforce information presented in videos and
lectures by requiring active participation and practice.
+ Helps to determine if the trainee can apply the information
ꟷ The stress caused by the videotaping
CDs, Podcast, and audiotapes:
CDs, Podcast used as information sources for products and market intelligence.
Audiotapes is an effective way to present and reinforce selling & product information

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4 DEVELOPING THE TRAINING PROGRAM

– Training methods

Internet: Access to the necessary information as soon as it’s

available without leaving their territories or customers. But the
costs of e-learning are high and distractions; may not as effective as
traditional learning environments when teaching advanced skills.

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DEVELOPING THE TRAINING PROGRAM – Training methods

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DEVELOPING THE TRAINING PROGRAM

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– Who should train?
Staff specialists: They prepare the materials and conduct the classes
+ They are good teachers and experts in selecting the proper methods
and audiovisual equipment needed to meet program objectives.
ꟷ They lack experience in realistic field-selling situations, and their salary
too expensive for small firms.
Outside specialists: They are responsible for the training programs or may
be brought in to conduct specific sessions within a total training program.
+ They can bring to the training program the variety, inspiration, excitement.
ꟷ They are unfamiliar with company’s selling situation (lack of familiarity with
industry jargon, customers, competitors)
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4 DEVELOPING THE TRAINING PROGRAM

– Who should train?
Line executives
+ Credibility to the program, they know how to sell to and they
know what skills trainees need in order to perform well in field.
ꟷ They may not be trained in how to communicate the information
to a group of people in a classroom setting.
ꟷ They usually preoccupied with current sales problems and may
not have time to do a good job of training.

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Table Of Content
1. Sales training pays off
2. Why train salespeople?
Workshop Purpose
3. Planning for sales training Strengths
4. Developing the training program
Marketing Problem
5. Evaluating sales training
6. Follow-up How To Get Started

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EVALUATING SALES TRAINING

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Figure 8-3
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EVALUATING SALES TRAINING

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Table 8-2:
Sales training
evaluation
practices

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5 EVALUATING SALES TRAINING

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5 EVALUATING SALES TRAINING

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5 EVALUATING SALES TRAINING

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EVALUATING SALES TRAINING

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Table Of Content
1. Sales training pays off
2. Why train salespeople?
Workshop Purpose
3. Planning for sales training Strengths
4. Developing the training program
Marketing Problem
5. Evaluating sales training
6. Follow-up How To Get Started

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6 FOLLOWUP

▪ One of the biggest mistakes management can make is

failure to follow up on training.
▪ One-shot training is a proven formula for failure and
a big waste of company money.

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6 FOLLOWUP –
Additional sales training issues

Developing salespeople involves helping people develop goals,

skills, and habits beyond those necessary for the present job.
→ The most important and difficult responsibility of first- and
second-line sales managers.

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FOLLOWUP –
6
Additional sales training issues
What can first- and second-line sales managers do to help salespeople
develop their full capabilities and prevent career stagnation?
1. Help salespeople gain a realistic understanding of the process and of
their chances of getting promoted.
2. Give people opportunities to develop new skills within their present job
3. Be creative in letting veteran salespeople know that they are successful
and important to the company even if they are not in management.
4. Be constantly alert for salespeople with the skills and desire for
management or other advanced sales positions.
5. Design a program for developing salespeople for their next assignment
either in management or in an advanced sales position.
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Larana, Inc.

If you have any questions,

you are welcome to ask now

THANK YOU
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