What Should Your Sales Training Cost in Terms of Money, Time and Results?

The goal to increase sales is within the majoritytraining provider unless it is a national seminar
of all strategic plans. Sales skill sets need to keepseries. The lower investments of $50 to $200
pace with this high-tech and global economy. Thisallow the participants to determine if this sales
is probably one reason why sales education andtraining information and approach works for them
training are so prevalent from the Internet toand for their businesses. However, this solution
business journals.may not be viable if you are seeking sustainable
If you as a small business owner or corporateresults or have other issues such as multiple
executive are looking fcr some sales educationlocations in different states.
and training, there are 3 simple factors that needOff site 3 day workshops may provide a lot of
to be considered. These are money, time andcontent and may be delivered by exceptional
results. Each factor needs to be reviewedtrainers or facilitators. However, is the goal
separately and collectively to determine the bestcontent or retention? Research suggests multiple
sales training solution to increase your sales.exposures to the same learning objective increase
Remember: Any decision needs to be aligned tocognitive retention up to at least 60%. One time
the short and long term goals within yourexposure (traditional sales training) to that same
strategic plan.learning objective reduces long term retention to
just 2% after 16 days.
1. Money: Much of the sales training ranges fromWeekly 2 hour to 3 hour long training sessions
the half day (4 hours), $50 seminars to the offdelivered over the course of 10 to 12 weeks
site 3 day (18 hours) $1,500 workshops to the(non-traditional training) strengthen cognitive
onsite 5 day (30 hour) or 10 weekly 3 hourretention and performance improvement by
sessions for $2,000.allowing opportunities for practice between
2. Time: Is the time invested enough for thesessions. These sessions should also be aligned to
results desired? As a former corporateyour strategic plan and should include ongoing
salesperson and now a business coach, I amreinforcement such as executive coaching.
continually surprised that management believes aOnly after reviewing all factors separately and
4 hour seminar to an 18 3 day workshop willtogether can you as a business owner,
change 10 to 30 years of previous experiences.entrepreneur or corporate executive truly
3. Results: What results do you desire from thedetermine the best cost. Remember the best
sales education and training? This is the desiredcost should deliver the highest return on
end and should be weighted more than the otherinvestment and be sustainable so that you will not
2 factors.have to experience those frequent and expensive
For example, local half day or full day workshopsre-dos that drain your Kash Box for Sustainable
provide an opportunity to get to know the salesChange.