Who Is The Best Sales Trainer?

Updated: November 11, 2010

I first need you to tell me just a bit about the company seeking the best sales training firm:"

  • What do they sell?
  • How do they sell it?
  • How well do they sell it?
  • Why do they win?
  • Why do they lose?
  • How long is their sales cycle?
  • Is it a complex or transactional sale?
  • Do they sell to committees or individual buyers?
  • What resources are required to support a rep?
  • How do their buyers buy?
  • Who are their competitors?
  • What's their go-to-market strategy?
  • How are leads generated?
  • What percent of market share do they own?
  • What are their business goals and objectives for the coming quarter, year and three years out?
  • How well is the sales team performing? What percentage of sales reps are at or above quota?
  • What processes and tools do they currently have in place?
  • What geographic territories do they cover? In what languages? With what local cultural requirements?
  • How is the company structured?
  • What about their sales channels?
  • What compensation and incentive approach do they employ?
  • How well do the first line managers manage?
  • What gaps exist in management skills and capabilities?
  • Do they coach effectively to a process?
  • What analytic and measurement systems are in place?
  • How well is sales integrated with other functions within the company especially marketing and service?
  • What is their propensity to change?
  • Are the corporate leaders ready for a business transformation?
  • How much time, resources, and money are they willing to invest in it?
  • Which vendors have already been engaged with this company?
  • What learning mechanisms and tools are in place?
  • How diverse are individuals within the sales team with respect to experience, skill, effectiveness, business savvy, age, learning preferences, etc.?
  • What are the company's annual revenues?
  • How much are they willing to invest in a sales effectiveness initiative?
  • What technology, if any, is currently supporting the sales function?
  • Are they thinking about training strategically or tactically?
  • Who is currently providing training?
  • What do they think their biggest sales challenge is?
  • What special skills, if any, are required for sales effectiveness? This question alone requires discussions with many diverse stakeholders and is a critical component of ESR's discovery process.