How to Measure the Effectiveness of Sales Training

Conducting sales training for your team is one of the best business decisions you can make. Effective sales training has a host of benefits. However, researching, choosing, organising, and conducting follow-up can be time-consuming and costly. Sales training is ultimately a significant investment, and like all other investments, there is an element of risk. Spending valuable time on sales training that isn’t compatible with your goals is counter-effective, unnecessary, and completely preventable.

Take the guesswork out of your organisation’s sales training process and let a professional lead the way! You can rest assured that we won’t give you a copy-and-paste program. Here at Dynamo Selling, we provide exceptional, research-based training tailored to the unique needs of your business.

A commitment-free consultation is one call or click away.

The most important factor to consider when it comes to sales training is effectiveness. Think about it as a fitness regime. We measure the effectiveness of a diet and exercise plan by measuring fat, calculating weight gain or loss, comparing new changes in food with old eating habits, assessing physical changes, identifying and recognising various emotions, and becoming more aware of future health benefits.

What did you notice about this list?

We can measure the effectiveness of a program either through measurable numbers or personal experience. Both ways are valid and should be given equal consideration when assessing the usefulness of a fitness program. The same concept applies to a sales training program.

In both fitness and sales training, you’d want to adjust elements of your program or consider a new plan altogether if you don’t see any noteworthy changes or outstanding results.

Our years of experience in the industry has given us unparalleled insight into the science of sales training in Melbourne and beyond. Over the years, we have gathered a multitude of proven ways to gauge the effectiveness of your training program.

Measure the Effectiveness of a Sales Training Program Using Mathematical Metrics

You can’t argue with numbers.

According to Accenture, a professional services company, for every dollar a company invested in training, they received $4.53 in return. That translates into a 353% ROI (Return on Investment)!

But does that apply to any run-of-the-mill program? Probably not.

For a sales training plan to yield a high ROI, it must be effective.

Get ready to crunch some numbers as we give you the top three methods of calculating the effectiveness of a sales training program in your organisation.

1. Standardised tests

The mere mention of tests can take you back to your desk at school. Put aside any negative memories you may have associated with tests as a student and prepare to alter your view of assessments as a leader.

We recommend written tests and assessments because it provides a clear picture of areas in your training program that are in desperate need of improvement or adjustment. Keep in mind that all team members must receive the same exam that measures the same concepts present in the training program.

Tests are further divided into two categories: two pre-training and post-training assessments and a single post-training assessment.

In the first group, you give two tests to your team and compare the before-and-after data. Were their scores the same? Did they gain knowledge? Are there certain concepts or skills that your team is struggling with? What kind of training will be beneficial in the near future?

For the second category, only one exam will be given as a follow-up to the training. The numbers will determine whether you need to take a slight detour or go the opposite direction of your current training methods.

You can periodically give the same test or modified versions of the test to measure how much information has been retained.

2. Ratings

If creating, administering, grading, and analysing data from standardised tests seem too daunting, prepare an assessment based on ratings.

These ratings can be in the form of numbers (from 1-10 or 1-5), “excellent, fair, adequate, or inadequate,” or dual smiley/frowny faces.

Here are a few sample questions:

“Rate your ability to resolve conflict on a scale of 1-10.”

“How would you describe your win rate? Excellent, fair, inadequate.”

“I am capable of developing strong relationships with clients. Circle one: ”

Like standardised tests, the content must be uniform and based on what the sales training program covers. You can also provide the pre-and post-assessments or just the post-program test. Lastly, you can give the same or modified versions of the rating repeatedly throughout the year.

3. Look at the (dollar) signs

There are two ways to determine the financial outcome of your sales training program:

Individual or team profits
Compare how much a single team member, or the team as a whole, has generated in profits before and after the sales training program. Has your margin increased, decreased, or stayed the same?
ROI
To calculate your ROI in terms of percentage, divide the benefits by the costs and multiply it by one hundred. (Benefits ÷ costs) x 100 = ROI%
Has your ROI increased, decreased, or stayed the same when you compare prior-to and after-training numbers?

Dizzy with decisions? We got your back. Dynamo’s trademark Gap Attack® methodology delves into every small detail of your specific business needs to ensure growth. Contact us today!

Measuring the effectiveness of a sales training program on your organisation cannot be reduced to a simple numbers game. After all, your team isn’t an “input-output” machine. Humans are complex, and so is a business environment filled with competing factors that impact numbers and performance.

While we recommend analysing numerical calculations, we must stress the importance of individual experiences when considering a program’s usefulness.

Measuring the Effectiveness of Sales Training Using Mental Metrics

Remember when we talked about weighing the effectiveness of a diet and fitness plan, we mentioned the number on the scale in addition to how it made you feel? Because if your plan doesn’t improve your health and emotional well-being, is it truly worth it?

The same type of critiques should be applied to your organisation’s sales training program as well.

So far, we’ve discussed numerical and financial benchmarks; now, let’s look at the emotional and psychological components.

Measure the effectiveness of your sales training program by asking your team these questions based on its five benefits:

1. Improve communication skills

Do you believe you can conduct a sales demonstration with confidence?
Can you prevent or resolve conflict through respectful communication?
Are you able to communicate your message clearly through verbal (speaking in-person, on the phone, or video call) or nonverbal channels (email, text, body language)?

2. Bridge knowledge and skills gaps

What new techniques did you learn?
Are you able to translate the theories into action?
Do you feel as though you have gained a great deal of beneficial information?

3. Gain a competitive advantage

Do you feel as though we are the best in our industry? Why or why not?
Does your skillset make you stand out from the crowd?
What skills are needed to stay ahead of the competition?

4. Increased confidence and a boost in morale

How do you feel about working for our organisation?
Do you feel proud of the work you do?
Describe our work environment.

5. Build a vision for the future

Where do you see yourself in five years?
Was the information you received applicable to today’s market?
What do you believe the company’s goals are for the future?

By asking these questions, you accumulate a wealth of data that will help you determine which aspects of a sales training program work for your organisation, what parts need to be tweaked, and if any portion needs to be removed completely.

Still feeling overwhelmed? Stop fretting, and let us take the weight off your shoulders. Let us take care of all your sales training needs. Contact us now!

How Do You Measure the Effectiveness of Sales Training Within Your Organisation?