The Impact of Sales Training

Let’s talk about sales. Specifically sales enablement. If you’re reading this, you’re likely familiar with the term, so you know that it’s one that’s hard to define. If you’re still asking yourself, “What is sales enablement?” we’ve got the answer for you. At Lessonly, we define sales enablement as the steps we take to help our sales team close more deals and earn more revenue. Sales enablement combines sales training, feedback, coaching, and the right tools to empower sales teams to do Better Work.

If you look at sales enablement and training from a 30,000ft view, it’s clear that there are a ton of positive benefits. From more confident and efficient sales reps to better prospect and customer interactions, there’s a lot that we can talk about when it comes to the benefits of sales training. 

But, here’s the thing. Just like we boiled down the definition of sales enablement to one sentence, we’re going to concentrate the ROI of sales enablement and training to one sentence. If you look at the importance of sales training and enablement, you’ll see that it ultimately drives more positive business outcomes. Let’s take a closer look at how sales enablement is a positive investment for your business.

Why Sales Training is Important for Sales Reps

A well-trained sales rep is one of the most important investments your team can—and should—make. The better-trained someone is, the better they’ll perform. Period. In fact, we’ve found that the top sales training programs improve rep engagement, retention, and productivity. Don’t believe us? Then, consider these sales productivity statistics.

• The average ramp time to productivity for salespeople is between six and nine months. That means a lot of missed revenue opportunities for your team. However, CSO Insights found that effective sales training and enablement can help new reps meet quota up to seven weeks faster than the industry average.
• The average tenure of a sales rep is approximately two years. But, if it takes nearly nine months to bring a new rep up-to-speed, that’s a huge expense. A study by the Sales Readiness Group found that companies with great sales enablement have the lowest annual sales rep turnover at just 11.9% compared to 19.5% for organizations with less-than-satisfactory sales training. 

Your sales reps are the backbone of a great sales program. So, if you’re asking yourself, “What ROI can I expect for a sales training program?” take a close look at your salesforce. They need the best sales training and enablement to be successful. In return, you’ll see lower turnover and retention costs for years to come.