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Instructor-led Training Remains the Top Method of Sales Training Delivery

RENO, NV -  November 21, 2011  -   Aberdeen applies a methodology to benchmark research that evaluates the business Pressures, Actions, Capabilities, and Enablers (PACE) that indicate corporate behavior in specific business processes. A research brief produced using the PACE methodology closely examines how Miller Heiman clients compare to other participating organizations, as well as the study’s top performers, on several best practices, including having a formal sales methodology and integrating sales activities into a CRM system. Miller Heiman clients, as found by the research, are in synch with Best-in-Class organizations in implementing several best practices.

A key finding of the study clearly showed that instructor-led training is the chosen method of sales training delivery. Instructor-led training is perceived to be the most effective method in providing content due to the interactive environment, and an expert instructor offering the best insights and instructions to the trainees. More specifically, the research found that respondents who utilize instructor-led training reported a 10% shorter sales cycle and a faster ramp-up of new hires compared to companies who do not.

Prudential Group provides a real world example of the effectiveness of sales training and reinforcement of the training. Since implementing sales training in April 2010, Prudential has seen a significant ROI of the training with a number of sales representatives stating they would not have won the opportunity without the influence of the training.

“The research provided by Aberdeen Group validates that sales training remains a beneficial investment by sales organizations,” said Leigh Hooker, chief operations officer at Miller Heiman. “By partnering with Aberdeen Group every year, not only are we presented with [sales training confirmation], it allows us the luxury of specific customer feedback. The more we can listen to our customer and understand what they are challenged with, the better we become at helping them reach their goals and objectives.”
Other key points from the brief:

• Deploying a “train-the-trainer” strategy provides organizations a 2.9% year-over-year growth on first-year sales representatives achieving their quota.
• Organizations utilizing a formal sales methodology show 3.1% year-over-year change on team attainment of their sales quota.
• Organizations with an integration of call planning into a CRM system show a stronger customer retention rate compared to all other companies (55% to 49%).

The full research brief, Best-in-Class Sales Organizations are in Synch with Miller Heiman Customers, is available for download here. Aberdeen Group’s full benchmarking study, Sales Training 2011: Uncovering How the Best-In-Class Sustain, Reinforce and Leverage Best Selling Practices, is also available.

About Miller Heiman: The Sales Performance Company

Miller Heiman is the proven leader and innovator in sales execution with more than 30 years of helping businesses grow profitable sales by increasing their close rates, lowering the cost of sales and reducing the length of the sales cycle. The company’s common framework of easily repeatable methodologies, combined with a tradition of research and thought leadership, helps firms of all sizes win complex sales. Miller Heiman is a worldwide leader in sales performance with programs in 20 languages and corporate offices in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. For more information, visit www.millerheiman.com.