Sales Trend 6 – External Sales Training AND Internal Knowledge

This is Sales Trend 6 from Barrett’s 12 Business and Sales Trends for 2024. You can download the full report here.

In 30 seconds

Combining external sales training with internal knowledge transfer is a trend for optimal sales team development. It’s a key factor to shift from just providing training to creating real change. External programs, whether off-the-shelf or customised, offer proven methodologies, efficiency, and broad industry insights. Internal knowledge contributes company-specific expertise, cultural alignment, product insights, and best practice. The synergy of both ensures well-rounded, tailored and relevant training programs with relevant and targeted content, equipping sales teams with a deep understanding of their unique challenges and market dynamics. This comprehensive approach fosters skilled and motivated teams, driving increased revenue and customer satisfaction.

In 2.5 minutes

Training sales teams is a critical aspect of ensuring consistent performance, revenue generation, and customer satisfaction. When selecting sales training options, decision-makers face a common conundrum: bringing in an external provider or identifying and utilising existing internal knowledge. Our experience over the last few years indicates that the best solution comes from combining the two. This approach leverages the benefits of both external expertise and internal experience, resulting in well-rounded, highly customised, relevant, and relatable training programs.

External Training

Whether off-the-shelf or customised, there are many benefits to bringing in an external provider:

1. Proven Methodologies: Sales training programs are typically developed by experts in the field. They are based on proven methodologies and best practices that have been tested in various industries. These training materials offer a structured and comprehensive approach to sales and can cover all relevant and required topics as specific as prospecting or solution selling, as challenging as managing tough conversations and negotiations, or focussing on soft skills like customer relationship management.
2. Efficiency and Consistency: Off-the-shelf training courses are readily available, which means that sales teams can begin training quickly without the need for program development, and new staff can be trained without delay as they join the team. This efficiency is particularly valuable for rapidly growing businesses or teams in need of immediate improvement. The consistency of the training ensures that all team members receive the same foundational knowledge.
3. Broad Industry Insights: External training programs often incorporate insights and experiences from a wide range of industries and businesses. This exposure to diverse perspectives can be eye-opening for sales teams and encourage creative thinking and adaptability.

Identifying and Adding Internal Knowledge:

1. Company-Specific Expertise: Every organisation has unique products, services, customer segments, and market dynamics. Identifying internal sources of knowledge allows you to integrate this company-specific expertise into the training program. This closes the potential gap between generic training content and its specific organisational adaptation.
2. Cultural Alignment: Internal knowledge includes insights into the company’s culture, values, and mission. Connecting cultural familiarity with training content not only creates a significantly better buy-in for participants, it also helps salespeople to represent the brand and its values effectively.
3. Product and Market Insights: Incorporating specific product and service knowledge into sales training provides a deeper understanding of them and provides sales teams with tools and approaches they can use in the field immediately, without having to build the bridge between general sales techniques and specific customer solutions. This creates confidence and precision in the sales approach.
4. Customisation and Tailoring: The assessment of internal knowledge – or lack thereof –  allows businesses to clearly identify training needs that cannot be fulfilled internally, so an external provider can customise and tailor training to address specific needs or challenges. This adaptability ensures that the training program directly addresses the unique requirements of the sales team.

Internal and External Expertise

Many organisations still separate internal knowledge and external sales training. Combining both creates synergy, efficiencies, more sustainable outcomes, and quicker return on investment.

Remember, everybody lives by selling something.

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