Chapter IV

Sales Training and Orientation

What is Sales Training? Sales Training- effort put forth by an employer to provide the
salesperson job related culture, skill, knowledge, and attitudes that result in improved
performance in the selling environment.
Planning Sales Training Programs
The purpose of sales training is to achieve improved job performance. In the absence of training,
job performance improves with experience. Training substitutes for or supplements experience,
so sales personnel given training reach high job performance levels earlier.
Building Sales Training Programs
There are several types of sales training programs. The most comprehensive and longest is the
training program for newly recruited sales personnel. More intensive and shorter programs on
specialized topics, as well as periodic refresher courses (collectively known as continuing sales
training), are presented for experienced sales personnel. In addition, many companies offer sales
training programs for the sales personnel of their distributors and/or dealers. Some programs are
designed to develop individuals as sales trainers (full or part time) or as junior-level sales
executives (district or branch sales managers). Each type of program serves a different purpose,
and its content reflects that purpose. Building a sales training program requires five major
decisions. The specific training aims must be defined, content decided, training methods
selected, arrangements made for execution, and procedures set up to evaluate the results. Some
sales training specialists refer to these decisions as the A-C-M-E-E decisions-aim, content,
methods, execution, and evaluation.
1. Defining Training Aims
Regardless of the type of sales training program, defining its specific aims (the A in A-C-M-E-E)
is the first step in its planning. Defining the general aim is not sufficient. Although, for example
we may want to increase the sales force’s productivity through training, we must identify what
must be done to achieve increased productivity. General aims are translated into specific aims
phrased in irrational terms. Specific aim definition begins with a review of general aims and the
means currently employed to attain them. The process cannot be completed until sales
management perceives the training needs from which specific training aims derive directly.
Training needs, then, must be identified. The following discussion focuses on factors that
management considers as it seeks to identify training needs for (1) initial sales training programs
and (2) continuing sales training programs.
Identifying Initial Training Needs: Determining the need for, and specific aims of an initial
sales training program requires analysis of three main factors: job specifications, individual
trainee’s background and experience, and sales-related marketing policies.
Job Specifications: The qualifications needed to perform the job are detailed in the job
specifications. Few people possess all these qualifications at the time of hiring. The set of job
specifications needs scrutinizing for clues to the points on which new personnel are most likely
to need training. Other questions related to job performance need considering: How should
salespeople apportion their time? Which duties require the greatest proportion of time? Which
are neglected? Why? Which selling approaches are most effective? Answers to these and similar
questions help in identifying specific training needs of newly recruited sales personnel.
Trainee’s Background and Experience: Each individual enters an initial sales training program
with a unique educational background and experience record. The gap between the qualifications

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in the job specifications and those a trainee already has represents the nature and amount of
needed training. In all organizations, determining recruits real training needs is essential to
developing initial training programs of optimum benefit to company and trainee alike.
Sales-Related Marketing Policies: To determine initial sales training needs, sales-related
marketing policies must be analyzed. Differences in products and markets mean differences in
selling practices and policies, which in turn, point to needed differences in training programs.
For instance, selling a line of machine tools requires emphasis on product information and
customer applications, whereas selling simple, no technical products demands emphasis on sales
techniques. Differences in promotion, price, marketing channel, and physical distribution all
have implications for initial sales training. In the case of promotion, for example, if advertising is
not used or is used relatively little, sales training should prepare sales personnel to handle
considerable promotional work, but if advertising is used extensively to supplement the sales
force’s efforts, new sales personnel need to learn how to coordinate their activities with
advertising.
Identifying Continuing Training Needs: Determining the specific aims for a continuing sales
training program requires identification of specific training needs of experienced sales personnel.
Basic changes in products and markets give rise to needs for training, as do changes in company
sales-related marketing policies, procedures, and organization. But even though products and
markets change little and company policies, procedures, and organizations remain stable, sales
personnel change. Sales management must know a great deal about how sales personnel perform
to identify training needs and in turn to define specific aims.
2. Deciding Training Content
The content (the C in A-C-M-E-E) of a sales training program, whether an initial or continuing
program, derives from the specific aims that management, after analyzing its training needs,
formulates. Initial sales training programs are broader in scope and coverage than are continuing
programs. Initial programs provide ‘instruction covering all important aspects of performance of
the salesperson’s job. continuing programs concentrate of specific aspects of the job where
experienced persons have deficiencies. Therefore, the following discussion relates to the content
of initial sales training programs. For an initial sales training program to contribute maximally
toward preparing new sales personnel, it must cover all key aspects of the salesperson’s job.
Content varies from company to company, because of differences in products, markets, company
policies, trainees’ ability and experience, organizational size, and training philosophies. No two
programs are, or should be alike. However, different companies tend to cover the same general
topics despite the fact that variations exist in exact content. Every initial sales training program
should devote sometime to each of four main areas product data, sales technique, markets, and
company information.
Product Data: Some product training is basic to any initial sales training program. Companies
with technical products devote more than half their programs to product training. But in many
situations, especially with standardized products sold routinely new sales personnel require only
minimal product training. In all cases, new salespeople must know enough about the products,
their uses, and applications to serve customers information needs. Product knowledge is basic to
a salespersons self-confidence and enthusiastic job performance. Understanding product uses and
applications is important. Trainees receive instruction on customers problems and requirements
and learn how company products can solve these problems and meet these requirements.
Training provides them with full appreciation for buyer’s viewpoints. New salespersons learn
how to relate company products to the fulfillment of customers’ requirements, thus equipping

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themselves for effective selling. Many companies, especially those with technical products,
include a period of initial sales training at the factory.. The benefits are thorough product
knowledge and increased confidence in demonstrating products to customers. Some training on
competitors products is desirable. Salespeople should know the important characteristics of
competitors products and their uses and applications. They should know the strengths and
weaknesses of competitive products. Thus informed, salespersons gain a decided advantage.
They can structure sales presentations to emphasize superior features of the company’s products
Sales Technique: Most new sales personnel need instruction in sales techniques. Some sales
managers believe that if an individual has an attractive personality, good appearance and voice,
and reasonable intelligence and knows the product, he or she will sell it easily. But the
predominant view is that new sales personnel need basic instruction in how to sell.
Markets: The new salesperson must know who the customers are, their locations, the particular
products in which they are interested, their buying habits and motives, and their financial
condition. In other words, the salesperson needs to know not only who buys what but, more
important, why and how they buy. When trainees are not given adequate instruction on the
market, they take years to acquire the needed understanding. During this trial and-error learning,
through no fault of their own, productivity is low. In fact, left to their own devices, some trainees
never gain important market information. For instance, a salesperson who is unaware of
prospects potentials as buyers may neglect completely to canvass them. Markets are always
changing, so training in this area should be continuous, the content changing with market
changes.
Company Information: Certain items of company information are essential to the salesperson on
the job; others, not absolutely essential, contribute to overall effectiveness. The training program
should include coverage of all sales-related marketing policies and the reasoning behind them.
The sales person must know company pricing policy, for instance, to answer customers’
questions. The salesperson needs to be fully informed on other policies, such as those relating to
product services, spare parts and repairs, credit extension, and customer relations.
3. Selecting Training Methods
The planners next select training methods (the M in A-C-M-EE). There is a wide variety of
methods, but the program content often limits those that are appropriate. If, for example, the
content is a new policy on vacations and holidays the training method almost certainly will be
the lecture, supplemented, perhaps, with visual aids. In this instance, such methods as role
playing and the demonstration would be ruled out. It is important to select those training methods
that most effectively convey the desired content.
The training methods are: Lecture, Personal conference, Demonstrations, Role play, Case
discussion, Impromptu discussion, Gaming, on the job training, Correspondence courses
The Lecture: This ancient instructional method, in use before the invention of printing, is used
extensively in sales training. Trainees mainly watch and listen, although some versions of
lecturing permit questions. The lecture features passive, rather than active, trainee participation.
Its main weakness is that teaching is emphasized more than learning. A lecture can be effective,
provided that the lecturer is able and enthusiastic and uses examples, demonstrations, and visual
aids. Compared with other training methods, the lecture is economical in terms of time required
to cover a given topic.
Personal Conference: In the personal conference, the trainer (often a sales executive or sales
supervisor) and trainee jointly analyze problems, such as effective use of selling time, route

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planning and call scheduling, and handling unusual selling problems. Personal conferences are
held in offices, restaurants, bars, motel rooms, and elsewhere.
Demonstrations: The demonstration is appropriate for conveying information on such topics as
new products and selling techniques. Demonstrating how a new product works and its uses is
effective, much more so than lecturing on the same material. In initial sales training,
demonstrating techniques to use in “closing sales” is more effective than is lecturing. Effective
sales trainers use demonstrations to the maximum extent-since the beginning of time, showing
has been more effective than telling.
Role Playing: The role-playing session begins with the trainer describing the situation and the
different personalities involved. The trainer provides needed props, then assign trainees to play
the salesperson, prospect, and other characters. Each plays his or her assigned role, and
afterward, they, together with other group members and the trainer, appraise each player’s
effectiveness and suggest how the performance of each might have been improved. In another
version of role playing a training group is given information on, for example, a buyer’s objection
to a particular product and then is asked to extemporize a solution.
On-the-Job Training: This method, also called the coach-and-pupil method, combines telling,
showing, practicing, and evaluating. The coach, sometimes a professional sales trainer but more
often a seasoned salesperson, begins by describing particular selling situations, explaining
various techniques and approaches that might be used effectively. On-the-job training is an
important part of most initial sales training programs. No more effective way exists for learning a
job. This method is appropriate for developing trainees’ skills in making sales presentations,
answering objections, and closing sales. Training in these selling aspects requires practice, and
this method provides expertly supervised practice.
4. Executing Sales Training Programs
The execution step (the first E) requires organizational decisions. Who will be the trainees? Who
will do the training? When will the training take place? Where will the site of the training be?
(Who, Who, When, and Where) trainers ‘-whether full time or on special assignment-must be
notified, necessary travel reservations made, and living accommodations arranged. The “when”
decision requires consideration of key time-related factors, and the “where” decision involves
appraisal of factors bearing on the training site. In addition, instructional materials need
preparing and training aids assembling.
Who Will Be the Trainees: Identifying trainees is more complex for continuing than for initial
sales training programs. A company identifies the trainees for its initial sales training program
when it firms up sales job descriptions and hires sales job applicants. While continuing sales
training programs are prescribed for all personnel in some companies, the general practice is to
select trainees according to some criterion. Four criteria are in common use: Reward for good
performance, Punishment for poor performance, Convenience (of trainee and trainer), and
Seniority (the greater the seniority, the greater the opportunity for added training).
Who Will Do the Training: Initial sales training is a line function in some companies, a staff
function in others. If a line function; responsibility for initial training is assigned to the top sales
executive. If a staff functions, responsibility for initial training is given to the personnel director,
and sales management has an advisory role. Actually both executives should participate in initial
sales training-the sales executives because of selling expertise and the personnel director because
of training expertise. Responsibility for continuing sales training resides with the top sales
executive. Introduction of new products, adoption of revised sales policies, perfection of
improved selling techniques, and similar developments call for training. The top sales executive

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is in the best position to recognize the need and design and execute appropriate sales training
programs. Sales training is a never-ending process, and, regardless of who is responsible for
initial training, the sales executive has continuing responsibility.
When Will the Training Take Place: Timing group versus individual training - Opinion is
divided as to the proper timing of group and individual training. Most sales executives contend
that newly recruited trainees should receive formal group training before starting to sell. A
sizable minority, however, assign trainees to selling jobs before sending them on to sales
schools.
Where Will the Training Site Be: Some companies hold initial sales training programs at the
central offices; others conduct separate programs at branch offices. Each practice has advantages
disadvantages. The centralized program generally provides better product training, but higher
costs are incurred in bringing trainees to the central point. In many companies the small number
of trainee’s does not justify decentralized initial training, and central location is a necessity.
5. Evaluating Sales Training Programs
The evaluation step (the second E in A-C-M-E-E) focuses upon measuring program
effectiveness. A sales training program represents investments of time, money, and effort sales
management expects returns commensurate with the investment. However, measuring sales
training effectiveness is not easy, but it is possible to gauge, somewhat roughly, program
effectiveness.
The starting point is to compare the program’s aims (the A in A-C-M-E-E) with the results, but
the core of the measurement difficulty is in determining training results. Results, such as
improved selling performance, for instance, may not show up until months later. Management
approaches the measuring problem by making certain comparisons, such as the length of time
new sales personnel (who have completed initial sales training) take to attain the productivity
level of the experienced salesperson, the performance against standards of trained and untrained
sales personnel, and the respective training histories of the best and worst performers. Some
companies plot each salesperson’s sales records on a before-and-after training basis, generally
converting them to market share percentages. Other approaches to measuring program
effectiveness are in use. Some companies use written tests (on a before-and-after training basis)
to determine how much trainees have learned.
Other firms send observers to work with sales personnel who have completed training programs
and to report the extent to which trainees are applying what was taught in programs. Still other
companies solicit customers for their reactions to a salesperson’s performance after training.
None of these approaches produces precise evaluative data. They provide indications as to
whether results are positive or not.

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