There are times when you just shouldn’t start a sales training program. Sounds kind of counter-productive for me to say that, doesn’t it?  

In talking to prospective clients, I’m always struck by the things that scare them and the things that don’t. Many of those who’ve called us have done so because someone they know has said, “Capstone did this great training program for our sales team and now our team is pursuing new business more purposefully, methodically, and with an increased energy…”  

So the discussion starts with some variant of “I want what they got.”  

Then follows my explanation that the reason sales training worked so well is that it was the “outgrowth” of a thorough process where we first evaluated the People, Systems, and Strategies of that other company. I tell the prospect that we’d be happy to begin that process with him as well. If in that process we find that a training program for his front-line sales people would be beneficial, we’ll get it started right away.  

In far too many instances, you’d have thought we killed his dog. The CEO then counters with variations of:   “Can’t you just take my word that we need training? I already know we have great people; they just need some new tricks they can use in the field.” Or “I’m sure it’s not a management problem. The manager we have now was the best salesperson this company ever had.”  

This type of resistance makes me wonder:  Why would a company trust us to use a scalpel on the sales team but not a stethoscope?  

Even in exploratory surgery, there is some plan being followed. Hours of research and diagnostic time are spent. The surgeon doesn’t just start cutting and hope he finds what’s ailing you.  

In the case of an underperforming sales organization, a good training program can be an important step on the road to improvement, but think of the issues it can’t address:   
 ·Poor communication of the overall vision 
 ·Misalignment of the executive and management strategies 
 ·Misunderstood company priorities 
 ·Ineffective sales management 
 ·Sales people who are not trainable    

Sales training without an understanding of what ails your organization will at best be inefficient and at worst ineffective. You work too hard for your capital to have those as the only options.  

If your surgeon says to you “I don’t know what’s wrong with you; let me try some surgery and we’ll see how you feel afterwards,” -- don’t let him get near you with a scalpel!  

So, what do you think? Do you agree that using a stethoscope to diagnose your sales organization is the right first step to improving your sales team? Or would you go for the scalpel first and hope the training works?