Sales coaching takes time and effort. Managers need to set aside time from busy schedules to plan and then work with their salespeople; coachees must take time away from their customers, worry about lost opportunities and make the effort to change behavior and adopt new skills. Is there sufficient payback?
Our research says “yes.” We surveyed 121 professionals and their managers at a major North American financial services firm. The control group of 47 participants did NOT get individual sales coaching; 61 participants received sales coaching. Each coachee’s average score for 38 individual skills were placed on a scale from 0-100%. The results? The Coached Group scores were nearly 20% higher.
The bottom line? Sales coaching is directly linked to skill application. Provide reinforcement sales coaching for your critical initiatives and your coachees are 20% more likely to adopt and apply the new skills you have identified as key to sales success.
