A builder once asked me, “What if I invest in training a salesperson and they leave?” I looked at him and replied, “What if you DON’T invest in training and they STAY?”
Hiring someone is not the end of your responsibility as a team leader. It’s the beginning. You should cultivate each individual’s talent as well as build the cohesion of the team. That happens with training. And it grinds to a halt without that effort.
The ROI of sales training
The answer to “What if?” is that you’re maintaining an underachiever on your payroll, which costs you in sales—missed opportunities, failure to convert, and a trail of avoidable oversights. The inclusion of a subpar team member has also been known to alienate your stronger performers, who choose to go elsewhere. The toxic environment of mediocrity is like a repellent to successful people.
Add up these costs and you might be unpleasantly surprised. If you have a top performer on your team (and I hope you have many!), compare that professional’s sales numbers to the underachiever’s. How many home sales and how much revenue are you potentially giving up by keeping the untrained salesperson?
Now, evaluate the return on investment for training. A two-day training period a few times a year, with follow-up in the interim, should increase the achievement of every new home sales professional involved. The added knowledge, reinforced positive habits, and adherence to proven processes enable your team to close more sales. Maintaining this cadence of periodic immersion in sales training cultivates skills, just as fertilizing your garden promotes growth. Left unattended, that garden withers away..
Training never stops
Of course, some salespeople will leave at some point. The good ones are targets of recruiters. Keep in mind that a person changes jobs to improve their situation—income, growth, environment, are a few of the biggest motivators. Happy team members stay. So it’s up to you to keep the valued professionals on your team. Training is proven to be a desirable benefit to motivated professionals. In fact, those companies that invest in the personal and professional development of their employees demonstrate higher retention than those who opt to “save” money and skip it.
But here’s the thing about sales training for new home salespeople. You can’t change behavior in a day. People are creatures of habit. They’ve developed those habits over time, and one day will not deliver the quick fix you’re hoping for. Consider it treatment for what ails your sales team, reward for their desire to grow, and a reminder that you believe in them.
Don’t put it off. Talk to me about your sales organization and let’s build a training program to deliver results.
