Hiring excellent sales talent is only the first step in building and maintaining an outstanding team. In order to keep meeting sales goals and exceeding expectations, the team you build will also need continued training and education in sales practices.

Here’s why even your seasoned sales professionals can benefit from training:

The only constant in sales is change.

Customer expectations and demands shift as their own problems and issues change over time. The specifications of your company’s products and services change as new products are developed and new initiatives are undertaken to help your audience implement those items. The economy is in constant fluctuation, which further influences buyer behavior.

Sales staff cannot thrive in a constantly-changing environment unless they have the information and tools they need to adapt to each change. Regular training provides necessary information and tools, so your sales staff can get results in any environment.

Training helps sales staff align their work with the company’s goals and values.

As sales professionals work on their own customers and tasks, over time their approach and their goals may start to diverge from the company’s underlying goals and values. When a new sales team member steps in to work with customers, confusion can result.

Regular training helps keep all your sales staff on the same page. It helps to reinforce the values and goals that drive your organization and that your sales staff are responsible for communicating to customers. It also provides sales teams with a “big picture” view of what’s ahead, so they better understand why certain tasks are essential to success.

It’s the best way to build the talent pool you need.

When you need to hire someone for a leadership role, you can look for a new person outside the organization. Or you can promote a staff member who already understands how your team works and what success requires – if you’ve provided enough training.

Training your sales staff helps shape them into the powerhouse team you need them to be. It also prepares team members with leadership abilities to lead and inspire teams of their own, further cultivating a culture of success.

At SMR Group, our recruiters help our clients in the biotech, pharmaceutical and medical device industries build and foster strong sales and marketing teams. For help creating a strategic staffing plan or cultivating your talent pool, contact us today.