A SalesForce Training Resolution Re-Visited

As always, on January 1st, it is typical to formulate a resolution for the upcoming year. But what of last year’s promise, made exactly one year ago today?

Last year, we posted a blog stating both a confession that we made, as well as a resolution for 2012.  This is what is said.

First – a confession. We’ve engaged in sales training assignments for clients and have NOT helped them improve sales results. At least, not in any significant, measurable manner.

And so, in 2012, we resolved to only work with clients in which we are absolutely, with 100% clarity and certainty, helping organizations to sell more than they are prior to our engagement with them.

Results

So, how’d we do? Well, like every resolution ever made, we weren’t 100% perfect, and it took awhile to improve.  However, we can accurately report that we certainly moved well away from the one-and-done training “events” that still many firms continue to insist on doing. So, does that mean that we now say no to all of these “event” based engagements? Well, no. We still feel that that is one of the ways to get introduced to a new business and begin to work with them and their sales managers to show them the true nature of behavior change.

But more and more often, we sought out, and took on assignments that engaged us for longer periods of time, wherein we took time to understand the fundamental nature of the sales problem, and looked to work  with the leadership to collectively develop a solution. Quite often these solutions undertook not just training workshops (always a part of the solution), but also a focus on measuring improvement, usually with improvements to Salesforce.com utilization, and most critically, a strategic approach designed specifically for sales management, to ensure that the training lessons could be implemented and sustainable over the long haul.

And the results of this imperative to change? Well, if you ask our clients, we’;d have to say it was a resounding success. In 2012 we worked with more companies, on more longer term, strategically focused engagements, that sought out the nature of the problem first and foremost, and then designed training solutions around that. And from the feedback we have received so far, our clients could not have been happier to engage with SalesForce Training, as they are reporting both changes in behaviors – both activity based and effectiveness, and most importantly, improvement in sales results.

Looking Ahead at SalesForce Training in 2013

So, what now, for 2013? Well, again, based on last year’s success, it would seem a new resolution is in order. But, upon reflection, we decided not to create a new one. No, we are going with the same one as last year, specifically we resolve to only work with clients in which we are absolutely, with 100% clarity and certainty, helping organizations to sell more than they are prior to our engagement with them.

Because we think, as a Salesforce training company, that is really the only thing that matters. If our clients can;t report higher levels of sales after we’re done, then we shouldn’t have been hired in the first place. So we will continue to forge down this road, seeking to continually adapt and improve ourselves, bringing value to our clients at each and every interaction along the way.

To you and yours, a very Happy New Year…and may you achieve the greatest levels of sales success in ’13.

SalesForce Training & Consulting is a professional training firm that specializes in helping companies navigate their way in a Salesforce.com environment. SalesForce Training is based in Toronto, with trainers in Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles, providing sales coaching, sales management consulting, Salesforce.com training, selling skills sales training and sales team assessments.

 

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