Investing in sales leader training programs is a strategic decision with the potential to transform your organization's revenue generation. 

However, choosing the wrong partner can lead to wasted resources, frustrated sales leaders, and minimal impact on your bottom line.

The key to success lies in a well-defined selection process that prioritizes understanding, customization, and a strong fit between your company's needs and the partner's capabilities. 

While this process may require an initial time investment, it's crucial to remember that time spent upfront is far less costly than the time and money lost with a poor fit.

This guide will equip you with a step-by-step approach to avoid costly mistakes and ensure you choose the right sales leadership training partner to ignite your team's success.

Want a deep dive into choosing the right partner? We’ve written an entire Insiders Guide eBook just for you – download it here.

The Importance of Time Investment

Many sales leaders rush the selection process, eager to implement a training program and see results quickly. This haste often leads to uninformed decisions and a mismatch between expectations and reality. 

A thorough selection process, while requiring an investment of your time, offers significant advantages to sales professionals and their sales team:

• Reduced risk: Investing time upfront to thoroughly research and evaluate potential partners helps ensure you select an organization that deeply understands your specific needs and has the proven expertise to deliver truly transformative solutions. 
• Informed decisions: Time spent upfront allows you to gather comprehensive information about potential partners, their methodologies, sales strategies, and their track record of increasing sales performance. This empowers you to make well-informed decisions based on a clear understanding of your options.
• Alignment and customization: A rushed process can lead to generic, off-the-shelf solutions that don't address your company's specific challenges and sales goals. By investing time, you ensure the selected partner can tailor the training program to your unique situation and create a truly impactful learning experience. At ASLAN, customization is the name of the game – no two program deliveries are ever the same.

Step 1: Request a Preliminary Assessment

Think of this step as laying the groundwork for a successful partnership. 

Your goal is to gather information and assess the potential fit between sales leaders in your organization and the sales leader training providers you're considering.

Here's what you should do:

• Provide access: Grant access to a few sales managers and sales reps for interviews with the potential partners. This allows them to understand your team's current skill level, challenges, and learning styles.
• Share resources: Don't be shy about sharing existing training materials, resources, and processes you currently use. This transparency helps the partner understand your existing foundation and tailor their approach accordingly.
• Stakeholder interviews: For change initiatives, involve key stakeholders in interviews with potential partners. This ensures everyone is on the same page about the desired outcomes and fosters buy-in from the beginning.

These informal meetings are a two-way street. While you're assessing the partner, they're also evaluating your organization and its readiness for change. 

The best part? There's no upfront cost involved. A reputable sales training partner like ASLAN Training will be happy to invest this time to ensure a strong fit and a successful long-term collaboration.

Many firms will charge for this upfront consultation, but at ASLAN Training, our goal is to understand your unique needs and challenges before proposing a customized solution.

Benefits of the Preliminary Assessment

• Expertise evaluation: You gain valuable insight into the partner's expertise in specific sales training methodologies, content areas, and industry knowledge relevant to your needs. 
• Customization capabilities: Assess the partner's ability to customize their program based on your unique challenges and sales goals.
• Passion and enthusiasm: Look for genuine passion and enthusiasm from the partner about working with your team and achieving your desired outcomes.
• Team sentiment: Gauge how your team feels about the potential partner and their approach to sales training programs.
• Early identification of roadblocks: Uncover any potential roadblocks or areas of misalignment early in the process, saving you time and resources further down the line.

Step 2: Assemble the Sales Team for Partner Recommendation

Once you've narrowed down your options, it's time for a more in-depth evaluation. 

Dedicate roughly an hour to a dedicated meeting with each shortlisted partner. 

Here's what to expect:

• Partner presentation: The partner will present their assessment of your organization, their recommended solution, and how it addresses your specific needs and goals.
• Deep dive: This is your chance to dive deeper into specific program deliverables, such as content modules, assessment tools, and coaching strategies. Ask clarifying questions and ensure the program aligns with your expectations.
• Addressing concerns: Use this time to address any lingering questions or concerns you may have about the program, methodology, or logistics. Don't hesitate to be direct and ensure all aspects of the partnership are crystal clear.

Who should attend:

• Decision-maker: The individual with the final say in selecting the training partner.
• Sales leader: The sales leader responsible for overseeing and implementing the sales training programs within your organization.

• Funding individual: The person or department responsible for financing the sales training initiative.
• Key stakeholders (optional, but recommended): Including key stakeholders, such as executives or department heads who will be impacted by the sales training program, can provide valuable insights and ensure broader buy-in from the start.

Step 3: Review the Final Proposal and Statement of Work (SOW)

You likely received a preliminary proposal earlier in the process, outlining the partner's general capabilities and service offerings.  

Now, with the insights gained from steps 1 and 2, it's time to get into the nitty-gritty of the specifics.

• Tailored proposal: The final proposal should be a detailed document outlining a program specifically tailored to your organization's needs, incorporating the information gathered during the preliminary assessment and partner recommendation meeting.
• Statement of Work (SOW): This document outlines the specific deliverables, timelines, roles, and responsibilities of both your organization and the training partner. It's a crucial document that ensures everyone is on the same page about the project scope and expectations.

Carefully review the final proposal, paying close attention to the program content, delivery format, timeline, and pricing. Ensure it accurately reflects the discussions held during the previous steps.

Even if the proposal seems straightforward, schedule a meeting to discuss the SOW in detail. This allows for clarification of any grey areas and fosters a collaborative approach to finalizing the agreement.

Step 4: Conduct a Pilot for Sales Leaders

If you aren’t ready to go all in yet, consider seeking a pilot program. Think of it as a test drive before making a significant investment. Here's why it's can be helpful:

• Evaluate effectiveness: The pilot allows you to firsthand evaluate the partner's training delivery style, content effectiveness, and overall program impact on a smaller group of participants.
• Identify areas for improvement: You can use the pilot to identify any areas where the program might need adjustments before full rollout.
• Confidence and trust: A successful pilot program builds confidence and trust in the partner's capabilities, ensuring a smooth and successful full-scale implementation.

Here are a few key considerations not to skip over:

• Pilot scope: The size and complexity of the pilot program should be appropriate for the scale and complexity of the overall training initiative.
• Mutual evaluation: Remember, the pilot program is a two-way street. While you're evaluating the partner, they are also assessing your organization's readiness and commitment to the training program.

One More Thing: How They Sell You

While evaluating potential partners, pay close attention to how they approach the sales process itself. Here's why:

• Mirror, mirror on the wall: Does their sales approach align with the philosophy and methodology they're proposing for your team? Are they practicing what they preach?
• Do as I say, do as I do: A reputable sales training company should showcase strong selling skills and sales leadership skills in their interactions with you. Their ability to effectively communicate the value of their program and address your concerns reflects well on their training effectiveness.

Choosing A Trusted Partner: Choose ASLAN Training

Choosing the right sales training partner is a critical decision with the potential to significantly impact your organization's bottom line. Don't be tempted to rush the process and settle for a quick fix. 

By investing time and effort into a thorough selection process, you can ensure you choose a partner who is a true fit and who can propel your sales team to new heights.

Ready to talk with a sales training partner that truly cares about your organization's success?

We’re here to help. Contact ASLAN Training today and let’s build a program that aligns with your goals and needs.

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