How to Equip Your Sales Managers to Coach: What to Look for in Sales Coaching Training

Coaching drives performance. But who should be doing the coaching?

The best sales teams don’t outsource it. They teach their managers how to do it and do it well. Because when leaders coach consistently, performance improves. And it sticks.

But not all sales coaching training programs deliver. It’s not just about finding a trainer that talks about coaching. You need to find one that gives your managers a clear, simple way to do it in the field.

Sales Coaching Training vs Sales Coaching Services

Start by knowing what you need. Are you looking for someone to coach your reps directly? Or do you want your managers to learn how to coach?

External sales coaching services usually don’t scale and rarely fit your sales environment.

Coaching training, on the other hand, equips your leaders to drive performance every day. It builds the skill in-house and keeps the coaching aligned with your goals.

That’s what we do at ASLAN. We teach sales managers how to coach using a proven, Other Centered® framework that helps them lead real change.

What to Ask When Choosing a Sales Coaching Program

1. What results have you delivered?

Sales coaching training should move the needle in terms of its impact on your team. To make sure you get that impact, ask about training outcomes tied to coaching consistency and rep performance.

For example:

• Have win rates, ramp time, or pipeline improved?
  
  
• Can you share before and after metrics?
  
  

Look for proof, not just philosophy.

2. How is the sales coach training program structured?

Sales coaching isn’t a one time event. Your managers will need to provide reps with consistent feedback, and support over time. If you’re training sales managers to coach, that training needs to stick, and it needs to be supported so the new techniques don’t fade.

Ask:

• Is the training hands on?
  
  
• How are managers supported over time?
  
  
• Does it work for both new and experienced leaders?
  
  

The format should meet managers where they are.

3. How do you measure success?

It’s not enough to simply say a training program works. You need visibility. Ask how the provider tracks adoption and results over time, so you know what to look for.

Ask:

• Are there tools to track behavior and progress?
  
  
• How often is the program evaluated and refined?
  
  

If you can't measure progress, you can't manage or sustain it.

4. What sales coaching framework do you teach?

You’re looking for results, not thought leadership, so pick a sales coaching training program that doesn’t spend too much time on theory. Instead, look for a simple, repeatable process managers can apply right away.

Ask:

• Is the framework practical?
  
  
• Does it fit your sales process?
  
  
• Has it worked in complex sales environments?
  
  

At ASLAN, we teach coaching that’s grounded in empathy and clarity and it works.

5. How do you tailor the training?

Your team—not to mention your organization—is unique. The challenges you face, the skills and opportunities in front of you are all shaped by the people on your team. Sales coaching training should work the same way. 

So instead of picking something off the rack, make sure it’s tailored to your actual needs.

Ask:

• Do you start with an assessment?
  
  
• Is it tailored to different roles and regions?
  
  
• Can it adapt to our team structure?
  
  

One size fits all usually fits no one.

6. How do you reinforce sales coaching training over time?

No matter how powerful the initial training is, your managers are bound to forget the lessons over time. This concept is usually called “the forgetting curve,” and there’s only one way to avoid it: consistent reinforcement.

To make sure coaching becomes a habit, ask your sales coaching training provider:

• What tools are included after the workshop?
  
  
• Are there guides or prompts for weekly one-on-ones?
  
  
• How do you help managers stick with it?
  
  

Long term change needs long term support.

Make Sales Coaching Training Stick

If you want your managers to lead better, teach them how to coach and give them a system that makes it easy.

At ASLAN, we help leaders build the habit of coaching into their day. Not just during training. But every week, in the real world.

Let’s talk if you’re ready to build a culture of coaching.  Schedule a consultation today.