Building a Sales Manager Academy

Description

For one client, elevating the coaching and leadership skills of their more than 1,000 front-line sales managers was critical. In response, we developed a more effective sales management process, then translated it into high-impact sales manager training.

Challenge

The practical challenge then became: how to bring this sales manager training to life as quickly and consistently as possible? With competitors reliant on passive virtual training, we advocated for a more powerful experiential experience that would allow hands-on practice and peer-to-peer learning. But like so many companies today, our client lacked the large corporate training center and staff needed to execute the plan

Solution

The Cosine solution relied on our nationwide partnership with eight university-based sales education centers and two-dozen business school faculty. This university hub structure minimized travel costs and time-out-of-the-field. Small cohorts of front-line sales managers were brought to one of the different campuses for three-day professional development experiences that included videotaped role-plays and moderated discussions during playback.

Feedback

Feedback on the university-based training was overwhelmingly positive. Post session assessments revealed significant improvements in sales coaching frequency and effectiveness. As a larger organizational benefit, the new training signaled to the sales organization the client’s new commitment to the front-line sales manager role. Motivation and engagement levels reached all-time highs.

Highlights