It's a matter of perspective -

A significant percentage our income (for SaleSSuiteS, LLC and 21 Associates) is from conducting sales training courses. Some are single event, live presentations, some are ongoing online courses and some are multi-year sales development relationships. So why would I suggest that spending money on sales training is a waste?

I can be a slow learner and a hopeless optimist sometimes. Optimistically, I think every CEO/CSO understands the value of sales development (which includes training). After some of the incredible successes I have seen in client organizations that got serious about sales development, I assume every organization will want to invest in it. I have finally learned that if there is not buy-in at the top, sales development will flop (apologies to Johnny Cochran and Al Sharpton!).

If sales development is seen as an expenditure, it will have less impact than when it is managed as an investment.

The same companies that will invest in new, sophisticated equipment and advanced programs, like Lean Manufacturing, are often the same ones that see any funds going into sales development as an expense. They understand the payback from investing in the new computer or implementing the new program. What they do not realize is the return they can expect from investing in their salespeople.

How does this happen? Ironically, sales trainers and developers like me have been slow to qualify and quantify the value of sales development for our clients. In other words, we aren't eating our own dog food!