The Case for Sales Training

There is a stir in the professional services industries these days about the growing influence of sales.

For example, in the accounting industry, the running complaint has become: "Why do we hire accountants and teach them how to sell?

The glib answer: Ever tried teaching accounting to a salesperson?"

Few would dispute this rationale...

Yet, there are good reasons why you need to build a sales and marketing structure within your firm that provides for "finders" and "binders." It is best to create an environment that allows the sales people to do what they do best "opening doors" and that trains the technical professionals how to do what they can do better than sales people, close the deal.

While sales people are excellent lead generators, there has always and will continue to be the need for technical experts, or those providing or overseeing the service, to help close an engagement or new case or project. It is even more critical for smaller firms, who have no dedicated rainmakers or salespeople, to prepare their technical experts for selling to prospects and cross-selling to existing clients.

Yet such firms generally do a poor job of training marketing and proactive sales skills: developing new talent takes time, money and a commitment to growing a "marketing succession". 

Opportunity Costs?

When it takes time, money and a long-term commitment, how can a firm be sure that marketing and sales training is an important investment to make?

Consider some statistics from the accounting industry, a study that was done several years ago showed that the more services a client bought from their CPA firm, the more likely they were going to stay with that firm for life. Of those clients who bought only one service, only 12% stayed with a firm for more than three years.

Arguably, client retention alone could be a prime motivation for investing in marketing and sales training. However, the same study noted that if clients were buying five or more services, 98% of them would never even consider switching firms. A compelling argument for learning to cross-sell?

And, accountants are in a good position to have repeat purchases from clients, which further supports the argument that they should be trained to proactively present new services to their clients. Some of their brethren offering other professional services may not be in such an enviable position, and are therefore even more pressed to stay in front of prospective clients or referral sources.

If investing in $10,000 of "relationship marketing" training could net you $200,000 in one year, for example, would you buy it? I've only met a couple of firms in the Ontario, Orange County of Southern California area that were too busy to pursue new work. As a marketing expense, how does $10,000 compare to the other non-revenue-creation spending you are doing?

And what about competition and other external forces? As firms consolidate, and project funding sources move or dry-up, which firms will re-tool to meet market needs or find new sources of revenue?

I spoke recently with two senior executives in Southern California offices of large architectural firms who will be facing this dilemma if a bond initiative is passed in 2002 that will move state funding priorities of new school construction to urban areas. The funding system that has generously allowed them to compete for suburban projects could be seriously affected.

Are these firms investing in sales training? If they are not, it would certainly be to their advantage to consider some refresher courses. And, some strategic marketing planning.

Practice development goal-setting when it's too late, is too late. Practice leaders should be asking such questions while business is good:

  • "What other services do we have that we could sell to our clients?"

  • "What other services should we add in order to truly assist our clients with the business-building help they need?"

  • "Will we be offering these in-house, or partnering with third partner providers?"

  • "If we have labor shortages on existing work, how do we fix those so we can ratchet up to pursue the next level of sales revenue?

  • "How do we work with partners-in-charge who are not actually going to deliver the service, and are afraid of losing control?"

  • "If we are working with third-party providers, or strategic partners, how do we blend the cultures, values and service delivery?"

  • "Who should our targets for cross-selling services be?"

  • "How do we go about presenting new services to clients?"

  • "How do we go about reaching and courting new clients for the firm?"

  • "How do we motivate our younger associates to help grow the firm?"

Partners and managers claim they are always looking out for their clients. So why not proactively present them with a service that will benefit the client and his or her company?

And why not train everyone in the firm to look for these opportunities?