Measurement is integral to our lives. How could any organization bypass the opportunity to measure progress, or the lack of results, when allocating big budgets for sales training programs? In fact, a survey conducted by the Association for Talent Development on the state of the training industry in 2015 reported the average annual expenditure for a salesperson was $1,459, almost 19 percent more than the cost of training workers of all functions.

Enhance the outcomes of your investment by establishing a measurement strategy and sticking to it. Measurement shines a light on what is important. Just knowing that management is observing, monitoring or assessing behavior will change it. Measuring training effectiveness provides additional value to the learning for individuals; they know that proficiency matters.

Establishing a Baseline

With so much at stake, where does an organization start? With a baseline. Before implementing any training program, measure competencies to establish current proficiencies and track progress toward the ultimate destination. Distinguish between an individual’s natural talents and skills. Talent is an individual’s aptitude and motivation; it’s part of their DNA. Skills involve the “how” of doing something. Skills can be observed: If a client meeting were taped, what would the camera see?

Post-Training Assessments

After training, base assessment on the four Kirkpatrick levels, but with a few twists to gain a more complete perspective.

• Level One: Reaction. Go beyond typical feedback about how participants liked the class or rated the instructor. Was content relevant and applicable? Do they see themselves changing behaviors? What are their confidence levels in using what they learned? What are their plans when they get back to the office? Ask the instructor for feedback as well: Are there early indications of adoption and behavior change?
  
• Level Two: Knowledge Retention. It takes more than passing a test to arrest the forgetting curve. Measure how well participants retain knowledge in the immediate three to four months following training. Provide feedback throughout the process to reinforce learning.
• Level Three: Behavior Change. It takes about six months to achieve a consistent change in behavior. Measurement can be self-reported (“When a client objects to a solution I offer, I typically …”). It can be observations from managers (“When clients raise objections, this sales professional uses acknowledgment and open-ended questions to better understand what is driving the objection.”) Or it can be feedback from customers (“When I express concerns, this person acknowledges my issues and asks questions to better understand my needs.”)
• Level Four: Business Impact. Consider (1) the consistent application of knowledge and skills gained; (2) the actual change in the business metrics (revenue, volume, goal attainment, etc.); and (3) the extent to which the change can be attributed to the application of the new knowledge and skills.

Following these five principles should help you develop a solid measurement strategy.

1. Start where you want to end.
If you identify best practices and then establish current performance as a baseline, you can see where there are opportunities for improvement and track changes along the way.

2. Feedback is a gift.
For everything you measure, make sure individuals have the opportunity to see their results and be a part of ongoing developmental dialogues. When participants expect and receive feedback, there is more engagement and compliance.

3. Methodology matters.
Measure performance in a way that aligns with direct experience. In sales training, it’s about client situations and how people behave with clients. Anchor measurement to the best practices people should exhibit to reinforce the desired behaviors.

4. Use the right tools at the right time.
For people in the field, measurement tools need to be mobile, and the time it takes to complete tasks needs to be minimal. Mobile-based skills testing and knowledge retention tools can incorporate measurement and feedback mechanisms into day-to-day activities.

5. Blend data with stories.
Use both quantitative and qualitative measures to see the big picture on measurement. Statistics will not be enough. Make sure also to capture anecdotal stories and observations to gain greater visibility on impact.

Training will not stick unless it’s put into practice immediately, reinforced regularly and made part of the daily routine. How will you know you’ve achieved this desired state unless you measure?