The State of Sales Skills in UK SMEs
Understanding how UK SMEs identify, evaluate and nurture sales talent
Introduction to Research
The findings of this report shed light on the current state of sales skills in UK SMEs and provide insights for SMEs in technical industries. We used thematic analysis to identify patterns in the topics and experiences that emerged from the interviews. We have used this to break down the report into key themes; sales skills and hiring process, onboarding and training, and sales outcomes.
SOME KEY OBSERVATIONS
Companies that are most reliant on their sales teams to generate monthly revenue are also the least likely to provide sales training.
Most SMEs shared nervousness about hiring salespeople due to a lack of understanding around sales compensation packages and fear of hiring someone with the wrong cultural fit.
UK SMEs are still battling rising costs; hence profitability is lower than in previous years despite some companies meeting sales targets.
Expert Opinion - Alan Maguire
"Some particularly profound stats in the report are related to salespeople tenure and sales training budget. The average tenure of a salesperson is only 18 months to 3 years with the average sales cycle being 1-3 years.
These numbers are cause for concern, highlighting the potential lack of longevity in the sales relationships. One way to reduce attrition and ultimately, improve sales performance, is to offer professional development to salespeople."
Founder at Entrepreneurial Sales Institute (ESI)
