{"id":48952,"date":"2020-03-03T10:00:29","date_gmt":"2020-03-03T15:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trainingindustry.com\/?post_type=articles&p=48952"},"modified":"2020-03-03T11:45:32","modified_gmt":"2020-03-03T16:45:32","slug":"sales-training-mas-trends-and-predictions-for-2020","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/trainingindustry.com\/articles\/sales\/sales-training-mas-trends-and-predictions-for-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"Sales Training M&As: Trends and Predictions for 2020"},"author":52,"featured_media":48960,"template":"","tags":[2339,2338,968,77,3593,4470],"class_list":["post-48952","articles","type-articles","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-acquisitions","tag-mergers","tag-sales-enablement","tag-sales-training","tag-sales-training-market","tag-sales-trends","global_topic_tax-sales"],"acf":{"sponsored":false,"gated":false,"gated_content_type":"","file_attachment":null,"gated_content":"","form_instruction_header":"To access the full article, please fill out the form below:","pardot_html_embed":"","author_override":true,"author_name":"Sarah Gallo","author_image":38476,"author_bio":"Sarah Gallo is an associate editor at Training Industry, Inc., and co-host of The Business of Learning<\/a>, the Training Industry podcast.","excerpt":"If the end of 2019 was any indication, the sales training market is positioned to thrive in 2020. To better understand the trends driving the market, let\u2019s reflect on some of the major sales training M&As that closed out 2019.","main_content":"The sales training market has seen steady growth in recent years. In fact, Training Industry research<\/a> has found that organizations worldwide have seen a continued increase in sales training spend since 2010.\r\n\r\nIf the end of 2019 was any indication, the sales training market is positioned to thrive in 2020. To better understand the trends driving the market, let\u2019s reflect on some of the major sales training M&As that closed out 2019.\r\n\r\nIn September, Marlin Equity Partners acquired Gartner, Inc\u2019s CEB Challenger and Effortless Experience\u2122 Solutions business (\u201cChallenger\u201d), which embeds \u201cproven and sustainable strategies, processes and tools\u201d into organizations\u2019 sales, marketing and customer service workflows to improve sales results and drive revenue and customer loyalty, according to the press release<\/a>.\r\n\r\nIn November, global sales company Richardson merged with Sales Performance International (SPI)<\/a> to provide a \u201cfull suite of selling solutions\u201d to customers that addresses the complete range of competencies that modern selling organizations need, says John Elsey, president and chief executive officer of Richardson. Also that month, Great Hill Partners and Spectrum Equity signed an agreement to acquire assets of IBM\u2019s sales and performance management business and operate it as an independent company under the name Varicent Software, led by Marc Altshuller, Varicent\u2019s founder, according to the press release<\/a>.\r\n\r\nKicking off December, sales readiness platform company Brainshark acquired Rekener, a sales scorecard provider, to provide \u201ccutting-edge visibility\u201d into sales team activities, behaviors and productivity, according to the press release<\/a>. That month, marketing training and events company MarketingProfs and sales training company VantagePoint Performance announced a strategic alliance to help companies align their \u201cgo-to-market teams\u201d (e.g. sales, sales enablement and marketing) around their buyers. Joe Terry, VantagePoint\u2019s CEO and CEO of the new, merged company, says in today\u2019s increasingly integrated sales and marketing environment, this alignment can \u201cno longer be aspirational.\u201d It\u2019s critical in delivering the \u201cmodern buyer experience\u201d today\u2019s customers want.","full_width":false,"content_band":[{"acf_fc_layout":"social_callout","blockquote":"If the end of 2019 was any indication, the sales training market is positioned to thrive in 2020."},{"acf_fc_layout":"content_area","wysiwyg":"Market Trends and Predictions<\/strong>\r\n\r\nThese sales training M&As reflect the demand for comprehensive sales training solutions. After all, \u201cAs the job of selling becomes more complex, sales professionals need a greater range of skills,\u201d Elsey says. To improve employees\u2019 selling skills, buyers are requiring greater capabilities<\/a> when selecting a sales training or enablement provider, such as data and analytics insight, sector expertise, scale, a diversified client base and more \u2014 and sales training companies are adapting. In its research on the sales training market<\/a>, Training Industry has found that the diversity of sales training topic offerings has been on the rise, with a particular increase in popularity for strategic account management, solutions selling and social selling.\r\n\r\nMany of the M&As closing out 2019 reflect this need for comprehensive sales training solutions. For example, by combining Richardson\u2019s selling expertise with SPI\u2019s sales process and methodologies expertise, Elsey says, customers will benefit from a portfolio of integrated products and services that is \u201cgreater than the sum of its parts,\u201d providing a \u201cricher, more in-depth [and] holistic\u201d solution for sales organizations. Similarly, Terry says the MarketingProfs and VantagePoints Performance merger addresses the need for a \u201ccomprehensive, buyer-centric, go-to-market approach.\u201d\r\n\r\nThe market is also expected to see an increased demand for learning analytics in 2020, as leaders seek to understand how training connects to \u201cbroader business outcomes,\u201d says Jurgen Heyman, CEO of SPI. A McKinsey survey found that 53% of \u201chigh performing\u201d sales organizations<\/a> \u201crate themselves as effective users of analytics\u201d; as more leaders recognize the importance of data literacy in sales<\/a>, they will look to train their salespeople accordingly.\r\n\r\nNot surprisingly, advancements in technology will continue to shape sales training initiatives in 2020. Jeff Becker, managing director and head of M&A in North America for Equiteq, a strategic advisory and M&A firm, says more sales organizations will use artificial intelligence (AI) as a \u201csales and effectiveness tool\u201d and as a way to \u201cstandardize best practices.\u201d For example, he shares, \u201cAI could be used to improve the salesforce productivity by automating parts of the prospecting process and the prioritization of those prospects.\u201d Becker also predicts a rise in blended learning, as more sales training companies look for ways to incorporate software and technology into their traditional in-person training offerings.\r\n\r\nLearning That Sells<\/strong>\r\n\r\nUltimately, today\u2019s leaders want sales training initiatives to yield \u201cbroad skill adoption\u201d in the field; they want \u201cempirical evidence\u201d that connects improved selling behaviors to financial outcomes, Elsey says. While some sales training organizations will look to AI and algorithms to prove improve learning in support of this goal, \u201cmany are working toward deeper engagement during the learning process, paired with integrated enablement solutions.\u201d\r\n\r\nAs more organizations look to leverage sales training for an improved customer experience and, consequently, business results, the sales training market is set to prosper in 2020 and beyond."},{"acf_fc_layout":"social_callout","blockquote":"Ultimately, today\u2019s leaders want sales training initiatives to yield \u201cbroad skill adoption\u201d in the field."},{"acf_fc_layout":"content_area","wysiwyg":"[hubspot type=\"form\" portal=\"47185625\" id=\"e4e19551-ca10-4a5d-b1c3-0fdc37355374\" version=\"v4\"]\r\n\r\n