Overwhelming evidence that regular sales coaching and training significantly increase sales results.
Since starting SalesSense in 1996 I have conducted a vast amount of reading and research on how to optimise the impact of sales coaching and training. This page lists the post 2003 documents and references that I have kept.
Commercial Research Papers and Case Studies
Qwilr 2024
Sales Coaching Statistics: 16 Critical Stats and Trends in 2024
Metrix Global
Business benefits and return on investment for an executive coaching program.
ICF 2023
Global Coaching Study
MHI Research 2014
Global Sales Best Practices Study.
Docebo 2017
The Critical Importance of Learner Experience
CSO Insights 2011
Sales Performance Optimisation
Aberdeen Group 2011
Sales Training - Uncovering how best-in-class sustain, reinforce and leverage best-selling practices.
Aberdeen Group 2010
Bridging the gap between strategy and execution.
Aberdeen Group 2012
Sales Performance Management - How the best in class optimises the frontline to grow the bottom line.
Aberdeen Group 2010
Sales Training - Deploying knowledge, processes, and technology to consistently hit quota.
DePaul University 2005
Benchmarks in Sales Productivity
CCL - CCA 2007
Connecting the Dots - Linking training to business outcomes and the economy.
Achieve Global 2011
A Survey of Sales Effectiveness - Global research on what drives sales success.
Bray Lieno Whitepaper 2016
Learner Engagement
Executive Conversation and The Training Industry 2013
Developing Exceptional Sales Professionals
Aberdeen Group 2009
Embedding Best Practices into Tribal Selling Knowledge
Axxiom Salesforce Development and The Training Industry 2013
A Guide to Sustaining the Impact of Sales Training
International Journal of Evidence-Based Coaching and Mentoring 2017
How a coaching intervention supports the development of female leaders in a global organisation.
Sales Readiness Group 2018
The Salesperon's Perspective on the Impact of Sales Training
Hubspot 2020
5 Outcomes to Expect When You Implement Effective Sales Coaching
Academic Papers
Agarwal, Ritu, Corey M. Angst, and Massimo Magni. 2009.
The Performance Effects of Coaching: A multilevel analysis using hierarchical linear modelling.
Badrinarayanan, Vishag, Andrea Dixon, Vicki L. West, and Gail M.Zank. 2015.
Professional Sales Coaching: An Integrative Review and Research Agenda.
Darrat, Mahmoud A., Douglas A. Amyx, and Rebecca J. Bennett. 2017.
Examining the Impact of Job Embeddedness on Salesperson Deviance: The Moderating Role of Job Satisfaction.
Dauling, Jason J., Samantha Ritchie Taylor, Samantha L. Chau, and Stephen A. Dwight. 2016.
Does Coaching Matter? A Multilevel Model Lining Managerial Coaching Skill and Frequency to Sales Goal Attainment.
David, Oana A., and Silviu A. Matu. 2013.
How to Tell If Managers Are Good Coaches and How to Help Them Improve During Adversity - The Managerial Coaching Assessment System and the Rational Managerial Coaching Program.
Deeter-Schmelz, Dawn R., Daniel J. Goebel, and Karen N. Kennedy.2008.
What Are the Characteristics of an Effective Sales Manager? An Exploratory Study Comparing Salesperson and Sales Manager Perspectives
Dixon, Matthew, and Brent Adamson. 2011.
The Dirty Secret of Effective Sales Coaching.
Grant, Anthony M., and Michael J. Cavanagh. 2007.
The Goal-Focused Coaching Skills Questionnaire
Gilley, Ann, Jerry W. Gilley, and Elies Kouide. 2010.
Characteristics of Managerial Coaching
Gregory, Jane B., and Paul E. Levy. 2010.
Employee Coaching Relationships: Enhancing Construct Clarity and Measurement
Hagen, Marcia S., and Shari L. Peterson. 2015.
Measuring Coaching: Behavioral and Skill-Based Managerial Coaching Scales
Hamlin, Robert G., Andrea D. Ellinger, and Rona S. Beattie. 2006.
Coaching at the Heart of Managerial Effectiveness: A Cross-Cultural Study of Managerial Behaviours
Ingram, Thomas N., Raymond W. LaForge, William B. Locander, Scott B. MacKenzie, and Philip M. Podsakoff. 2005.
New Directions in Sales Leadership Research.
Jackson, Donald W., John L. Jr, >Schlacter, Claudia M. Bridges, and Andrew S. Gallan. 2010.
A Comparison and Expansion of the Bases Used for Evaluating Salespeople’s Performance
Johnson, Jeff S., and Ravipreet S. Sohi. 2017.
Getting Business-to-Business Salespeople to Implement Strategies Associated with Introducing New Products and Services
Kaski, Timo, Jarkko Niemi, and Ellen Pullins. 2018.
Rapport Building in Authentic B2B Sales Interaction
Limbu, Yam B., Y. Jayachandran, Barry J. Babin, and Robin T. Peterson. 2016.
“Empathy, Nonverbal Immediacy, and Salesperson Performance: The Mediating Role of Adaptive Selling Behavior
Longenecker, Clinton O., and Michell J. Neubert. 2005.
The Practice of Effective Managerial Coaches
Marshall, Greg W., Felicia G. Lassk, and William C. Moncrief. 2004.
Salesperson Job Involvement: Do Demographic, Job Situational, and Market Variables Matter?
Martin, Steve W. 2015.
What Separates the Strongest Salespeople from the Weakest
McLean, Gary N., Baiyin Yang, Min-Hsun Christine Kuo, Amy S. Tolbert, and Carolyn Larkin. 2005.
Development and Initial Validation of an Instrument Measuring Managerial Coaching Skill
Mosca, Joseph B., Alan Fazzari, and John Buzza. 2010.
Coaching to Win: A systematic approach to achieving productivity through coaching.
Onyemah, Vincent. 2009.
The Effects of Coaching on Salespeople’s Attitudes and Behaviors: A Contingency Approach
Pousa, Claudio. 2016.
An Initial Assessment of Measurement Invariance in Sales Force Coaching
Pousa, Claudio, and Anne Mathieu. 2010.
Sales Managers’Motivation to Coach Salespeople: An Exploration Using Expectancy Theory
Pousa, Claudio, and Anne Mathieu. 2014.
The Influence of Coaching on Employee Performance: Results from Two International Quantitative Studies
Richardson, Linda. 2016.
Best Practices in Sales Coaching across the Workforce. Research Brief: Measuring Sales Management’s Coaching Impact
Richardson, Linda. 2008.
Sales Coaching: Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach
Shannahan, Kirby L. J., Alan J. Bush, and Rachelle J. Shannahan. 2013.
Are Your Salespeople Coachable? How salesperson coachability, trait competitiveness, and transformational leadership enhance sales performance.
Verbeke, Willem, Bart Dietz, and Ernst Verwaal. 2011.
Drivers of Sales Performance: A Contemporary Meta-Analysis. Have Salespeople Become Knowledge Brokers?
Zhang, Lo-Yan. 2008.
Multidimensional Managerial Coaching Behavior and Its Impact on Employee Performance
If you are considering sales coaching or training as a means of increasing performance, raising morale, or resolving issues, let's speak. It cannot harm and might help get things on the right track. Telephone +44 (0)1392 851500, send an email to jimm@salessense.co.uk or use the contact form here.
