Strategies for Translating Tribal Selling Knowledge Into Bottom-Line Productivity

BOSTON, MA--(Marketwire - October 7, 2009) - Top-performing sales organizations are meeting the challenges of increasing their companies' revenue, within a constricted economy, by continuing to invest in sales training, according to a new research study published by Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company (NYSE: HHS).

The report, "Sales Training: Translating Tribal Selling Knowledge into Bottom-Line Productivity," examined 447 organizations using sales training to improve performance and found that leading companies are 2.6 times more likely than Laggards to do so through external sales training providers.

"In the never-ending pursuit for more effective sales results, businesses are constantly evaluating every non-selling hour spent by their reps, as well as the resources allocated to collecting and sharing successful practices among team members," says Peter Ostrow, Research Director, Sales Effectiveness, Aberdeen Group, the report's author. "Leading companies are maintaining and increasing their spend on sales training, as well as on collaborative efforts to gather, maintain and distribute the most effective content and strategic selling successful practices."

The report reveals what leading companies have been able to achieve through their sales training initiatives, such as:

--  83% of their sales reps achieve annual quota
--  An average 7% year-over-year increase in annual deal size/contract
    value
--  Average annual revenue has increased 11% year-over-year
    

A complimentary copy of this report is made available due in part by the following underwriters: Action Selling, Baker Communications, Inc., Richardson, WhiteBoard Selling, and Corporate Visions Inc. To obtain a complimentary copy of the report, visit: http://www.aberdeen.com/link/sponsor.asp?cid=6156.

Visit Research.Aberdeen.com for additional access to complimentary Customer Management Research.

About Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company

Aberdeen provides fact-based research and market intelligence that delivers demonstrable results. Having queried more than 30,000 companies in the past two years, Aberdeen is positioned to educate users to action: driving market awareness, creating demand, enabling sales, and delivering meaningful return-on-investment analysis. As the trusted advisor to the global technology markets, corporations turn to Aberdeen for insights that drive decisions.

As a Harte-Hanks Company, Aberdeen plays a key role of putting content in context for the global direct and targeted marketing company. Aberdeen's analytical and independent view of the "customer optimization" process of Harte-Hanks (Information - Opportunity - Insight - Engagement - Interaction) extends the client value and accentuates the strategic role Harte-Hanks brings to the market. For additional information, visit Aberdeen or call (617) 854-5200, or to learn more about Harte-Hanks, call (800) 456-9748.

© 2009 Aberdeen Group, Inc., a Harte-Hanks Company
451 D Street, Suite 710
Boston, Massachusetts 02210-1928
Telephone: (617) 854-5200
Fax: (617) 723-7897
www.aberdeen.com

Contact Information: Media Contacts: Peter Ostrow Aberdeen Harte-Hanks (617) 854-5373 peter.ostrow@aberdeen.com