Why is consistent coaching better than intermittent training?

Constantly repeated habit-creating coaching is more effective than one-off sales training sessions for several key reasons:

1. Sustained Behavioral Change

• Repetition solidifies learning: One-off training sessions often provide a lot of information in a short amount of time, but without consistent reinforcement, participants tend to forget most of what they learned. Research shows that learners forget around 70% of new information within 24 hours if not reviewed regularly, a phenomenon known as the forgetting curve. Repeated coaching helps reinforce skills over time, allowing participants to internalize new behaviors and apply them consistently .
• Habit formation: It takes time and consistency to form new habits. According to habit-formation research, it generally takes 21 to 66 days to solidify a habit. Habit-creating coaching focuses on gradually building behaviors that can lead to long-term success, while one-off sessions can be too short to foster these new routines .

2. Improved Retention and Application

• Active learning: Repeated coaching allows for ongoing application, reflection, and adjustment of skills. When sales professionals practice what they’ve learned over time, they are better able to retain and apply it to real-world situations. Ongoing coaching enables feedback loops, allowing salespeople to continuously refine their techniques based on real-world outcomes.
• Immediate feedback and course correction: Continuous coaching provides sales professionals with feedback and guidance at various stages. If they make mistakes, the coach can intervene and help correct their approach in real time, leading to faster improvement and better long-term performance .

3. Development of Resilience and Adaptability

• Consistent coaching adapts to evolving challenges: The business and sales environment is constantly changing. Repeated habit-creating coaching allows salespeople to develop resilience and adaptability over time. Coaches can tailor advice based on emerging market trends, customer feedback, or new tools, ensuring that the sales team is always up to date.
• Real-time problem-solving: One-off sessions may teach concepts, but continuous coaching provides ongoing support in tackling specific challenges as they arise. This helps sales professionals learn how to handle objections, close deals, and manage client relationships in a more nuanced and flexible way .

4. Personalized and Tailored Support

• Customization for individual needs: Habit-creating coaching is highly personalized, focusing on the unique strengths and weaknesses of each individual. Unlike one-off sessions, which typically provide generic advice to a group, regular coaching allows for tailored guidance and development plans that address specific areas of improvement.
• Building accountability: Continuous coaching fosters accountability, where participants are encouraged to set goals and follow through over time. Regular check-ins hold them responsible for making progress, which is difficult to achieve in a one-time session .

5. Long-term Skill Development and Performance Improvement

• Compounding growth: Just as with any skill, gradual and consistent practice leads to compounding improvements. Repeated coaching helps sales professionals develop their skills incrementally, leading to higher performance over the long term. A one-off session may spark enthusiasm but often lacks the sustained follow-up needed to ensure that improvements stick.
• Behavioral transformation: The goal of coaching is to create lasting behavioral changes that improve performance over time. One-off training sessions may inspire short-term performance boosts, but they rarely lead to deep-seated behavioral changes that drive long-term success .

Conclusion:

Habit-creating coaching is superior to one-off sales training sessions because it provides sustained support, reinforcement, and personalization, leading to long-lasting behavioral change, improved retention, and adaptability. It enables participants to gradually build the skills they need to thrive in sales, rather than merely offering a brief moment of insight or inspiration.