Sales Training — A Topic Nobody Really Wants to Address

And why your team can’t grow without it

Let’s talk about the uncomfortable truth no one wants to say out loud:
Sales training in startup and growth-stage clinical research companies is almost always overlooked — or worse, ignored entirely.

Most reps are thrown into the field with no playbook, no coaching, and no real shot at success.
And it’s not their fault.

Founders and CEOs often tell me:

“We hired a rep, but they just didn’t work out.”

But when I ask what kind of onboarding, coaching, or structured development that rep got — the answer is usually:

“They shadowed me for a week.”
Or worse — “They followed another rep around and picked things up as they went.”

That’s not training — that’s how you inherit bad habits and shallow knowledge.

And in a trust-driven, relationship-based industry like ours, that gamble can cost you millions in missed pipeline, disqualified opportunities, and relationships that never convert.

Sales Training 101: The Basics Still Matter

Some companies hire someone who’s never sold a day in their life. Others bring in a top producer from another industry — maybe insurance, real estate, or car sales — and assume their success will translate here. It rarely does.

It’s even worse when companies hire someone who was highly successful in one part of the industry — maybe they crushed it at a site network or CRO — and assume they’ll instantly succeed in a new environment, like tech, patient recruitment, or regulatory. The rep is talented. Driven. But there’s no support. No structured ramp. No coaching to help them adjust to a totally different buyer or sales motion.

Then, three months in, they’re not hitting quota — and leadership chalks it up to a bad hire.

Clinical research isn’t a high-volume, transactional game.
It’s long-cycle, high-trust, and nuance-driven.

And while hustle is great, it doesn’t replace industry context, buyer nuance, and process discipline.

Even the most “natural” salespeople need structured training — and not just a crash course on cold calls and follow-ups. They need a development path that teaches:

• How to run a strategic discovery call with clinical buyers

• How to understand protocol criteria and feasibility levers at a high level — not to be an expert, but to speak credibly and assess fit

• How to build long-term relationships across sponsors, CROs, and vendors

• How to qualify and advance complex, multi-stakeholder opportunities

Also worth noting: some of the best salespeople in this industry come from operational or technical roles.

If you’ve got someone on your team who:
✅ Understands the service delivery or product lifecycle
✅ Communicates well
✅ Is trainable and patient enough to wait for commissions

— you may already have your next BD rep. They just need real sales training to succeed.

Relationship Management: Our Industry Runs on Trust

In clinical trials, the relationship is the deal.

Sponsors don’t buy based on a brochure or pitch deck.
They buy because they believe:

• You understand their protocol

• You’ll follow through when challenges hit

• Your team communicates clearly, early, and often

Relationship management training helps BD teams build authentic credibility — the kind that earns repeat feasibility invites, strategic introductions, and long-term partnerships.

Industry Training: No One Wants to Be the Rep Who Doesn’t "Get It"

Whether you’re representing a site, a CRO, a tech platform, or a consulting service — clinical research is a world of its own.

Your team doesn’t need to become scientists.
But they do need to understand:

• How trials are awarded and who makes the call

• What matters most to sponsors and CROs during selection

• The operational pain points your offering actually solves

• How to position value in the context of protocol demands, startup pressure, or enrollment challenges

They don’t need the weeds — but they do need the language.

Systems, Tools & Feasibility Form Training: Don’t Lose Deals Over Execution

Your BD team is often the first impression a prospect gets of your company.
If they can’t use the CRM, interpret a feasibility form, or deliver a clean handoff to operations, it shows.

Whether your team is:

• Logging conversations in HubSpot or Salesforce

• Completing feasibility forms with zero clinical background

• Drafting follow-up summaries that guide internal delivery

— they need training on how to execute like professionals.

This isn’t just about sales.
It’s about earning trust through every touchpoint.

Let’s Be Honest: Most Founders Aren’t Sales Trainers

This isn’t a dig — it’s reality.

Most CEOs and founders don’t have the time, structure, or sales expertise to train their BD team effectively.
And you shouldn’t have to.

You built a business, not a sales university.

But if you want to scale — especially in a high-trust, long-cycle industry like clinical research — you need a training system that:
- Onboards new reps fast
- Builds credibility and confidence
- Teaches your team to think like strategic partners
- Aligns with how sponsors and CROs actually buy

That’s where bringing in an experienced sales coach or fractional sales leader can change the game.

What Happens When You Get It Right

When training is done right, here’s what changes:

• Reps stop winging it and start planning their approach

• Sponsors and partners notice a more thoughtful, informed conversation

• Feasibilities get completed faster and with better positioning

• You finally get a sales function that’s not dependent on the founder to close every deal

You don’t need a massive team.
You need a trained one.

Ready to Build That Team?

Sales training isn’t a flashy topic. It’s not as exciting as pipeline growth or new client wins.But ignoring it is exactly why most small teams plateau.

The companies that do invest in it?
They’re the ones building real, scalable businesses.

At ACG-Clinical, we helop train salespeople the right way — with clinical nuance, Challenger-style insight, and real-world experience.
Whether you’re an individual sales rep looking to invest in your own growth, or a site, CRO, tech company, or consultant, we’ll help you build a sales function that actually scales.

📩 Let’s talk. No pitch. Just practical advice.

sergio@acg-clinical.com