Every sales department in the world has its own distinctive feel.
This feel can, of course, change over time as new ideas and personnel come and go, but you can bet that at this very moment your sales team has a collective attitude or impression that affects everything they do.
This was something I just took for granted and didn't think much about for a long time, until one of my clients brought it up with me more than a dozen years ago.

At the time, I had thought he was just using one of the latest buzzwords, making sure that I knew he kept up with business magazines and knew what was "hot" at the moment.
But the more he talked about his department's "sales culture," I realized he wasn't just putting on a show - he was genuinely concerned about shaping the attitude of his sales team.
As it turned out, this wasn't just a smart move...
it was also slightly ahead of the times.
Since then, business cultures, corporate cultures, and yes, sales cultures have become a hot topic.
Executives in different industries all around the world have begun to realize that how their employees feel about the company, each other, and the general "mood" of the institution play an important role in getting things done.
This is especially relevant in sales, where attitude and perseverance are such a big part of the picture.

With that in mind, it's critical that the sales training you buy or produce fits your existing sales culture...
or fosters a stronger one.
The goal is to create an environment where salespeople are continually learning, constantly improving, and cheering one another on.
Certainly, it's a good idea to have some friendly competition in your bullpen, but only to the degree that things remain positive.

Naturally, the easiest way to build a strong sales culture is to start at the top.
Make sure the sales training you give your management team is focused on setting the right tone, and then follow that up with programs that instill the right attitudes into the rest of your sales staff.
Also, make sure you're bringing in the right kinds of people - all the sales training in the world isn't going to change the attitude of someone who doesn't want to learn, so sales personality assessments and other smart hiring tools are a good first step toward building a positive sales culture.

Sales culture is difficult to define and measure, but you can definitely feel when it's going right or wrong.
Make sure your sales training emphasizes the positive outlook and a spirit of camaraderie - it won't take long before the change will show up in your company's sales figures.