The document outlines the importance of sustaining the impact of training initiatives beyond the initial events, emphasizing the need for pre-planning and a dedicated budget for post-event activities. It identifies three key steps for success: providing tools for application, monitoring skills, and tracking performance to ensure learnings are applied in the field. The document concludes that involving managers in the sustainment process is crucial for achieving long-term performance improvements and return on investment.

1. Sustaining the impact of training
initiatives
Three keys to post-meeting success
Beth Tench
VP, Training & Curriculum Development

2. Take a moment to reflect on all of the hard work,
time and resources that have been invested into
your last product launch or training meeting…
It’s no small undertaking.
And as any business person would expect,
you deserve to see a return on your investment.
But more often than not, as the bright lights are
packed away and the sales force flies home to their
territories, the potential for that return diminishes.
This shortcoming may not lie in the quality of
“the Event,” but rather in what comes after…
Or, more to the point; what doesn’t.

3. How do you keep a good thing going?
Sales and Training executives are under increasing pressure
to demonstrate acceptable ‘returns’ for investments made in
sales meetings and training events.
To see a higher yield on your meeting investment, you must
plan for it in advance. A product launch or training initiative
shouldn’t end with a closing session or wrap up, but rather
it needs to be sustained throughout the year. This is when
you’ll see the real payoff – not only in dollars, but also in
performance.
This presentation will…
discuss the importance of planning for after the Event,
and outline 3 key steps for sustaining the impact of your
training initiatives.

4. Event execution is
tough business
• Events are comprised
of product launches,
training meetings,
sales meetings,
POAs, etc.
• Events are an
important part of
your learning and
development
curriculum
• Events require time,
resources and
extensive planning

5. Sustaining impact
is even tougher
• A great event closure
does not guarantee
continued retention
• “Once and done”
approach hinders
reinforcement
• Reconsider the Event
as the beginning of
the training process,
rather than the end
• There should be a
dedicated budget
for the sustainment
phase

6. Training & Development experts are increasingly recognizing the
need to budget more in the follow-through and sustainment phase.
Ken Blanchard, co-author of the One Minute Manager®,
recently put it this way:
"Organizations should spend ten times more energy
reinforcing the training they have just conducted
instead of looking for the next great learning initiative."

7. PLAN INVOLVE
Plan for after the Event and
implement measures to ensure
application and practice.
Managers should be fully
engaged and accountable to
directly drive the sustainment
process.
BUDGET
Allocate no less than 25% of the
total Event budget to post-event
activities.
3 key steps to ensure post-event success

8. • Identify tools and
resources required to
practice and apply
learnings and
concepts after the
Event
• Implement a process
to monitor and coach
skills learned
• Systematically track
performance to
ensure application
and practice in the
field
PLAN
Make post-meeting pull
through part of the plan
from the beginning.
for after “the Event”

9. • Ensure the entire
budget is not
consumed by the
Event
• Allocate at least 25%
of the total Event’s
budget to post-event
activities
• Plan to effectively
use allocated budget
to ensure
reinforcement
BUDGETAppropriately
Don’t put all your
eggs in the ‘Event’
basket.

10. • Managers should be
fully engaged in the
post-event phase to
serve as coaches,
mentors and role
models
• Managers must
directly drive the
sustainment process
• Managers should be
accountable for the
growth and
development of the
team
Managers have the
greatest influence on
employee learning.INVOLVEManagers

11. To further enhance the
fundamentals of this approach,
apply suitable technologies and
other available tools to facilitate
post-meeting communication,
sustainment and monitoring.
The right meeting platform can be
leveraged post-event to:
• Deliver consistent
communications and direction
• Reinforce skills learned
• Keep expectations for
performance top of mind
• Recognize success
• Report results to foster
competition and rewards among
and between regions/districts

12. www.mc3.com info@mc3.com 610.430.1900
The Takeaway
• To see a higher yield on your
meeting investment, you must plan
for it in advance – post-meeting
pull through should be part of the
plan from the beginning.
• Allocate a percentage of the Event
budget to the follow-through and
sustainment phase.
• Make managers accountable for
directly driving the post-meeting
sustainment process.
• By following this process, you’ll see
the real payoff – not only in dollars,
but also in performance.

13. We create innovative meeting and training experiences
that leverage technology to engage the senses, educate
your teams and elevate performance.
211 Carter Drive, Suite D
West Chester, PA 19382
Email: info@mc3.com
Phone: 610.430.1900
Fax: 610.430.0653
www.mc3.com
About The Author:
Beth Tench is an accomplished Learning & Development professional with 20+ years of Healthcare
Industry experience supporting large and mid-size pharmaceutical companies, in addition to a start-up
biotechnology organization. As VP, Training & Curriculum Development, Beth leads MC3’s Training and
Delivery Team.
To capitalize on her extensive experience, you may reach Beth directly at: Beth.Tench@mc3.com