Apr 30, 2020
A sales training program teaches sales reps the skills needed for every step of the sales journey—from first contact through the close of a sale.
While many businesses employ sales training, the most successful programs are tailored to reps’ individual needs. Best-in-class companies that enlist a training plan see their sales reps reach higher quotas by 31%, with a 10% increase in yearly corporate revenue.
Best-in-class companies that enlist a training plan see their sales reps reach higher quotas by 31%, with a 10% increase in yearly corporate revenue.
An effective sales training program can help identify areas of need, as well as provide a flexible plan for sales growth. A comprehensive program should dig deep into the personality characteristics of sales reps, determining areas of potential improvement, and provide an ongoing learning environment with tools like in-person learning, e-learning, micro-learning, gamification, and other customizable techniques.
When choosing a sales training program, consider its main features and if they fit your company’s needs. General purpose, off-the-shelf programs often lack flexibility or the specific features you require. Let’s review some general truths about all-purpose programs.
Why One-Size-Fits-All Training Won’t Work
If you choose a sales training program with a one-size-fits-all manual, you may be throwing away time and money.
U.S. companies spend about $15 billion on sales training yearly, but the average rate of quota attainment has been declining for years. In fact, 65% of sales reps are missing their quotas. One-size-fits-all training programs assume there is just one way to sell and therefore fail at the very thing they are teaching.
No two sales reps have the same needs or experience. Similarly, no two businesses are alike—a technology company and a retailer have different needs relevant to the industry and each has a unique sales process. For example:
- A retail sale—business-to-consumer (B2C)—might require a shorter, but more personal interaction.
- Reps selling products in the business-to-business (B2B) arena, like technology, require an intricate knowledge of customers, products, trends, and advancement in the industry.
In both examples, the sales rep must deliver a modern sales approach that can compete with information available online, and the complexities of each product requires specific understanding. But the approach to these differing sales requires unique knowledge and techniques, meaning training must be suited to the individual rep, business, product, and customer.
While there is some benefit to be gained from any initiative, the results won’t be nearly as effective as those from an individually designed program that incorporates your company’s methodology and provides ongoing training and coaching opportunities.
The Essentials for a Successful Sales Training Program
What are “the essentials” of choosing a sales training program, and why do they matter? Conventional training programs focus on behavior modification, communication, and negotiation skills. Those things play an important role in sales success, but other strategies can improve results faster and give your sales reps an advantage in the field.
The best sales training program for your company should include these six essential features.
Diverse Training Formats
Offering a number of different formats for presenting training material means teaching sales reps in the manner that they learn best.
- Video provides a forum for role-play and live lectures, as well as narrated slide presentations to keep reps engaged.
- Audio recordings work well for delivering training when complete attention is not necessary, like while driving or completing other activities.
- Written materials allow reps to review and study resources in a written form with PDF files that can be made available for easy download and/or printing.
- Gamification turns lackluster training modules into a fun, competitive learning opportunity. Video games, quizzes, and more can keep reps engaged and eager to continue their training.
Customizable Platform
While standard training programs can offer the basics, a customizable program allows you to add content specific to your business, including techniques that work well in your market or with your product, and change and grow with your needs.
At the onset of the program, expect a framework driven by your organization’s sales strategy and a practical understanding of your products, services, and process. Intuitive real-time editing means that the program adjusts via sales rep input, evaluating what reps need according to what they have successfully completed, how they learn, and even existing or desired customers. Front-line managers can coach teams and review analytics by utilizing easy-to-use mobile tools.
Real-World Scenarios
A successful sales training program uses real-word buying scenarios (and proven solutions) to train the team to handle any common situation. It must offer the flexibility to successfully address every aspect of a business reality. This type of program allows reps to practice real-world scenarios before they actually enter a high-stakes conversation with prospects or customers.
Structured Reinforcement
Effective training takes time, repetition, and detailed individuality. A training program that offers customization enables your sales team to achieve milestones while continuing to successfully sell.
Reinforcement is key to helping salespeople retain what they’ve learned. Without systematic, continual learning and reinforcement, about 50% of learned content is left behind after just five weeks—after 90 days, 84% of what was initially learned is lost.
Without systematic, continual learning and reinforcement, about 50% of learned content is left behind after just five weeks—after 90 days, 84% of what was initially learned is lost.
Tracking and Metrics
How do you know if reps are using the program and if it’s working? A good sales training program should include progress tracking for each sales rep as well as an analysis through quizzes, tests, and other assessments. This information should be used to generate performance metrics as well as to continually improve the program.
Different Instructional Modalities
Providing learning opportunities that meet your sales team where they are, physically and mentally, is the best way to get their attention and make learning fun and interactive.
- On-demand – your sales team is always on the go. Training materials should be agile, available via streaming or download to mobile devices for use when the time is right.
- Live – online lectures and virtual conferences provide a forum where everyone can participate without being in the same physical location.
- Social – discussion forums, chat capabilities, and social interactions provide learning in an environment that enhances engagement through connection and discussion.
Micro-learning Capabilities
Micro-learning offers information as bite-sized, easily accessed, individualized content for sales reps. Usually focused on one topic or problem, it is presented in a variety of ways like quizzes, videos, games, or simulations. Micro-learning uses information about how our long-term memory performs and incorporates the use of repetition over time. Learning that is fun and engaging—presented over time—helps learners avoid information overload and increases retained information. It is quick and easy to complete, and provides the opportunity for tracking, progress, and identifies gaps for future learning.
Gamification
One in three employees say that uninspiring content is a barrier to learning. Retained information improves when learning is fun. Reps are more likely to complete training modules if they come in the form of video-games, leaderboards, social networking, and gamified quizzes, even when they aren’t assigned. Sales reps are motivated to do the work, becoming more and more skilled in the process. That drives revenue growth.
Different Types of Sales Training Programs
General sales skills include relationship building, questioning, solution building, negotiation, problem solving, and proposal writing. Different types of sales training programs focus on different areas. When you choose just one area on which to focus, not all reps on your sales team will benefit.
Here are a few types of sales training.
- Methodology training: Teaches information or steps that improve the chance of a positive outcome. Usually a standard format, it creates a common approach and language for sales reps and emphasizes skill development.
- Baseline training: Long-form modules with in-depth subject knowledge that teach essential sales skills. Reps learn how to sell with fundamental skills like finding prospects, active listening, asking questions, negotiation, sidestepping objections, giving presentations, follow-up, and other administrative communication skills. These skills have no expiration date and continue to evolve over time, as your reps’ confidence and knowledge grows.
- Product training: Focuses on the product features and benefits, giving a sales rep a solid foundation regarding what they are selling, so they can focus on the customers’ needs.
- Bite-sized updates: Information refreshers that reinforce knowledge from training modules. Small, frequent updates prompt knowledge retention and connect information that reps have already learned for improved results.
How Sales Training Technology Helps
Enlisting a data-driven sales training program can change the game for your business. Technology-based onboarding alone can propel your success rate forward. A quality, customizable program offers cost-savings, flexibility, logistical simplicity, accessibility, and the chance for self-paced learning and repetition as needed.
Online or off, effective sales training programs should be customizable to adapt to the changing needs of any business. Key metrics provide a barometer for results. Diverse training opportunities coupled with a variety of learning modalities can help you reach your sales rep and improve retention. Micro-learning and bite-sized updates provide refreshers and continual learning.
Choose a training program that uses technology to make learning easier, empowers sales reps, and drives excellence.
Mindtickle for Sales Training
With a comprehensive suite of sales readiness applications, Mindtickle provides your sales team with a positive learning environment and never-ending learning. Sales reps learn and practice concepts from engaging, accessible delivery platforms that convey knowledge, offer role-play opportunities for eventual success in the field, and improve mastery for customer engagement.
Tracked usage offers accessibility and visibility—a window into progress and performance, that emphasizes knowledge retention through quizzes, gamification, and coaching. Mindtickle’s data-driven approach provides easy mobile access that ties individual performance to revenue growth with metrics that reveal what’s working, what needs adjusting, where gaps exist, and how training is affecting sales outcomes.
Get started today! Check out Mindtickle’s Practical Guide to Building Effective Sales Training or click here to schedule a Mindtickle demo.
