5 Innovative Ways to Train Your Sales Team Everyone wants their employees to have the tools they need to succeed, but it's important to train your team the right way.
By Sheila Eugenio Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Without adequate sales training, your team will flounder and business growth can become stagnant. This can turn into a domino effect as the more experienced members fall into a slump and newer members will not be exposed to quality leadership.
One of the best ways to keep new and seasoned talent sharp is by making it a point to have training on a recurring basis. By doing so, your team will learn from past victories or failures while they are fresh.
Here are five effective strategies to get your sales staff up to speed and ensure your business is constantly improving.
1. Tap into valuable content.
There is practically an unlimited amount of resources available on the best sales techniques. Look into the blogs that go into detail about tactics and strategies proven to be effective. It never hurts to learn from the best. Here are some phenomenal blogs to look into if you don't already know them:
Use these, or find some of the best pieces that you, or your veteran sales staff, have used and put together a resource library to help train the newbies.
2. Use e-learning to your advantage.
Companies everywhere are embracing e-learning platforms to educate their team on things like new products, procedures or company policies. With the proper training, your sales staff will be able to pinpoint the most prevalent client issues or concerns while understanding exactly how your product or service can benefit them.
One of the biggest advantages to e-learning is that your staff can educate themselves wherever they are, so, if there are questions that arise and need immediate answers, everything is readily available.
There are many tools available to jumpstart your training program. MulTra GmbH provides a phenomenal platform that enables you to create an A-to-Z learning experience across all of your departments using web-based training, interactive videos and augmented reality apps.
3. Use the buddy system.
Sales will always be a career full of excitement -- it's why people love it. For people new to the trade, though, it can also be very intimidating. For this reason, creating a buddy system is never a bad idea. This will help create an environment where your staff can openly ask questions and share valuable information while making the entire experience less nerve-racking.
According to Peter Trebek, CEO of GoTranscript, "Pairing a newbie with a more experienced worker is a great way help your staff learn from each other and identify good or bad habits early on. Chances are, the veteran has already asked the same questions that the new employee has and can answer them quickly with real-life experience." This will help save time while creating a more engaging work atmosphere.
4. Keep training sessions short.
Studies have shown that over the course of an hour lecture, there is a 10- to 18-minute window in which students are in their most focused mindset. No matter how compelling the material is, there will always be a lapse in attentiveness.
There's no denying that attention spans are getting shorter and shorter. In fact, the average these days is right around eight seconds. For this reason, it is best to keep your training sessions short and concise.
Training should be done in a manner that is engaging and easy to consume.
5. Incorporate data into development.
The sales department should always be reflecting on their performance. Try to get everyone in the habit of taking 15 minutes or so to look back on sales calls or meetings to gauge what went well and what can be improved upon. In these times of reflection, data is an extremely powerful ally.
Development of a department involves everyone. Using data to measure performance on everything from email templates to sales content is extremely beneficial. ToutApp is a platform that can help optimize every aspect of your sales strategies with valuable insights on each stage of the cycle.
Big data is becoming an essential part of business. It enables departments to find the most efficient ways to make their time and money accomplish as much as possible.
Empower your employees.
Creating a strong, efficient sales team is one the most important things you will do in business. Giving your department access to the best training and resources is sure-fire way to grow your business, as well as your employees. You want a team full of confidence and prowess. Don't waste any more time in giving them the best means of development you possibly can.
