Sales Training

What is sales training?

Being a confident and successful salesperson isn’t something somebody is born with. It takes dedication, training, and a little trial and error for an employee to establish themselves in sales.

Sales training courses are a key part of that development. Without training, even the most confident employees won’t find as many leads or close as many deals as they would have had they undertaken training.

Sales training isn’t something that only those new to the role should take. While there are courses that introduce employees to the fundamentals of sales, there are also courses for professionals that cover a wide range of more advanced topics. Not only can this refresh employees’ knowledge, but also upskill them so they can continue to develop and grow within your business.

Why is sales training important?

It’s the job of your sales team to inform potential customers that your products or services are better suited to their needs than the offerings of your competitors. Even if you know that’s true, it can be difficult to convince potential customers of this, particularly those looking for the most value for their money.

That’s why the value of sales training cannot be overstated. The training your employees receive has a direct and measurable impact on return on investment.

The market is always changing, and training ensures your employees are using the most up-to-date techniques and information, whether that’s industry legislation, technology, or negotiation tactics.

By forging long-lasting relationships with your customers, it builds brand loyalty and allows your business to grow. Using trial and error alone to develop your employees isn’t a low-cost method, it actually costs your business a great deal in lost revenue and potentially loyal advocates of your brand. Knowledgeable and engaging sales staff will also help your business establish a strong reputation.

For more information check out our blog post on why you need to make time for sales training.

What are the benefits of sales training to your business?

The most efficient and cost-effective way to improve your employees’ sales skills is through training. As well as developing your employees' abilities, there are plenty of benefits it has for your business:

• Salespeople will identify and attract more high-value leads
• Deals can be closed using techniques that don’t rely on lowering the price
• Long-term professional relationships can be established
• The overall communication skills of your sales staff will improve, ensuring better collaboration
• Productivity and efficiency will improve
• Staff turnover will be reduced and you can promote top performers, preventing the need for expensive and time-consuming recruitment

Ultimately, each of these benefits also contributes toward your business making more money. The development of your salespeople can also be easily measured through return on investment.

What are the advantages to your employees?

As well as benefiting your business, there are also plenty of ways your employees will benefit from sales training programs.

• They will gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of your products and services
• Their confidence and morale will increase
• They’ll have a greater level of job satisfaction
• They’ll improve their chances of progressing through your organization
• If your business offers sales staff a commission, they’ll make more money

Can anyone take a sales training course?

A sales training course can be taken by anybody, regardless of previous experience or knowledge. However, those new to sales, or are in a role that isn’t sales-focused, will likely want to take sales training courses for beginners.

Sales training can benefit employees in various roles, including customer service, account managers, and marketers. Courses can teach employees how to negotiate, spot opportunities, and even upsell. These are skills that can be utilized throughout your organization and aren’t limited to simply bringing in new business.

What are the types of sales training?

Because there are different types of sales, there are also different training courses available. Which type of training your employees take will depend on your business, your industry, and your customers. The different types include:

• B2C sales training, for employees such as store assistants, who work with a large volume of customers.
• B2B sales training, which teaches how to sell to businesses, which is often more time-consuming and complex than B2C, but with far higher value.
• Sales management training, to improve skills such as setting objectives, forecasting, and budgeting.
• Sales negotiation training, which focuses on negotiation and compromise.
• Sales leadership training, which helps leaders plan, hire, and coach.
• SaaS sales training, which helps when selling complicated software.

Is eLearning good for learning sales?

Online sales training is a convenient and flexible way for employees to develop their skills and knowledge.

Because eLearning courses have already been produced, they can be accessed right now using any device. That means they’re far more cost-effective than classroom learning and can be scaled easily allowing you to effectively train an entire team.

Online courses are also perfect for micro-learning, as they can be picked up and put down whenever employees have the time. This prevents putting employees under additional pressure, as learning is completely self-directed. Even with just 15 minutes of learning time per week, employees could complete a one-hour course in less than a month.

What are the best online sales courses?

Whether employees are inexperienced in sales and are looking to learn the fundamentals, or are experienced professionals looking to refresh or upskill, there are plenty of great sales training courses available.

Below are some of the best online sales courses for beginners:

• A Beginner's Guide to Wholesale Sales
• Sales Skills - Understanding Your Customer
• Sales Skills - Communicating With The Customer
• How to Handle Objections in Sales
• Sales and Customer Service Essentials
• The Sales Mindset

Below are some great online courses for those looking to develop refresh or develop their knowledge:

• Effective Sales Techniques
• Sales: A New Approach To Selling
• What are the 6 "Cs" of a Sales Approach?
• Overview of Sales Methodologies
• Sales techniques: eliciting information
• Understanding The Sales Process - Rapid Recall
• Closing Sales: Getting to Yes
• Maximizing Sales In An Economic Decline
• Sales and Ethics: Managing Conflicts of Interest
• Sales Management Basics
• Sales Leadership

Upskill your employees in sales today

Ready to develop your salespeople so they grow their confidence and consistently get customers on board? At Go1 we can support your organization’s training and development strategy with flexible, easy-to-access, and simple eLearning courses. For more information, book a demo with a member of our team today.