Effective sales training is the foundation of a high-performing sales team. It equips your team members with the skills, knowledge, and strategies they need to excel in their roles and drive revenue.
However, implementing a successful sales training program requires careful planning, customization, and continuous improvement. Most sales training programs fail. In our experience building Hyrise Academy, we’ve gathered years of experience and mistakes until we reached a formula that works. We have distilled this knowledge into the 7 most impactful best practices we wished we knew when we started.
Here goes!
Sounds simple, but this point is crucial. Before diving into any training, clearly define your goals and objectives. Ask yourself: What specific skills or knowledge do you want your team to acquire? Are you looking to improve closing rates, enhance product knowledge, or develop specific selling techniques? Identifying your desired outcomes will guide the entire training process and ensure alignment with your team's needs.
We recommend explicitly writing down the main goal for your training program, and outlining the key skills and behaviors you want your salespeople to have.
You can’t improve what you can’t measure. Before you begin your training, conduct a thorough assessment of your team's strengths and areas for improvement based on the skills and behaviors you identified at the beginning. At Hyrise, all our trainings begin with a self-evaluation by the salesperson and an evaluation by their manager, and we continue to do monthly evaluations to track progress and adapt our training path.
Aside from skills assessment, establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness of your training program. Monitor metrics such as conversion rates, revenue growth, customer satisfaction, and individual performance improvements. These measurements provide valuable insights and help you refine and optimize your training initiatives.
If you haven’t already, read our blog post How To Provide Sales Training That Actually Works. In the blog post, we outline the psychological reason why one-off courses and workshops just don’t work. You need to mix it up and engage your team with a variety of training methods to enable effective learning. Mix classroom-style sessions, interactive workshops, role-playing exercises, online modules, and real-world practice. This combination keeps training dynamic and caters to different learning styles, fostering active participation and knowledge retention.
One crucial method that cannot be missed is regular coaching sessions. These should ideally be conducted by the Sales Manager or a professional Sales Coach. Implement a system of ongoing coaching and feedback. Regularly meet with your team members individually or in small groups to review progress, reinforce training concepts, and address specific challenges they encounter in the field. Coaching sessions allow for personalized guidance and development.
Make training as practical as possible by incorporating real-life sales scenarios. Simulations, case studies, and role-plays allow your team to apply their learning in a safe environment. This hands-on experience enhances their ability to handle challenging situations confidently. At Hyrise, we regularly conduct role-play exercises such as Cold Calling and Discovery Calls.
Social learning is 20% of the learning journey. Promote a culture of peer learning and collaboration within your sales team. Encourage team members to share their experiences, success stories, and best practices with one another. Facilitate group discussions and collaborative problem-solving sessions. This creates a supportive environment where team members can learn from one another's experiences and expertise.
Encourage a culture of continuous learning within your sales team. Provide access to industry resources, books, podcasts, webinars, and conferences. Encourage team members to share their learnings and best practices with one another. Supporting their growth with ongoing training opportunities will help them stay updated on the latest sales techniques and market trends.
Hold your team members accountable for their learning and application of training. Set clear expectations and provide regular follow-ups to ensure that training is translating into measurable results. Recognize and reward individuals who actively engage in training and demonstrate continuous improvement.