How to maximise the benefits of sales training through an effective LMS.

When it comes to providing essential sales training to teams, challenges like skill gaps, insufficient product knowledge, and

geographically dispersed workforce can impede progress. Employing an e-learning solution, such as a Learning Management System (LMS) and relevant courseware, proves invaluable for organisations seeking to enhance their sales training efforts, as it allows for centralised management and delivery through a powerful, all-in-one platform.

What is sales training?

Sales training constitutes a Learning and Development (L&D) program put together to enhance the competencies and expertise of individuals functioning in sales-oriented positions. This training encompasses a broad spectrum, spanning from general sales techniques to specialised communication skills training aimed at empowering salespeople to engage effectively with customers at every opportunity.

Throughout the sales training process, several crucial objectives are addressed, including:

• Enhancing product knowledge ensures that salespeople are thoroughly acquainted with the products or services they are marketing, encompassing the Unique Selling Proposition (USP), essential components, features, and associated benefits. This aspect is especially critical for onboarding new starters who are likely to be unfamiliar with the company's offerings and lack prior experience in selling them.

• Addressing skills gaps involves focusing on core competencies essential for salespeople, such as listening, organisation, negotiation, and problem-solving. However, since skill levels may vary among the workforce, it is imperative to close these gaps through targeted training initiatives to achieve optimal sales outcomes.

• Harmonising sales processes entails recognising that the sales cycle and selling methods may vary across different organisations. To optimise sales operations and handle leads efficiently, sales teams must possess a comprehensive comprehension of how to navigate the sales process while adhering to established operational procedures.

The primary objective of providing sales training is to cultivate a self-assured and highly proficient workforce capable of generating enhanced sales, increasing customer acquisition, loyalty, and satisfaction, and driving overall operational growth. Sales training is instrumental in distinguishing an organisation from its competitors, ensuring a competitive edge in the market.

Rapid upskilling

Upon the addition of a new team member to the sales team, most organisations are eager to conduct induction training promptly. This approach ensures that new employees can swiftly commence their duties in the new role, ultimately leading to an improved Return on Investment (ROI).

Traditional offline sales training usually involves workshops and seminars that employees are required to attend, contributing to a slower training process. By using an LMS, training becomes flexible and self-paced, enabling new employees to embark on the training process immediately upon starting their role or even earlier. Induction training can be thoughtfully designed to incorporate swift upskilling programs and concise content, ensuring new starters acquire sales skills efficiently.

Moreover, onboarding programs can be significantly enhanced by leveraging the wide array of training content and diverse lesson types available through an LMS. This varied content keeps learners engaged and motivated. For instance, situation training, a robust feature of an LMS, allows sales teams to simulate real-life sales scenarios or replicate face-to-face workshop sessions effectively.

Salespeople need to frequently update their skills and knowledge due to factors like shifting consumer behaviour and modified product offerings. Embracing change demands swift upskilling and time-sensitive sales training that goes beyond the initial onboarding process.

Through automation technology, LMS administrators can automatically assign relevant training modules and courses to sales staff, ensuring they receive instant notifications regarding required training and its deadline.

Sales training on the go

Whilst not relevant to all industries, sales staff often travel to meet potential or existing customers, resulting in a dispersed workforce across various geographical locations. Without appropriate technology, this can impede sales training practices since staff members may not be at their desks to complete learning and development courses or attend sales training/workshops/seminars in a centralised space.

The integration of mobile learning technology into a robust LMS can significantly revolutionise the usage and Return on Investment (ROI) of an e-learning platform. With mobile learning functionality, an LMS empowers sales teams to undertake training anywhere and at any time, even while on the move. This ensures they seize every development opportunity and stay on track with Personal Development Plans (PDPs) and learning schedules. Mobile learning technology makes sales training more accessible, and learners can even access downloadable SCORM content offline.

Continuous learning

Sales teams should be provided with sales training opportunities that extend beyond the initial onboarding process and go beyond necessary upskilling practices. Emphasising continuous learning and professional development enables sales teams to enhance their confidence in their abilities, broaden their skill sets, discover new responsibilities they might want to undertake, and explore potential career advancements.

Instead of offering sales teams infrequent training/seminars/workshops or sporadic training sessions, Learning and Development (L&D) programs and courses hosted on an LMS can be accessed by employees whenever needed. Employees have the option to enrol themselves in courses, or managers can assign specific lessons and programs based on identified development opportunities.

Continuous training not only benefits employees but is also reported to significantly increased ROI for both the LMS and the staff members.

Refresher courses

Studies have indicated that a sizeable portion of sales training is forgotten by sales professionals within three months. To optimise the impact of sales training, Learning and Development (L&D) teams create refresher courses. These courses are usually condensed versions of induction training or upskilling lessons, specifically designed to cover essential elements and "refresh" the memory of sales professionals.

Microlearning lessons within an LMS have emerged as one of the most popular and effective methods for delivering refresher courses. These lesson types are precisely focused and succinct, presenting content in a concise manner that facilitates review, enabling learners to quickly revisit information without starting from the beginning. Moreover, LMS assessments can be employed to assess sales teams, effortlessly identifying those who may require additional training beyond refresher courses.

Performance tracking

Supervising sales progress and monitoring performance are essential aspects of any sales-related position. Likewise, for organisations providing sales training programs, evaluating L&D performance should also be an integral part of the review process.

Our LMS incorporates user-friendly reporting tools that enable site administrators to generate personalised site-wide reports. These reports can be distributed to users for review and display various crucial elements such as course completion rates, competencies, and assessment results. The purpose of these reports is to assist managers in swiftly identifying individuals who require further training and recognising those who have shown outstanding performance.

The LMS also offers a historical log of targets and progress, encompassing both sales activities and L&D opportunities, thus ensuring that sales teams maintain their focus and have complete visibility of their progress, benefiting both sales staff and managers.

How Elearn4business can help empower your teams?

Our powerful e-learning platform has assisted organisations in successfully delivering sales training programs. With the right functionality, sales training can achieve more than just encouraging employees to acquire sales skills; it can foster long-term career growth and yield improved outcomes.

Find out how our learning solutions can work for you.

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