As a go-to-market leader, you know that the sales process isn’t as simple as it used to be. Engaging with prospects and encouraging them to make a purchase decision is more complex and takes place across several channels.
In the midst of these changes, sellers no longer give prospects an hour-long presentation to sell products and services. Now, it’s all about providing a condensed and concise presentation. After all, prospects already have access to tons of information on their own. They can find details about your product and company online. But the pitch is probably the first person-to-person interaction they will have with your company, and that first impression counts. It’s a seller’s chance to foster the relationship, show that they understand the prospect’s pain points, and show how your product or service will fit their needs.
Using sales training software to align the pitch
New sales hires need adequate training and coaching to ramp quickly and perform optimally. Yet some of the most experienced sellers also can’t nail your company’s sales pitch without training and support. Veteran sellers still need individual sales coaching and training to keep their skills sharp and adapt the sales pitch to changing conditions.
It’s vital to understand that sales training and coaching have distinct differences and purposes. Sales training aims to equip your sales reps with standard resources and skills for successful selling. A Sales coaching program concentrates on the sales reps’ individual needs and specific situations. Personal sales coaching is also a great outlet to provide structured mentorship where newer sales reps can learn from your more experienced sellers. This is extremely beneficial for hybrid organizations that need to onboard new teammates quickly while also giving them opportunities to connect with their peers and the organization as a whole.
But how do you deliver sales coaching and training to an entire team quickly, efficiently, and at scale? This is where delivering sales training and coaching online can facilitate training, drive adoption, and help sellers hone the pitch to near perfection.
Sales training topics that can improve the sales pitch
When training sales reps, the goal is to give them everything they need to make the best sales pitch to buyers. By honing subsidiary skills in all of your reps, you give them the tools they need to adjust the pitch for different clients and situations. This ability to understand the client and adjust to circumstances will make every pitch better and improve close rates.
For B2B sales training to be as effective as possible, it’s important to remember that proficiency doesn’t come all at once. By breaking down soft skills and essential information into bite-sized lessons, sellers will be able to build upon each stepping stone without feeling overwhelmed. Online sales learning platforms also make it easy for sellers to learn at their own pace and move to the next lesson once they’ve fully absorbed the last.
When it comes to creating your sales training and coaching program, here are a few topics we recommend you focus on so sellers can deliver stellar sales pitches time and time again.
Active listening
Active listening is a crucial soft skill for each and every seller. Active listening refers to a sales rep’s ability to communicate with a client by asking the right questions and taking in the correct information.
Sales reps need active listening training to identify which client-provided information is most important and how to analyze it to make it useful. They also need to know which questions to ask and when. Active listening requires reps to understand how to ask clarifying, open-ended questions, get elaboration when needed, respond effectively, and show continual engagement.
Effective communication
It’s not enough for reps to know a product inside out. They must also be able to communicate how that product will solve a specific pain point for the prospect. Using the right words, concise language, and showing empathy for the client’s challenges are all part of building rapport. The client must feel heard and see the seller as sympathetic to their needs. If a prospect feels that a seller’s priority is to make the sale, they won’t respond favorably.
Buyer personas
Developing accurate buyer personas can help sellers relate to the different clients they’ll interact with. A persona is a fictional character that represents the main attributes your company encounters when making sales. Personas may include details like purchasing power, age bracket, decision-making authority, and main pain points. Dive into your data and discover what ties your main client demographics together, and use that to meet your clients where they’re at. This will help sellers make their pitch more effective and better connect with prospects.
Handling objections
Making the pitch can come to a sudden halt if the customer offers objections. When an objection comes unexpectedly, it can fluster a rep and make them appear unknowledgeable and unprepared. Offer training and support for the most common objections sellers are likely to experience during a sales interaction. Several of the most common objections include price, speed of delivery or implementation, and whether or not the product or service really works. Arming reps with responses to these common objections can diffuse a situation and put the customer at ease.
Knowing the product and how it solves client needs
Before a rep can explain why your product or service will be effective, they have to understand the client’s pain point. Prospects want to know why they should choose your company over another, and they need to know in tangible terms what value you offer. A thorough understanding of what your business provides will help reps bridge the gap between a product description and a full understanding of its application.
Don’t forget the element of practice
Training your sales team isn’t enough. Without consistent practice and follow-up, skills will fade and reps will fall behind. Sellers need hands-on applications for their skills if they are to take root and grow. By offering a hybrid learning environment that uses quizzes, practice sessions, and personalized coaching, you can make sure sellers nail the pitch consistently.
Online sales training platforms let sellers practice delivering their pitch and receive feedback from their sales leader, manager, or mentor. This is more interactive than static lesson plans, and the personalized feedback will help sellers build confidence by hearing what they did well and what still needs improvement.
Hone pitch skills with sales coaching and training platforms
One of the crucial components of successful sales training and coaching is making sure you have the right software for your sales team. Seismic offers the training and coaching tools you need for your teams to excel. Enablement and growth can make all the difference between struggling to drive sales and becoming the next big virtual sales success. To learn more about how sales enablement can add to your sales success, download our e-book on the Seismic Enablement Cloud™.
