The job market is more competitive than ever and the demand for sales reps is outpacing the talent pool. Today, the top sales reps can pick where they want to work. And many companies are challenged to attract and retain top talent. For sales reps, this means getting the training they need to excel at their jobs.
Sales has also become more difficult than ever. In the digital-first environment, sellers get fewer at-bats to make an impression with prospects. Buyers are doing more research on their own and seldom have time for multiple Zoom meetings to evaluate software. So, when sales reps are in front of prospects, they have to make their interactions count.
In this climate, the best reps are the ones who prioritize preparation. They understand the fundamentals such as the products they sell, the customers that buy them, and why. They also study and understand the needs of their prospects, their motivation for buying, and tailor their strategy to support their buyer’s unique needs throughout the deal cycle.
Don’t let the Great Resignation be a cause for concern. Empowering your sales reps through training and coaching can improve seller effectiveness, as well as retention. In this post, I’ll detail how organizations can help their reps develop skills, build confidence, and hit their numbers.
How sales training and coaching make a difference
Effective sales training and coaching ensure that every sales rep has the skills and knowledge they need to hit the ground running.
But not all training is created equal. If you’ve ever gone through a manual onboarding program, it can feel a bit overwhelming. Most managers have a list of knowledge and skills they need you to learn within your first 90 days. Without training and coaching software, that may mean that you’re sitting through lengthy PowerPoint presentations, sifting through pitch decks on a Google Drive, or shadowing more experienced reps.
In order to successfully onboard sales reps, you need to put the seller first. Creating a formal sales-readiness regimen is more engaging for the seller. Instead of assigning new hires to hours of presentations, it’s easier and more effective for them to complete 10-minute lessons at their own speed. Interactive group training also allows sellers to collaborate with their peers and role-play to develop critical skills.
At the end of your onboarding program, your reps should feel confident that they’re ready to do their job and reach their quota.
Sales training and coaching is ongoing
Since sales reps get fewer opportunities to make an impression with buyers, they have to make every repetition count. The first call with a prospect lays the foundation for future interactions. If you listen more than you talk, the insights from your initial conversation can help you choose which training you need in order to prepare for future interactions.
Once you understand the buyer’s vision and goals, you can become more focused in how and where you sharpen your skills. Maybe the buyer is interested in product x, but you’ve never closed a deal for product x. With sales training and coaching software, you can practice the relevant skills and make the most of your next engagement. Or, you can tap a colleague who has sold product x, or has excelled at training and coaching exercises on that particular product.
The importance of personalized learning plans
Your sales training and coaching platform offers valuable insights about your sales organization and individual sales reps. For instance, if your organization has identified fifteen skills that your account executives need in order to be effective, their performance on training lessons can be used to measure their proficiency.
By understanding where knowledge gaps exist, you can personalize learning experiences so that your account executives (AE) have greater access to the lessons and coaching they need to grow their expertise. For example, if an AE already excels at discovery calls, they don’t need additional coaching in that area. Instead, they can begin to develop skills in different areas that will keep them engaged and prepare them to take the next step in their career. By understanding the seller, you can effectively tailor their training.
Ramp your sales reps faster
Sales organizations that implement training and coaching programs will realize countless benefits. One of the clearest examples of change can be found in ramp times. If your organization hasn’t previously invested in a sales coaching program, you can expect to see a 50% reduction in ramp time.
Over time, as your sales reps sharpen their skills and increase confidence, your organization can expect higher quota attainment. Companies with successful sales enablement and training programs have 32% higher sales team quota attainment. And companies with better sales training programs only see a 11.9% rep turnover rate compared to the industry average rate of 19.5%. High-performing sales reps who have the tools they need to be successful, make for happier employees who are more inclined to stick around.
If you’d like to learn more about how sales training and coaching software can drive faster ramp times, request a demo.
