Imagine this: you, as a sales manager in a mid-sized company, are tasked with ensuring your sales teams receive sales coaching throughout their time at the company. You understand that training needs to be flexible, so you invest in an e-learning training program where your sales reps can train even in remote settings and improve sales performance.
The training may offer high-quality, off-the-shelf content, but results are only measured by how many training modules he or she completes, and not linked to sales impact, ie. sales cycle, revenue, and margin growth. You cannot track the exact ROI on training, nor is it possible to understand how well the trainees are retaining and applying the learned information.
You may be investing more than ever in training initiatives, but you aren't able to track its return.
In the modern corporate environment, businesses recognize the necessity for remote-friendly training methods for their sales teams and are steering away from in-person workshop-based training methods.
However, despite e-learning platforms providing distance-friendly training possibilities for employees, they typically don't link to business impact, and just simply miss the captivating aspects.
Today, the ability to get real value from training distinguishes businesses that flourish and adapt with resilience amid change, from those that lag behind in the intensely competitive business environment.
So what is the secret to building sales capabilities and driving growth while keeping up with the ever-changing demands of the market?
What's in this post?
What is coaching for sales?
First things first: what exactly is the definition of sales coaching, and what impact does it have on a sales team?
A new sales rep will usually go through onboarding, where they will learn a range of essential skills that will equip them for their job in sales, including product knowledge and expertise, customer profiling and targeting, effective communication & soft skills, how to use tools such as CRM software, company values & culture, and how to handle difficult clients, to name a few important elements of onboarding a new sales representative.
But that shouldn't be where it ends - not at all.
The business landscape is constantly changing, customers are becoming increasingly difficult. In order to maximize the sales rep's performance and give reps the tools they need to maintain a positive impact and sales success, sales managers invest in effective sales coaching. This way, every sales rep is supported and given the tools they need to successfully meet both their individual quota and the quota and goals set for the team by the sales coaching process.
What is the key objective of sales coaching?
“We want our employees to be owners from day one, so we train them to take ownership of products and services that impact millions of customers. This helps them pioneer a career at Amazon.” - Teal Pennebaker, corporate communications manager at Amazon
The key objective of a sales coaching program is to improve the effectiveness and success of sales representatives in a sales team. Many sales managers improve the sales performance of their team members by implementing a coaching program.
Some organizations do this by delegating coaching to managers, whilst others establish individualized coaching for each employee.
According to a study that analyzed over 200 service businesses across the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Germany, companies coaching their employees could be ranked between the following five milestones, which the organizations either met or missed.
13 effective sales coaching tips that work
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Offer ongoing sales coaching
Offering sales teams continuous training opportunities is a strategic need in the fast-paced world of business. According to research, a whopping 94% of employees say they would strongly prefer to stay with a business that supports their personal and professional development. Organizations that embrace a culture of continuous learning show a dedication to developing the potential of their sales teams, which increases engagement among sales reps, increases productivity, fosters a sense of fulfillment, and thus strengthens their loyalty.
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Incorporate role-play simulations
Today, leading businesses already understand the critical significance of using role-playing exercises in sales coaching to hone the crucial soft skills needed within the sales process, such as negotiation, handling difficult customer interactions, leading conversations to close deals, value selling, etc. Sales teams can develop the self-assurance and dexterity required to successfully lead complex conversations with clients by immersing themselves in realistic simulations, and online role-playing games, powered by AI, provide a secure environment for reps to practice just this.
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Provide feedback in a psychologically safe environment
Receiving criticism isn't always easy, particularly from other sales professionals or coaches, or in front of an entire team. When feedback on performance is given to sales reps in a psychologically safe environment, reps are more willing to accept helpful criticism and admit where they can do better, as opposed to becoming defensive or resistant. This mentality change provides the way for progress and constant improvement.
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Encourage self-refection
Emotional intelligence (EI) is characterized by the Institute for Health and Human Potential as having the capacity to:
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Recognize, comprehend, and control our own feelings
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Recognize, comprehend, and influence other people's emotions
This entails understanding how emotions - both our own and those of others - can influence others and drive our behavior, both positively and adversely, and learning how to regulate those emotions, especially when we are under pressure.
Self-reflection is a typical activity of people with high emotional intelligence - and without self-reflection, even top sales reps may find themselves continuously adopting the same strategies, using their default settings, and still hoping for a different outcome.
Talking too fast, using too much jargon, being too pushing during a negotiation, and not giving enough time for customers to talk and express their pains - through providing sales reps with self-reflection opportunities, for instance, by rewatching themselves on video-powered training platforms, successful sales reps will be able to reflect back on their performance and see first-hand how others perceive them and adapt their approach.
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Is remote-friendly
As discussed earlier, the significance of remote-friendly training cannot be emphasized in the fast-paced world of sales coaching. Offering training that is usable from anywhere is essential given the development of remote work and dispersed sales teams. Without regard to their physical locations, sales representatives can remain connected and engaged thanks to remote-friendly sales coaching, which promotes knowledge sharing among team members. This adaptability guarantees that sales teams may continue to succeed in the face of dynamic business problems, ultimately resulting in great sales performance and securing a competitive edge in the market.
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Sales coaching that is available on-demand
Organizations with strong learning cultures can increase the opportunity and desire for upskilling and ongoing staff development by democratizing learning and making it available on demand (instead of through set training programs). This way, sales managers can broaden the opportunities for upskilling and continual employee development.
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Offers timely feedback
“When you’re coaching your sales reps, make sure your feedback is timely, consistent, objective, accurate, individualized, and relevant.” - Barry Trailer, Research Principal CSO InsightsInstant feedback is when knowledge is given contextually and in direct reaction to the trainee's behavior, whilst they are still actively learning. When training feedback is provided instantly, it aids in their understanding development and helps to reinforce the knowledge by pointing out errors, validating competency, or dispelling common misconceptions about the subject. Learning becomes active rather than passive when feedback is provided immediately rather than over time.
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Sales coaching content that excites trainees
Enthusiasm and engagement are key catalysts when it comes to optimal learning and information retention. When it comes to sales coaching techniques, this is certainly no exception. Sales leaders need to excite reps, and reps need to want to be engaging in coaching sessions.
Investing in AI for effective sales coaching
AI is transforming the landscape of L&D initiatives globally.
Retorio's Behavioral Intelligence Platform, for instance, is helping companies globally amplify their training initiatives and captivate sales reps through engaging, AI-powered simulation training programs.
Because of their scalability, cost-efficiency, and interactive components, organizations are swiftly turning to AI-powered sales training platforms like that of Retorio. Such training programs are intended to facilitate the seamless development of knowledge and abilities required to master the interpersonal skills required by sales representatives.
Through incorporating AI-powered training software into training initiatives such as Retorio, companies globally are able to:
- Drive revenue faster as reps learn to lead conversations that close deals
- Ensure reps are engaged during training sessions
- Offer on-demand training available around the clock, and work around rep's busy schedules
- Link training directly to business outcomes, and know their ROI
- Integrate Retorio directly with their CRM
- Provide reps with instant, personalized feedback on training performance
- Offer sales reps further training based on AI-powered feedback
Want o try out how you could easily develop interactive scenarios that mirror real-life sales discussions, have reps practice interactions, and receive AI-based feedback to help them improve their skills?
Try our AI for yourself today and see how you could transform your L&D strategy today!
