What are the different types of sales training?

Sales training programs help salespeople learn new skills, improve their selling confidence, and advance their careers. But why are these courses vital for business growth? This article explains how different types of sales training can improve bottom-line results, boost conversion prospects, and bolster company success. 

Why sales training is so important

Builds Buyer Trust 

Most sales courses certify participants with credentials to validate their experience, making it easy to demonstrate legitimate expertise when approaching new business prospects. To quantify this, a recent LinkedIn Sales Report found that 89% of buyers prefer to do business with salespeople who are trusted advisors. 

Improves Employee Engagement and Retention Rates

On top of building buyer trust, sales training is so necessary because the investment positively impacts employee satisfaction, motivation, retention, and enterprise agility. Essentially, the more learning opportunities employees receive to foster new skills, the more engaged they become. 

Promotes Productivity and Increases Sales Targets 

Investing in employee development creates a talent pool of dedicated, engaged employees geared for promotion and upward mobility. In addition, companies that set clear development paths for staff and regularly fund training in sales skills reap the rewards. According to a recent study by Gallup, companies that invest in training average 10% higher customer metrics, 17% higher productivity, 20% higher sales, and 21% higher profitability. 

Supports Company Longevity 

Richard Branson once stated: “customers come second, employees first. It’s a philosophy that brings unexpected benefits to both the company and its clients.” In other words, this training-induced positivity has a boomerang effect – expertly-trained employees interact with customers with a whole new level of confidence and authenticity, providing an overall better (and more attractive) service. 

Better training leads to better employee engagement, and better employee engagement leads to more conversions and returning clients, fortifying future business prospects. 

Different types of sales training 

Sales training programs can be completed in a number of ways. Virtually or in person, through single or multiple sessions, and for varying durations. Ultimately, they are all meant to assess the skill level of sales representatives and provide them with the necessary tools to take ownership of their career development. 

If you want your team to win clients and close deals with consistency and integrity, you should be aware of the different types of sales training. Here are several examples of sales skills courses with Pareto. 

Sales Fundamentals 

Even those at the top of their game can benefit from going back to basics. Sales Fundamentals offers a robust return to what matters when making sales among the various types of sales training. This course is ideal for anyone starting in sales or looking for top-up training to accelerate their career development. Participants will master how to identify and adopt the attributes of a successful seller today, effectively use a consultative sales approach to drive sales performance, handle objections confidently to improve client commitment levels, and more. 

Telephone Sales Training

The Telephone Sales Training disproves the myth that cold calls don’t work, demonstrating how a positive mindset is crucial for generating, qualifying, and maximising sales opportunities on the telephone. Participants will discover how to carry out professional introductions, build rapport with prospective clients, use effective questioning to uncover client needs, and master the basics of top customer service.

Professional Selling Skills Training 

Adapting to an increasingly remote world is essential for the success of any company that relies on business growth to prosper. The Professional Selling Skills Training upskills participants in digital sales, pivoting procedures to suit the latest tech and trends. The training helps sales representatives identify new ways to tailor their pitch, demonstrate online value, and funnel customers to the next stage of the virtual sales process. 

Account Management 

Account Management is a key focus in some types of sales training. This programme focuses on how to impactfully up-sell and handle your accounts to maximise business relations and opportunities. Delegates will discover where to focus their skills, time, and efforts to generate specific account strategies, increase their customer value, and facilitate long-term revenue growth.

Negotiation Skills Training 

Negotiation Training courses allow representatives to advance and monetise their sales skills to impact clients through real-life negotiation simulations. Through team role-play and individual exercises, participants will learn how to assess the variables within offers, locate substantial value to solve specific client pains and repackage value proposals (during negotiation) to serve client needs.

Sales Excellence 

Among the more advanced types of sales training, Sales Excellence provides a specialist glance at levelling up sales skills. Sales representatives who take part can upgrade their skills through improved client engagement rates, building credibility, developing powerful question techniques, mastering the art of story-telling and proof statements, and owning the sales pipeline. 

Sales Presentation Skills Training 

Even the most confident leaders sometimes fail to deliver presentations with enough power to hook new business. The Sales Presentation Skills Training teaches participants to create a convincing, informative and memorable pitch, enabling sales reps to highlight their product and ensure a tangible return. This course is suitable for team members aspiring to enhance in-demand verbal and non-verbal communication skills. 

Sales Management and Leadership Training

Designed for more senior roles and sales-focused entrepreneurs, Sales Leadership Training empowers participants to become unrivalled visionaries in their field. The training provides leaders with the tools to motivate and inspire high-performing sales teams and set definitive standards and key performance indicators to secure consistent results.

Providing staff with sales training can give companies a competitive edge and unlock the leadership potential of every employee. Improving the fundamentals and upgrading negotiation skills can help employees take charge of their sales and transform business performance. To find out more types of sales training led by specialists, click here.