5 Online Sales Training Mistakes To Avoid

Your sales team carries a great deal of weight on their shoulders, especially if they are aspiring to be top earners who contribute to your bottom line. As such, they need access to effective online sales training materials that build essential skills and keep them informed about the latest and greatest products. In this article, I’ll share 5 online sales training mistakes that you should avoid in order to drive your sales to an all-time high.

How To Avoid The 5 Common Online Sales Training Mistakes

No matter how beneficial your products might be or how many resources you invest into your marketing plan, all will be for naught if your online training program is sub-par. You must ensure that your sales team has all of the skills, know-how, and experience they need to seal the deal, which hinges on the effectiveness of your online training courses.

As sales training is always a top priority, here are 5 of the most common online sales training mistakes you should steer clear of, as well as ways that you can overcome them.

1. Using a “one size fits all” online sales training strategy

Every employee has specific learning needs, goals, and preferences. So, it makes perfect sense that there is no “one size fits all” online sales training strategy that will work for your entire sales team. You must be ready and willing to research your employees’ background, experience, and knowledge base in order to develop a dynamic and personalized online sales training program that meets their needs.

Even if you rely on eLearning templates, themes, and asset libraries to create your online sales training course, there should still be some level of customization involved, if you want to make it truly effective.

Ideally, you will want to get feedback from your audience, speak with sales managers and supervisors, and meet with Subject Matter Experts who can help you create an engaging online sales training strategy.

2. Not addressing the benefits or applications of online sales training

The benefits of sales representative training should be pretty clear to everyone. Your sales team should be well aware of how they will be able to use the information or skills and the benefits that online sales training will bring. Otherwise, they may lack the motivation and drive that they need to actively participate in the online sales training experience.

Before they even click on the first module make sure they know what is expected of them, the key takeaways involved, and what they are going to be doing with the information they acquire. For example, inform them that they will be learning how to complete a sales transaction using the POS system before they engage in a true-to-life simulation.

Mention that the online activity will help them provide better customer service and increase their sales, due to the fact that they can complete a transaction from start to finish. Better yet, include gamification and scenarios that show them how online sales training applies in real-world settings.

3. Underestimating the importance of ongoing online sales training

Online sales training is not a one-time thing that you should only offer to newcomers. Every member of your sales staff must receive ongoing online sales training in order to brush up on their skills and retain knowledge.

Repetition is essential, as it gives them the chance to commit information to their long-term memory. As a result, they are able to recall important concepts and ideas when they need them the most, like when they are helping a customer.

Ongoing online sales training also offers them the opportunity to build upon preexisting knowledge, so that it’s easier for them to absorb new information and add it to their mental schema. Host monthly online sales training events where sales employees can share their ideas, address their concerns, and ask questions. Integrate online activities that center on new procedures or products.

4. Focusing on products instead of skills

Speaking of products, despite the fact that product knowledge is essential, it is just one piece of the puzzle. Your sales team might be well versed in all of your products and services. They might be able to highlight every feature or spec of a particular product line. But does all of this knowledge translate to actual sales?

The simple truth is that your employees need to have the skills to sell your products to the customer. They must be able to communicate effectively, negotiate the details, and identify the needs of your customer base by actively listening.

Simulations are a great tool for this purpose, as they give them the chance to interact with characters in a safe and supportive environment. Employees are able to learn more about the importance of body language and empathy, as well as other soft skills, by interacting with virtual customers.

5. Creating passive online sales training content

Interactivity is the cornerstone of a successful online sales training program. To illustrate this point, consider these two online training activities: watching an eLearning video and participating in a branching scenario. While watching an eLearning video might be engaging and informative, it doesn’t give employees the power to interact and connect with the online sales training content. They are passive participants. An online sales training scenario, on the other hand, encourages them to dive into the subject matter and make choices that lead to realistic consequences.

Online discussions, group collaboration activities, webinars, simulations, and eLearning games are all perfect examples of interactive online content that you can use in your online sales training program. These online activities can also help to reduce corporate learner boredom and boost their motivation, thanks to the fact that online sales training is more tactile and immersive.

Keep this list of these top 5 online sales training mistakes on-hand when you’re developing your next training course to promote sales enablement. If you are ready to launch, then use it as a checklist to make sure that your sales staff gets all of the tools and resources they need to increase profits.

Do you need to give your sales staff real-world experience without exposing them to real-world repercussions? Discover how to create a hands-on online training demo to discover a tool that can help you create an effective hands-on demonstration for your corporate learners.