How do you train remote sales teams?

Sales teams are now in different time zones and continents!

Hybrid working is here to stay, but what does that mean for Sales Training and Coaching?

Sales training for remote-based staff can be highly effective when approached with the right tools and strategies that accommodate the unique challenges and opportunities of remote work environments. Here's how we conduct sales training and coaching with remote-based staff:

Leverage Technology

We use video conferencing platforms like Zoom or Microsoft Teams to conduct live training and follow up coaching/ mentoring sessions. By ensuring interactive features like polls, breakout rooms, and screen sharing we keep sessions engaging.

Online Learning Management Systems (LMS)

We work with your LMS systems (or can provide through our own) where staff can access training materials, video tutorials, and interactive modules. This allows for self-paced learning, which is often necessary for remote teams working across different time zones. We’ll also suggest using these materials as a pre-training warm up and can even use them as part of the recruitment process for your organisation to identify the right staff member for your business.

Regular Webinars and Workshops

We schedule periodic live webinars to cover new content, sales strategies, product updates, or soft skills development. Recorded sessions can be provided for those who cannot attend live of course.

Virtual Role-Playing

Role-playing is a crucial part of sales training; it can be conducted virtually through video calls. This helps in practicing sales pitches, objection handling, and closing techniques in a simulated environment that mirrors real interactions. I utilise role-playing extensively and will also often reverse roles to really shake things up.

Tailored Content

I always develop sales training material that is specifically designed for each client and specifically for remote sales processes, including telephone and video conferencing etiquette, writing persuasive emails, and managing virtual client relationships as well as how to close sales and built long lasting engagement when working remotely.

Use of Collaborative Tools

We will use and incorporate collaborative tools such as WhatsApp, Slack, Teams, Asana, Trello or client’s own brand versions for team activities, follow-ups, and to foster a community of learning where learners/ delegates will share experiences and tips plus it’s a place to make sure their learning is solidified.

Interactive and Microlearning

I also create short, bite-size focused training content specifically aimed at remote staff to consume in-between their tasks. This includes short video lessons, infographics, quizzes, and quick reads.

Gamification

I like to incorporate elements of gamification with points, badges, and leader boards to motivate remote staff as it makes learning fun and encourages friendly competition, which is always key when planning tools to maximise engagement.

Coaching and Mentoring

Coaching and mentoring is vital for a 360-sales training experience. It’s useful to pair salespeople with more experienced staff members to act as their coach or mentor for personalised guidance. This can be facilitated through regular video calls, chat, and shared digital workspaces. I also provide a coaching and ongoing mentoring service above all, however, giving staff the tools to support each other rapidly increases learning and growth.

Mobile Accessibility

Our training content is mobile-friendly, allowing sales staff to access learning materials anytime, anywhere, from their smartphones or tablets, there’s nothing to inhibit their learning progress.

Continuous Feedback and Support

Feedback is extremely important, I have a system for ongoing feedback where remote sales staff will regularly discuss their progress with their trainer or their managers, ask questions, and seek additional support as needed. I also believe in support where I’ll get in touch and seek feedback as well.

Monitor Progress and Adapt

Working in concert with your existing KPI’s, we will use analytics and reporting tools to track engagement, progress, and performance and use this data to adapt training programs to better meet the needs of remote staff for your business.

We use these strategies to ensure your remote sales teams are just as well-equipped and informed as any in-house team, maintaining a high standard of training and development despite the physical distances.

If you’d like to find out how we can do this for your business, please get in touch.