One of the most commonly asked questions sales trainers get is, “What are the hottest trends in sales training?” It’s a good question, especially in this fast-paced world where salespeople are racing to be credible, efficient and knowledgeable. Sales training is a great way to improve your skills and stay ahead of the curve. Rather than relying completely on your products- make sure your skills make a difference when your client is considering the deal.
In an uncertain economic climate, now more than ever is a crucial time for sales training organizations and executives to look at trends in order to make the best use of their resources and ensure that none go to waste. Research shows that during the first few years of the global economic recession, sales training investment plummeted. With the economy slowly recovering however, cautious organizations and executives have started to reinvest, albeit in new ways that still facilitate training and development but are clearly on the money-saving side of things. It’s worth noting though, that these companies are looking to continue investing over the next few years to come.
Here are some trends worth paying attention to.
Learning powered by technology – The advent of new technologies and the ever-growing influence of the Internet have definitely caused an impact on the sales training process. Virtual training, also known as elearning, used to be just a growing fad amongst early adopters. No longer is that the case today, as sales professionals depend on the web to reduce expenditure, at the same time creating a richer and thorough training experience.
Growth – As mentioned earlier, expenditures for sales training services and products increased by over 10 percent this year from 2010. The news has been a relief to suppliers of training products, which is evident in the return of customized training products and services for clients with specific needs.
Consulting – Despite not being a new trend, there has been a significant increase of trainers teaching this strategy to boost sales. The goal isn’t to just push products and services to clients, but to also solve some of their problems and provide solutions to issues that could potentially increase their productivity.
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