It’s no secret that virtual training saves companies money. When you cut out the costs of venue rental, food, transportation, printed learning materials, and lodging, it amounts to significant savings. In fact, companies save anywhere from 30% to 70% when they switch to virtual training.
In addition to saving money, building a virtual learning environment for your salespeople is also more effective because it saves time, speaks their language, and has a farther reach. However, we can’t emphasize enough the importance of putting together and executing your virtual learning system correctly. Good salespeople are usually confident, extroverted, productive multitaskers, so it is imperative to provide training that captures and keeps their attention and teaches real-world skills.
A huge factor in the cost of in-person training, especially when training your sales force, is time away from the field. Studies have shown that companies which opt for virtual sales training can reduce overall training time by 40% to 60%. Basically, your sales team recaptures 40% to 60% of their time back so they can be selling. Training is a critical component for them but they know that their personal finances and their success is tied to selling, so re-gaining this time enhances the value of training for them.
More time in the field is not the only reason that quick delivery is so important. Tim Riesterer, Chief Strategy Officer for Corporate Visions says, “Product changes, competitive threats, market moves and many more issues pop up during the year that require your salespeople to get smart in a hurry. That means you have to be able to stand up a meaningful program that reaches a lot of people fast.”
Today’s sales force is more technically savvy and their ability to rely on the right technology to get their job done is critical. They expect training that is relevant, engaging and provides critical information that they can apply immediately to get the sale. The focus of sales training should fit with their workflow, utilize systems they’re familiar with, offer processes that makes them more skilled salespeople and that increases their confidence in the products or services they are selling.
Today’s salesforce is more geographically remote than before because of the international marketplace. With the dynamic nature of sales, companies need training solutions that provide real-time upskilling and experiential learning opportunities.
Using a training platform that captures attention, fosters engagement, and has the necessary tools to teach real-world sales skills is a vital key to success. Incorporating virtual role playing with different sales scenarios is a great avenue for sales upskilling. Using small group learning sessions with different product and sales scenarios is another. Top that off with the ability to assess knowledge and provide real-time feedback to improve sales training adds additional value.
The key to successful sales is a confident and well-trained sales team. Using the right virtual training solution to ensure success is critical. Jigsaw Interactive is a powerful and customizable virtual learning environment with multiple sales training tools.