How to Fast-Track Your Sales Training with Mobile Learning

Introduction

The need for sales training to equip sales teams so that they can achieve targets is higher than ever today. In this article, I show you how you can use mobile learning to fast-track sales training.

Background

In terms of significance, Sales training would rank possibly next to Leadership training for most organizations. As we know, without effective sales teams, even the best of the business plans will go awry. To succeed, organizations need to offer Sales training that is highly focused and is well aligned to help meet their business plan.

An effective Sales training:

• Should equip the teams to understand customers better, have the right resources to pitch, outsmart competition, and close leads.
• Should help sales teams create further connects to upsell or cross-sell.
• Should help them counter competition.

Once these are in place, sales teams can maintain a connect with customers and build strong, deep relationships so that they can steadily increase their wallet share of business.

Mobile Learning is a highly effective approach to offer Sales training and meet these objectives.

In this article, I show you how you can fast-track Sales training with Mobile Learning.

What Is the Gain (for Learners, Business, and L&D teams) as Organizations Opt for Mobile Learning for Sales Training?

The Value That Mobile Learning for Sales Training Brings to Learners

Mobile Learning is the preferred mode of learning for Sales training on account of its ability to:

• Provide training that is available anytime, anywhere (on the go).
• Offer flexibility to consume training at the moment of their need – on the field, during commute, or while waiting.
• Offer control to learners to decide the pace at which they want to consume it.

The Value That Mobile Learning for Sales Training Brings to the Business

From an organizational perspective, the usage of Mobile Learning for Sales training enables organizations to:

• Reach a geographically spread out audience in a short time.
• Ensure a consistent message reaches the sales team.
• Leverage it to offer on-the-job training that can deliver results faster.
• Ensure the latest updates are made quickly and deployed quickly.

The Value That Mobile Learning for Sales Training Brings to the L&D Teams

Mobile Learning is versatile and can address the complete spectrum of Sales training needs including:

• Formal training (Online or to support facilitated sessions).
• Provide instant learning aids/job aids.
• Leverage Social or Collaborative Learning.

This is not all. The training can be deployed quickly to a geographically spread out team and tracked on how it was consumed by learners.

What Are the Options through Which You Can Craft Mobile Learning Based Sales Training?

At EI, we have been crafting effective Sales trainings for over a decade now and I pick several tips and best practices that you can use.

Let’s begin by taking a look at the wish list that typical learners (from sales teams) would have for their training and see how Mobile Learning ticks all the boxes for Sales training.

What Learners Want

1. On-demand content.
2. Resources that are easily accessible (at the moment of their need).
3. Relevant and relatable content.
4. Engaging and immersive learning experiences.
5. Challenging and rewarding experience.

What the Chosen Approach Must Offer to Fast-Track Sales Training

1. Access to training – anywhere, anytime.
2. Info should be current and must be updated quickly, and these updates should pro-actively reach the learners.
3. Facilitate recall, retention (sticky learning).
4. Help them apply the acquired learning.
5. Provide room for practice (in a safe zone).
6. Provide feedback that can help learners improve.
7. Provide room for reinforcement.

What Kind of Solutions Will Help You Fast-Track Sales Training with Mobile Learning?

Part 1: Design

Microlearning: Short, focused, action-oriented learning nuggets are ideally suited for Sales reps who are always on the move. You can leverage on the granularity of Microlearning based training to offer learning paths that have multiple short nuggets to suit different aspects of learning needs.

Microlearning based training is very versatile and you can use it to offer a combination of:

• Formal training: Through a series of nuggets where each nugget helps learner accomplish a learning goal.
• Just-in-time/Instant job aids: These are of great value for the sales teams as they provide the requisite support exactly when needed. These could include Quick Reference Guides for products, Cheat Sheets, Ready Reckoners, Competition Watch, Success stories, and so on.

Additionally,

• You can offer Personalized learning paths that can be created by the learners (based on their proficiency).
• You can opt for Mobile Apps for learning that enable you to offer a more Personalized journey as well as just-in-time updates.
• You can integrate Video Based Learning for both formal learning as well as for performance support.
• You can go a notch up on classic videos by opting for Interactive Video Based Learning.

Part 2: Learning Strategies

 There are several learning strategies that can help you fast-track your Sales training with Mobile Learning. In particular, you can leverage on the following three:

1. Scenario Based Learning: This can be used to teach several skills that are mandatory to handle sales (pitch, presentation, objection handling, negotiation, and so on).
2. Decision-making simulations: These can be used to hone skills like critical thinking, decision making, understanding the impact of choices (in a safe zone).
3. Gamification: Sales teams are aligned to targets and have a competitive spirit. They respond well to Gamified learning that can help them assess where they stand or simulate how they are faring against other teams.

Part 3: Use Mobile Learning to Offer a Complete Sales Toolkit – Can Be Used at the Moment of Need

The real power of Mobile Learning for Sales training is in its ability to cover the entire spectrum of learning needs for sales teams.

Take a look at the 10 significant ways you can leverage Mobile Learning for your Sales training. You can convert these into a Sales Toolkit, which can be used at the moment of need.

1. What Is In It For Me (WIIFM) and the value the program brings in for the learner.
2. Product Fact sheets.
3. Reports and ongoing dynamic updates on:
   1. Market dynamics.
   2. Competition watch.
4. Learning aids or instant job aids to pitch – These could include how to differentiate and how to handle competition.
5. Cheat Sheets or FAQs – On Objection handling, Negotiation, Closure, and so on.
6. Tips for upselling or cross-selling.
7. Case studies or Success stories.
8. Reflection zone.
9. Collaborative Learning – with peers or seniors.
10. Curated Learning Resources – Explore and Learn.

I hope this article gives you good insights on how you can use Mobile Learning to fast-track your Sales training. If you have any specific queries, do contact me or leave a comment below.

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