Every seller on your team – from the newest to the most experienced – needs ongoing sales coaching to refine their skills and reach their full potential. In fact, recent research found 91% of sales managers feel coaching positively impacts their team’s performance.
Considering its impact, it’s really no wonder why so many managers view sales coaching as one of their most important tasks as leaders.
But in today’s world, traditional, in-person sales coaching isn’t always the most practical or effective approach. Instead, many organizations have shifted – at least partially – to online sales coaching. Often, those who make this shift find themselves better equipped to deliver personalized, effective sales coaching that truly moves the needle.
So, what exactly is online sales coaching, and how can you build a program that equips each sales rep to be a top performer? Read on to explore everything you need to know about online sales coaching and how to build an effective program that prepares your sellers for success.
What is online sales coaching?
There’s no doubt you’re familiar with the concept of sales coaching. But what exactly is online sales coaching?
Online sales coaching (also known as virtual sales coaching) is the practice of leveraging digital tools and platforms to deliver guidance and support that helps sellers refine their skills and improve their performance.
Some examples of tools and platforms used for online sales coaching include:
- Video conferencing software
- CRM
- Conversation intelligence software
- Role-playing tools
- Analytics and insights tools
- Revenue enablement platforms
Online sales coaching can be used to deliver various types of sales coaching to sellers, including:
- Deal coaching: Offering guidance on current deals to improve outcomes.
- Skill coaching: Providing feedback to help sellers enhance their skills and behaviors, leading to better long-term sales performance.
In some cases, virtual sales coaching is delivered to sales reps in real-time by their sales manager. For instance, a seller may have weekly coaching calls with their manager to discuss active deals and strategize on next steps.
However, some online sales coaching programs also offer sellers the flexibility to access on-demand support coaching and support as needed. For example, organizations may use conversation intelligence tools that offer feedback after each sales call. Or, they may use AI role-plays, which provide sellers with real-time feedback they can use to improve their skills and behaviors.
What’s the difference between online and in-person coaching?
When you hear the term “sales coaching,” you might first think of traditional, in-person sales coaching. As the name suggests, in-person sales coaching involves providing feedback, support, and guidance to a seller who is physically present with you.
While in-person and online sales coaching both aim to improve seller performance, they’re not the same thing.
One of the biggest differences between in-person and online and sales coaching lies in how coaching is delivered. In-person sales coaching is delivered face-to-face, often in an office or meeting room, and can be conducted in a one-on-one session or with a larger group. On the other hand, online sales coaching is conducted virtually.
Because of its remote format, online sales coaching tends to be a more flexible approach than in-person sales coaching. Sales reps can be coached from anywhere. In addition, online sales coaching programs often incorporate on-demand features, allowing sellers to get real-time support whenever they need it.
Both online and in-person sales coaching typically involve the sales manager. However, online sales coaching can also leverage AI, which provides sellers with more immediate feedback.
Online and in-person sales coaching also use different tools and technology. For example, organizations often use face-to-face discussions, live role-plays, and physical materials for in-person coaching programs. Online sales coaching requires different tools, which might include video conferencing software, conversation intelligence tools, AI role-plays, and integrated revenue enablement platforms.
| Online sales coaching | In-person sales coaching | |
|---|---|---|
Goal |
Improve sales performance |
Improve sales performance |
Setting |
Virtual, through the use of digital tools and platforms. |
Face-to-face, often in an office or meeting room. Meetings can be one-on-one or a group setting. |
Level of flexibility |
Highly flexible. Sales reps and coaches can attend from anywhere.
In addition, ongoing sales coaching programs often incorporate on-demand capabilities, which enables sellers to access support whenever they need it. |
Less flexible, as the sales rep and sales manager must be in the same physical location at the same time. |
Who is responsible for delivering coaching |
– Sales manager – Other individuals, including level up managers or peers, may be involved in sales coaching – Artificial intelligence |
– Sales manager – Other individuals, including level up managers or peers, may be involved in sales coaching |
When coaching happens |
– Pre-scheduled, recurring meetings – On an ad hoc basis, as manager availability allows – On-demand |
– Pre-scheduled, recurring meetings – On an ad hoc basis, as manager availability allows |
Examples of tools and technology used |
– Video conferencing software – CRM – Conversation intelligence tools – AI role-plays – Revenue enablement platforms |
– Face-to-face discussions – Live role-plays – Physical materials – Attendee notes |
Why is online sales coaching important?
Sales coaching is an important part of any sales enablement strategy. Why? Because it works. A recent analysis found that high performing sellers receive significantly more coaching than their lower performing peers. That’s not a coincidence.
But why is online sales coaching particularly important?
While sales coaching can have a big impact on performance, one-size-fits-all coaching doesn’t work. Instead, sales coaching must be personalized to the needs of every sales rep.
But delivering tailored sales coaching isn’t exactly easy, especially when 70% of sales managers report an increase in team size over the past year, and each rep on those increasingly large teams has different needs. To further complicate matters, sales teams are often spread across different geographical locations.
Virtual sales coaching offers a flexible way to deliver effective, personalized sales coaching at scale. Sales leaders can quickly determine the strengths and weaknesses of each rep, and then offer targeted feedback, support, and guidance to improve their skills and performance.
With the right online sales coaching program, sellers can master the skills and behaviors they need to close more deals faster, leading to accelerated revenue growth. Additionally, your online sales coaching program will provide the support sellers need in their roles, which will boost satisfaction and improve retention.
How can you create an effective online sales coaching program?
An online sales coaching program is a great way to provide the support and guidance your sellers need to excel in their roles. It’s no surprise that so many organizations are incorporating online sales coaching into their revenue enablement strategies.
Building an online sales coaching program from scratch can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Let’s take a closer look at some of the key steps you’ll need to take when developing your online sales coaching program.
The first, foundational step is to define your sales coaching objectives. Start by asking yourself what you aim to achieve by building and deploying an online sales coaching program.
Avoid setting vague goals. Instead, focus on specific, measurable objectives. Examples include:
- Increasing win rates by x%
- Increasing average deal size by x%
- Decreasing the average sales cycle length by x%
- Decreasing time to first sale by x%
The right online sales coaching tools and technology can have a large impact on the success of your program. After setting your goals, you can identify the sales coaching software that will help you achieve them.
For example, you may need a conversation intelligence tool to get insight into reps’ skills and behaviors while on sales calls. Or, you may need a tool sales reps can use to engage in interactive role-plays and get real-time feedback. In addition, you’ll need the right tools to measure the impact of your online sales coaching efforts.
Rather than using point solutions that each address a specific aspect of online sales coaching, consider investing in an integrated revenue enablement platform. Often, these platforms provide a variety of online sales coaching tools – all in one integrated solution.
Generic online sales coaching won’t cut it. Instead, coaching must be tailored to the needs of each sales rep.
If you haven’t already done so, create ideal rep profiles (IRPs) that outline the essential skills and competencies required for each sales role in your organization. Then, measure each seller against the IRP to identify their strengths and weaknesses. Online sales coaching efforts should focus on addressing weaker areas.
Online sales coaching isn’t a one-time event. Instead, it must be a continuous effort.
Most sales managers rely on scheduled meetings to determine when it’s time to coach reps. So be sure your managers set up recurring coaching meetings with each of their sales reps.
It’s also important to provide your sellers with guidance and coaching outside of their regularly scheduled coaching calls. For example, AI sales coaching tools can recommend next steps for a seller to take, which can improve the outcome of an open deal. Additionally, an AI sales coach can provide feedback to sellers after sales calls and during interactive role–plays, which they can use to improve their skills right away.
Often, great sellers are promoted to the role of sales manager. But they may not necessarily have the skills needed to effectively coach and lead a team.
Be sure to provide all new sales managers with proper training so they can grow the skills needed to be great coaches. It’s also important to provide them with ongoing coaching to continuously improve their ability to coach and lead their teams.
Without ongoing measurement, it’s difficult to assess whether or not you’re on track to achieve your online sales coaching goals. Be sure to track key sales coaching metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of your virtual sales coaching program and identify opportunities for improvement. You can use these insights to grow and optimize your online sales coaching program for even greater impact.
Kick your online sales coaching program into high gear with Mindtickle
Every sales rep needs ongoing coaching to reach their full potential. With the right online sales coaching tools, you can start delivering tailored, impactful sales coaching that improves sales skills and performance.
Mindtickle is an award-winning revenue enablement platform offering a comprehensive suite of sales coaching tools. With Mindtickle, you can easily identify the strengths and weaknesses of each sales rep and provide targeted coaching to improve weaknesses.
Of course, sellers may also need support beyond their regularly scheduled sales coaching sessions. Mindtickle uses AI to deliver real-time, relevant online sales coaching to each seller – whenever and wherever they need it. For example, AI role-plays in Mindtickle allow sellers to practice their skills in a safe environment and get immediate feedback they can apply before money is on the line.
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By Poornima Mohandas
By Rahul Mathew