Virtual Sales Training Programs: 10 Skills Every Seller Needs to Master

Often, sales leaders believe that great sellers are born, not made. But this is a myth.

If they can access the right sales training and support, any seller can master the skills needed to be a top performer.

But in-person sales training isn’t always the most practical (or effective) approach. Instead, revenue organizations invest in virtual sales training programs to ensure their sellers can grow their skills for success – regardless of their geographical location.

In this post, we’ll explore virtual sales training and how it differs from in-person training. We’ll also share 10 key sales skills any revenue organization should incorporate into its virtual sales training programs to ensure every seller is set up for success.

What is virtual sales training?

The phrase “sales training” may conjure up images of a sales trainer or enablement professional delivering training on a specific topic to a room full of sales reps. But what is virtual sales training?

As you may have guessed, virtual sales training uses digital tools to deliver sales training remotely. With virtual sales training, sales reps can access instruction, reinforcement, practice opportunities, and feedback – without being physically present in a classroom or training session.

Virtual sales training can be instructor-led. In other words, attendees may attend a sales training session live but remotely. This is made possible by tools including video conferencing software and revenue enablement platforms.

Or, virtual sales training can be on-demand. That means sellers can access sales training whenever and wherever they need it. Some examples of on-demand virtual sales training include:

• Recorded webinars
• eLearning modules
• Video tutorials
• Bite-sized reinforcement
• Virtual role-plays

Again, the right technology is critical to creating and delivering on-demand virtual sales training programs and then measuring their effectiveness.

How are virtual sales training programs different from in-person sales training programs?

Virtual sales training programs differ from in-person training programs in several key ways.

One of the biggest differences is how the training is delivered and consumed. With in-person sales training, a group physically meets in the same location. A sales trainer or sales enablement professional often leads it.

Virtual sales training is delivered remotely. Sellers can access it from anywhere thanks to technology like video conferencing software and revenue enablement platforms.

Due to the nature of virtual sales training, it’s often more convenient (and less costly) than in-person training. If you have a geographically dispersed sales team, your sales reps must take time away from the field to travel to and attend in-person training. You’ll incur travel expenses for attendees and lost revenue from when your sellers were out of the field.

On the other hand, sellers can engage in virtual sales training from anywhere. That means they can attend a training – and then return to selling.

Another key difference is that virtual sales training is easier to customize to the needs of each seller. If you convene a large group of sellers for in-person training, they will receive the same instruction. That’s OK – as long as it’s relevant to everyone. But if not, some attendees will be wasting their time on irrelevant sales training.

On the flip side, virtual sales training programs make it easier for sellers to access relevant training that aligns with their strengths, weaknesses, and learning styles. For example, sellers who struggle with objection handling can consume training modules that help them strengthen this skill. However, experts in objection handling don’t have to waste their time.

Top skills for virtual selling success

Virtual sales training can effectively ensure your sellers have the instruction and support they need to succeed. Let’s look at 10 top skills you’ll want to incorporate into your virtual sales training programs.

 #1 Discovery

To have any hope of making a sale, a seller must be able to find accounts and buyers that fit your target customer base and ask insightful questions to provide relevant and meaningful outreach and content.

Uncovering a prospect’s pain points, priorities, objectives, and buying team dynamics during discovery sales calls is crucial for continued engagement as the prospect moves further down the funnel. Have top-performing reps share best practices for discovery with others on the team to help everyone hone this skill.

 #2 Time management

In a perfect world, salespeople could devote 100% of their time to sales activities: sending emails, making sales calls, and closing deals.

But today’s selling experience is complex, requiring many seemingly minor tasks that largely contribute to a deal’s success. For this reason, reps must be able to juggle it all, prioritizing the highest-value items on their to-do lists and responding to buyer requests on time.

One-on-one coaching sessions between manager and seller are useful for finding ways the rep can manage their time and maximize productivity.

 #3 Technology use

Numerous sales tools have been introduced to automate, streamline, and/or measure sellers’ daily activities. Whether it’s a content management system, conversation intelligence, or a revenue enablement platform, reps must be able to use technology effectively. It’s up to IT, sales, and sales enablement leadership to ensure salespeople are adequately trained on these systems.