Virtual sales training has taken the world of selling by storm. Increased convenience, cost-effectiveness and results are all benefits of virtual sales training. But, like traditional training, virtual sales training can be a broad and confusing term. There are multiple types of training that fall under the ‘virtual’ category, and they all serve different purposes and roles.
What is virtual sales training?
As a broad term, virtual sales training refers to any type of sales training which takes place online (or ‘virtually’). These methods of training aim to improve the effectiveness of sales teams, at the highest level of convenience and lowest possible cost of the business involved.
We say traditional sales training alone doesn’t work, so that’s why we need to provide virtual alternatives that do. A few kinds of virtual sales training which we offer here at Mentor Group include:
- Virtual/augmented reality
- Webinars
- eLearning
- Virtual workshops
- Gamification
These are just some of the options you’d have when working with us, and we normally combine multiple methods to achieve the highest quality training. But we’ll talk more about that later…
Is virtual sales training effective?
Generally, virtual sales training is a very effective way to transform your sales team and boost revenue, but it’s got to be done right. Virtual training is suitable for all types of businesses, although there are a few necessary standards we need to meet to ensure maximum effectiveness:
- Convenience - One of the main selling points of virtual sales training is its enhanced convenience over traditional methods. This is only true if you utilise an award winning virtual learning platform, such as Kairos, to deliver the training.
- Interactivity - Virtual training needs to be highly interactive to succeed. Through methods such as gamification and virtual reality we can ensure high engagement rates, which leads to effective training.
- Multiple learning styles - Using all the different methods listed above in unison with each other is very important. Ensuring we do this, prioritising the techniques which have the biggest impact within certain teams and individuals leads to effective sales training outcomes.
- Cost-effective - Another key selling point of virtual training is that it is cost effective. With Kairos, our data-driven learning experience platform, we can ensure that training is organised and easy to access, ensuring effectiveness. This is an example of how virtual sales training can be effective.
Types of virtual sales training
There are a number of virtual sales training types, which we can use either individually, or in unison, to boost revenue:
- Virtual/augmented reality - Virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR respectively) allow us to build environments that replicate real-world interactions but without the risks. Using VR headsets we can facilitate virtual roleplays which are targeted towards certain weak points in sales representatives.
- Webinars - A webinar is an online seminar which allows a trainer to present to a large audience, similarly formatted to a traditional seminar but with a few extra affordances. For example, there is no real limit on the number of attendees, most webinar systems include instant messaging services, break out rooms, and polls and surveys. We spoke more about effective webinars in another blog post.
- eLearning - Electronic learning, or ‘eLearning’, is a somewhat synonymous term to ‘virtual learning,’ and refers to the entire process of using digital software or resources to deliver a structured learning experience. For our sales training solutions, this comes through our Kairos platform.
- Gamification - The process of turning training systems into online games, to increase engagement and retention. For us, this is usually used to cement progress, and consolidate knowledge.
What to consider in a virtual sales training programme
If you’re considering virtual sales training, you need to ensure that you go with a provider who has experience and expertise in delivering sales training virtually.
Mentor Group uses cutting edge technology to deliver effective training for consistent results. Have a look at our case studies to better understand how we work alongside giants from every industry to achieve business success.
Which type of virtual sales training is most popular?
We find that the most popular method for virtual sales training is virtual reality training. This is because virtual reality training allows us to create an entire virtual environment for realistic, risk-free learning.
Virtual reality means a sales representative can effectively ‘learn on the job,’ without the potential of losing customers/clients. Field training/learning has always been one of the most impactful training types, but it comes with the drawback that practicing new techniques and implementing new training on real customers can, in the short term, decrease the quality of sales success. This risk is completely removed through virtual reality training.
Finding the right type of virtual sales training for your business
Virtual training is suitable for all types of businesses, given the broad range of training programmes available. There will be a mixture of services and methods which suit your business down to the ground, but how do we find the right balance?
At Mentor Group, we begin each sales training journey with our clients through an online questionnaire, known as a sales performance assessment, and a revenue velocity blueprint. The former comes in the form of an online questionnaire, designed so that we can understand your sales process, including and strong and weak points, so we can deliver the correct type of virtual sales training for your business. The latter is a more holistic, end-to-end map of your entire selling process. Again, this is useful to find the correct methods of virtual training for you.
If you want to learn more about how Mentor Group can help your business adopt a revenue-centric strategy, and transform the revenue potential of your organisation in the process, visit our Contact Us Page or reach out directly to info@mentorgroup.com
