Gone are the days of cold calls and one-size-fits-all pitches. Today’s B2B buyers are savvier, more informed, and have access to several options at their fingertips. What makes it more complicated is that 90% of buyers don’t follow a linear sales funnel path, leaving sales reps little to no room for mistakes.
This makes B2B sales training more important than ever. A well-designed programme, paired with a robust training software, will empower your sales reps with the knowledge they need to deliver value and close more deals.
In this article, we’ll explore the B2B sales process, types and components of an effective training programme, best practices, current trends, and pitfalls to avoid.
What Does the Business to Business (B2B) Sales Process Look Like?
The B2B sales process is a structured yet flexible journey tailored to meet the unique needs of customers. It starts with prospecting for potential leads, then moves through to negotiation and closing the deal. Each stage requires specific selling skills to satisfy prospect needs.
Here’s what the B2B sales cycle looks like:
- Prospecting: This business development is where the sales process begins, as sales reps search for potential clients who might need their products or services.
- Qualification: Salespeople evaluate whether their solution fits the prospect’s needs.
- Researching and identifying needs: This stage of sales development is about understanding the potential client’s specific needs and pain points.
- Initial meeting / Pitch: This is the opportunity to make a solid first impression with a well-prepared pitch that addresses the prospect’s unique requirements.
- Objection handling: Sales reps address any concerns or doubts the prospect might have, showcasing their expertise and the value of their solution. For example, if the budget is a concern, the sales rep will highlight the long-term value and ROI of the solution.
- Negotiation: Sales reps and prospects will enter talks to find an agreement that suits the client’s needs and the sales goals.
- Close: This is where all the hard work pays off, turning the prospect into a customer.
What is B2B Sales Training?
B2B sales training equips sellers with skills, techniques, and tactics for selling products or services to other businesses. It plays a pivotal role in nurturing top selling talent who contribute to company growth.
The value of an effective training programme is clear, with businesses seeing over 350% ROI, as reported by Accenture. This significant return not only boosts a company’s overall revenue but also benefits sales reps through increased deal closures and higher earnings.
The Difference Between B2B and B2C Sales Training
B2B sales involve larger deals with reps focusing on building relationships and aligning solutions with customers’ unique requirements. The decision cycle is often longer. B2C sales, on the other hand, are more about quick transactions and appealing to customers’ emotions.
When training B2B sales professionals, it’s important to focus on a skill set that aligns with its unique nature. This includes market understanding, solution selling, and long-term relationship building. B2B salespeople must know how to navigate complex negotiations and adjust their approach to meet each decision-maker’s objectives. B2C sales training will focus on emotional appeal and techniques that drive immediate sales.
Types of B2B Sales Training for Sales Leaders and Sales Reps
Training programmes for B2B sales help sales teams improve their skills as business, market, and customer needs change. From the initial onboarding of new salespeople to the nuances of management and ethical practices, B2B sales training plays a role in sculpting a competent and agile salesforce.
Onboarding Training
Onboarding training equips beginners with the necessary fundamentals in company policies, product knowledge, and sales processes. It’s the first step in moulding a capable and confident sales team.
Product Training
Product training dives into what’s being sold, ensuring sales representatives can speak confidently and accurately about the products or services and their benefits.
Sales Skills Training
Sales skills training hones the art of complex negotiation, communication, and persuasion tactics. It’s about refining those essential skills that build relationships and turn prospects into customers.
Technology Training
Technology training keeps sales teams up-to-date with the latest tools and solutions to streamline the sales process, from CRM systems to data analytics. Beyond basic technology training, sales reps will benefit from training on CRM practices, including managing customer interactions, tracking sales activities, and using data for better engagement.
Industry and Market Training
This training focuses on the broader industry context, helping sales organisations understand and adapt to market trends, competitive strategies, vertical selling, and customer segments.
Upsell and Cross-Sell Training
The ability to upsell and cross-sell using add-ons or upgrades ensures reps can maximise revenue growth while improving customer experience with added value.
Ethical Sales Practices Training
Integrity and ethical behaviour are essential for all sales reps. This training would cover topics like ethical selling techniques, legal compliance, and maintaining a positive company reputation.
Sales Manager Training
Management training is for those steering the sales ship, focusing on leadership, process development, and team management.
Designing and Implementing a B2B Sales Training Programme
A B2B sales training programme must address the immediate sales team skills gaps and align with long-term business goals.
1. Conduct a Needs Assessment
All training programs should begin with a needs assessment. Analyse the sales team’s current skills, identify areas for improvement, and align training with your business goals. This step ensures the training is targeted, relevant, and valuable.
2. Customise Training Content
Tailor sales training modules to address identified needs. This includes creating modules that cover industry-specific insights, practical sales scenarios, in-depth product knowledge, and critical sales and soft skills.
3. Select Training Methods and Materials
Choosing the proper training approach and materials is crucial for engaging your team. This means finding the right mix of in-person, blended, or online sales training based on your team’s location and learning styles. Incorporate interactive exercises and real-world materials like role-playing and case studies to improve the learning experience.
4. Integrate Sales Methodology into Training
Ensure your training programme integrates your sales methodology. Whether inbound, MEDDIC, Challenger, or Sandler, make it a focus area. Offer materials and exercises that reflect the methodology’s sales strategies and principles, so sales reps can apply the techniques in real-world scenarios.
5. Monitor and Evaluate
Establish clear metrics and KPIs to measure your sales training programme success and regularly gather participant feedback for continual improvement. This approach helps assess the training’s impact on B2B sales performance and ensures it delivers tangible business benefits.
6. Follow-Up and Continuous Learning Process
Establish a culture of continuous learning and development. Encourage your team to keep building on the training concepts, support self-directed learning, and provide ongoing skills enhancement resources.
B2B Sales Training Best Practices
Unfortunately, sales trainees forget 87% of their training you provide through conventional learning management systems after just a month. With that in mind, how can you make sure your B2B sales training programme will set your team up for success? Let’s explore specific best practices that can make your sales training more impactful.
Teach Objection Handling
Equipping sales reps to handle objections is vital. This includes training them to turn budget, needs, implementation, or competition challenges into opportunities for deeper client engagement and sales conversations.
Emphasise Social Selling
Mastering social selling, particularly on platforms like LinkedIn, is crucial. Training should include strategies for using social media to network, build relationships, and identify prospects.
Conduct Microlearning
Implementing microlearning can significantly enhance retention. By breaking complex concepts into smaller chunks, sales reps can better absorb and remember key principles.
Provide Detailed Feedback
Continuous growth in sales is fuelled by constructive feedback. Regular coaching sessions with constructive feedback help identify areas for improvement and refine sales techniques.
Integrate Sales Training into the Broader Business Strategy
Align sales training with the overall business strategy. This integration ensures that training supports key business activities such as meeting quotas, new acquisitions, product launches, and marketing campaigns.
Navigating Common B2B Sales Training Challenges
Sales training often falls short because companies don’t prepare enough for both the training and support. Mastering B2B sales takes time, and training should be ongoing rather than trying to cover everything in just one session. Besides that, here are the common challenges in B2B sales training and strategies to turn them into opportunities for building a more skilled and aligned sales team.
- Lack of business alignment: Sales training sometimes doesn’t resonate with the company’s goals or market strategies. For example, sales training courses may focus on aggressive selling techniques, which conflicts with a company’s goal of long-term customer relationships. Realign training to emphasise relationship building, consultative selling, and customer success. For instance, incorporate role-playing scenarios that encourage understanding customer needs over the long term rather than just focusing on immediate sales.
- Failure to address unique learning styles: One-size-fits-all training neglects diverse learning preferences. Mix training formats – like interactive workshops for hands-on learners, visual presentations for visual learners, and podcasts or discussions for auditory learners.
- Ineffective delivery methods: Traditional, lecture-based training methods often fail to engage or stick. Introduce gamified learning where sales reps can earn points and rewards for completing training exercises, making learning interactive and enjoyable.
Current B2B Sales Training Trends
As the market evolves and technology becomes more integrated, B2B sales training is undergoing significant changes. Here’s a closer look at four trends that are redefining effective sales training:
- Personalised sales techniques: Training now emphasises using data analytics and machine learning to understand buyer behavior, enabling reps to craft highly tailored sales pitches and templates.
- AI-enhanced personalisation: Successful sales training integrates AI for tailored learning experiences and sophisticated data analysis. This involves training in AI tools for generating real-time answers, creating a sales pitch, and even complimenting sales coaching efforts.
- Remote or hybrid selling: With the rise of remote work, training focuses on video conferencing, virtual presentations, and digital tools to engage buyers and close deals from a distance.
- Proficiency in digital sales rooms (DSR): Training includes effective use of DSRs for presenting sales materials and engaging with buyers remotely, a key element in modern sales interactions.
Transform Your B2B Sales Training Programme With Highspot
Whether training newbies or coaching seasoned pros, B2B sales reps need a well-stocked toolbox and the know-how to use it. Without suitable sales training, sales reps will leave for businesses that equip them with the skills and resources they need to succeed. From bite-sized micro-learnings to mastering social selling, comprehensive sales training ensures your sales team is ready to navigate the B2B sales funnel.
Highspot’s AI-driven platform empowers sellers with tailored content and sales playbooks, boosting go-to-market and sales success by 50%. The fusion of training and sales enablement accelerates the adoption of sales techniques. Our user-friendly technology simplifies training creation, and our comprehensive programme, backed by top-notch Highspot Marketplace content, accelerates your business success.
Request a Highspot demo today.
