Building a Sales Academy
The core of a sales academy is often a sales curriculum – a structured plan to teach salespeople the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in their sales roles – but it goes beyond that to provide a more holistic approach to a learning and development (L&D) process. While a sales curriculum primarily focuses on the content and structure of training, in a sales academy there are additional elements such as online coaching sessions, sales enablement tools, additional learning programs, ongoing performance feedback and bite-sized learning (micro learning). The goal of a sales academy is not only to learn the skills but also to foster a culture of continuous learning and development within the sales organisation.
Creating a comprehensive sales academy involves several key elements to ensure a continuous learning and development of sales professionals. Here are some tips for the components of a sales academy:
Sales Capability Framework. Outline the skills, knowledge, and attitude (=competencies) and areas of responsibility required for a sales person to achieve his/her goals. All aspects of sales has to be covered, including sales techniques, product knowledge, negotiation skills, and customer relationship management.
Sales Assessment. Competency-based assessments focus on specific skills and behaviours required for a sales person to achieve his/her goals. An assessment can serve as a baseline measurement and starting point for a learning and development process.
Sales Workshops. Incorporate various learning modules such as videos, presentations, simulations, quizzes, and case studies to engage learners and facilitate active participation.
Sales Methodology. Teach a specific sales methodology or approach tailored to your organization's sales process. Common methodologies include Solution Selling®, Insight Selling™, Challenger Sale™, Key Account Management and Dealer Management .
Soft Skills Development. Recognize also the importance of soft skills such as empathy, resilience, and emotional intelligence in sales success, and incorporate training or e-books, audios or video on these skills into the curriculum.
Role-Playing Exercises. Conduct role-playing exercises to allow sales professionals to practice their skills in realistic scenarios and receive feedback from trainer/coaches or peers.
Sales Coaching. Offer ongoing coaching programs to support sales professionals in their development, provide guidance, and help them overcome challenges.
Sales Enablement. Provide training on the use of sales tools and technologies such as CRM software, marketing automation, sales playbooks, sales presentations, sales intelligence & prospecting, and AI-tools to enhance productivity and efficiency.
Product and Market Knowledge. Ensure that sales professionals have a deep understanding of the products or services they are selling, as well as knowledge about the target market, industry trends, and competitive landscape.
Performance Evaluation and Feedback. Implement a system for evaluating sales performance and provide constructive feedback to help individuals identify areas for improvement and track their progress over time.
Continued Learning and Development. Encourage a culture of continuous learning and development by offering advanced training programs, workshops, webinars, bite-sized learning, and access to resources such as audio learning and video courses.
By integrating these elements into your sales academy, you can build a robust learning and development program for years to come that equips sales professionals with the knowledge, skills, and tools they need to succeed in today's competitive marketplace. Call us now + 31 (0)74 27 77 866 to schedule a consultation and learn how a custom sales academy can boost your sales success.