Self-Learning Solutions
An in-house sales academy typically provides foundational or core training materials tailored to the organization's specific sales processes, products, and culture. External providers that provide self-directed learning solutions, complement these core materials by offering learning resources that add depth and breadth to the learning experience. By integrating these learning resources into the curriculum, the in-house sales academy can provide a more comprehensive and well-rounded learning experience for its participants, helping them develop the skills and knowledge needed to excel in their roles. Overall, self-directed learning solutions empower salespeople to take control of their learning journey, enabling them to adapt, grow, and succeed in the dynamic and competitive field of sales.
Bookboon Learning bite-sized e-books and audio content on soft skills, marketing & sales and personal development makes learning possible anytime, anywhere, in any situation. Known as the Netflix of corporate learning, Bookboon Learning offers the industry’s most user-friendly, intelligent and engaging user experience that will increase your sales team’s engagement in learning and keep them coming back to learn more. Written for time-pressured learners, Bookboon’s e-books and audio content allow you to hone skills today and apply them tomorrow. With over 3.000 e-books and 2.000 audio learning titles, map these against personal development plans or discover your own personal learning journeys. Notably, since 2015, trainer/coaches from Sellingnet have contributed as authors to Bookboon Learning. Some sales book titles are: Networking with Purpose; Effective Negotiation; Mastering Sales Conversations; Expert Talk: Commercial Awareness; and Preparing for the Sale.
LinkedIn Learning is an online learning platform that provides a vast library of courses taught by industry experts in various fields. The platform is designed to help users develop and enhance their skills and advance their careers. It is a popular solution for self-directed learning for individuals as well as for companies looking to provide training and development opportunities for their employees. The courses are designed and taught by industry experts, and the content is regularly updated to keep up with the latest trends and developments. An advantage of LinkedIn Learning is its integration with LinkedIn's professional network. This feature enables employees to add certifications directly to their LinkedIn profiles. There is some helpful content for sales teams, but it requires a bit of digging as not all of the content in the library is up to date. LinkedIn Learning offers a variety of sales-specific courses. Some popular ones include: Sales Foundations - covering the basics of the sales process; Social Selling - focusing on leveraging social media for sales; Consultative Selling - teaching how to build relationships and provide value; and Sales Negotiation - improving deal-closing skills.
Blinkist is a digital learning platform that offers busy professionals a quick and efficient way to consume knowledge from over 4.500 best-selling books, in the form of bite-sized summaries. The key advantage of Blinkist is its convenience. With time being a precious commodity, Blinkist allows users to absorb key insights from a book in just 15 minutes, enabling them to learn on the go and maximize their productivity. Moreover, with access to a vast library of titles spanning a wide range of topic areas, Blinkist for business use can help busy professionals stay up to date with industry trends and expand their knowledge base despite having very limited time during the day for learning. For really busy professionals, Blinkist offers the best bite size learning solution. It provides bite size summaries that let users digest the key insights of a book in less than 15 minutes. Some examples include: To Sell Is Human by Daniel Pink; SPIN Selling by Neil Rackham; The Challenger Sale by Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson and Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss.
GoodHabitz is a platform that offers online training courses designed to help individuals and organizations develop various skills. These skills range from soft skills like communication, leadership, selling and time management to more technical skills such as coding, graphic design, and project management. The platform provides a wide range of courses covering diverse topics, and users can access them at their own pace from anywhere with an internet connection. GoodHabitz aims to make learning engaging, convenient, and accessible for both personal and professional development. With GoodHabitz, you help your employees to develop the skills they need for the future. Through GoodHabitz's innovative self-assessments, they will gain unique insights into their opportunities for growth. Some Sales Training Courses on GoodHabitz are: Influencing; Happy Customers Make Repeat Customers; Consultative Sales; The Elevator Pitch; and Cold Calling for Warm Personalities.
Coursera is an online learning platform featuring many different subjects across an array of learning formats. Over 300 leading universities and companies provide instruction on Coursera. Whether you're looking to develop a new skill, strengthen an existing one, further your learning with a formal credential like a Professional Certificate or degree, or just learn something for fun, Coursera has many options to choose from. Much of the learning you'll encounter on Coursera takes place asynchronously, meaning you can access course content and materials at your own pace. That way, you can build your learning into your schedule and around your other responsibilities. While offering a ton of high-quality content in different areas, Coursera is on the more academic (and pricier) side and may not be the right fit for fast-paced sales teams looking for more casual or bite-sized content. Coursera partners offer for example: Sales Strategies: Mastering the Selling Process by Northwestern University; The Art of Sales: Mastering the Selling Process specialization by Northwestern University; Successful Negotiation: Essential Strategies and Skills by University of Michigan; and Business Strategy specialization by University of Virginia.
HubSpot is a leading contact relationship management (CRM), marketing, sales, and customer service software company with a simple mission: to help companies maximize sales and grow better. HubSpot offers a wide range of resources to this end. Starting with the free online learning resources offered by Hubspot Academy could be a smart starting point for sales teams who want to expand their knowledge and skills in marketing, sales, and business growth. Hubspot Academy is the worldwide leader in free online training for inbound marketing, sales, and customer service professionals, specializing in comprehensive certifications, singular topic courses, and bite-sized lessons for professionals looking to grow their career and business. Through partnerships with colleges and universities, the Education Partner Program provides access to HubSpot Academy certifications. Some relevant certifications, including: Inbound Sales Certification; Sales Enablement Certification; and Social Selling Certification.
In the fast-paced world of sales, continuous learning is crucial for staying competitive and adapting to changing market conditions. The platforms discussed above offer salespeople flexible, accessible ways to expand their knowledge and skills. Whether through bite-sized summaries, comprehensive courses, or industry-recognized certifications, these self-learning solutions empower sales professionals to take control of their development. By leveraging these resources, sales teams can stay updated on the latest techniques, technologies, and best practices, ultimately driving better results for their organizations.