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December 2024 - TD Magazine

All Aboard a Sales Training Journey

The SELL conference has wrapped up, leaving behind fresh insights and practical knowledge. Let's take a look at some key insights from this year's event. 

ATD SELL 2024 Program Summary: Areas to Grow Seller Capability and Your Own

The sales world is turning upside down. Those preparing reps must adjust so their protegees can thrive. Shifting customer demands and the ever-evolving artificial intelligence (AI) landscape are forcing sales teams to transition from traditional training to continuous skill development. Research indicates that continuous training and coaching, along with real-time feedback, can improve performance by up to 88 percent compared to traditional static training. That’s why it’s important to shift focus from sales enablement to sales readiness—before even considering AI. From Sales Enablement to Sales Readiness Sales enablement provides reps with content, tools, and training. But as competition intensifies, organizations are shifting toward sales readiness. This strategy emphasizes developing and practicing skills reps need to effectively address real-world challenges. A Forrester study found that 62 percent of the field’s leaders prioritize sales readiness as a key strategy, underscoring a growing recognition of the need for readiness over enablement. Sales readiness requires ongoing practice, skill assessment, and gap analysis to continually prepare reps for evolving customer needs. Coaching: The Cornerstone of Sales Readiness Effective coaching drives readiness, offering guidance and feedback and helping sales professionals translate training into action. Delivering personalized coaching at scale, however, can be challenging. According to the Sales Management Association, companies offering formal coaching report a 16.7 percent higher win rate. Personalized feedback is key; research shows reps who receive tailored coaching see a performance boost of up to 27 percent. Personalized coaching fosters targeted skill development, making it a vital component of any readiness program. The Role of AI in Sales Coaching and Readiness AI is a natural support for this shift to sales readiness. AI tools provide real-time feedback, help identify skill gaps, and streamline personalized coaching efforts, making coaching more efficient. AI provides clear benefits for both sales reps and their managers. A McKinsey report reveals that companies using AI in their sales processes see sales increase by 10 percent and cost reductions by 20 percent. Additionally, AI helps sales managers automate assessments, enabling them to track team performance and quickly identify areas for improvement. This data-driven approach helps align coaching with business objectives, ensuring measurable progress. Integrating AI Into Sales Readiness StrategiesTo fully harness AI’s power, it must be integrated into a broader sales readiness strategy. Gartner reports that 84 percent of sales organizations prioritizing continuous development see substantial quota attainment improvements.AI simulations and personalized assessments help reps practice in controlled environments, increasing confidence and preparation for live interactions. AI-driven readiness reports provide managers with actionable insights, helping them tailor coaching strategies to team needs. The Long-Term Impacts of Coaching and AI on Sales Performance Integrating AI-powered tools into coaching and training offers a significant performance boost. The Association for Training and Development found that companies investing in comprehensive sales coaching see a 50 percent increase in net sales per rep. Organizations leveraging AI tools report higher engagement, better retention, and improved performance across their teams. The key to sustained sales success rests at the intersection of coaching, real-time feedback, and AI-driven learning tools. Looking for a place to start? Check out the Essential B2B or B2C Sales Team Training Checklist. 

The Future of Sales Training: Unlocking Performance With AI-Powered Coaching and Sales Readiness

Imagine transforming your sales team into an unstoppable force with AI-driven coaching. It’s possible, and sales leaders in all industries are doing it.In fact, research from Allego found 62 percent of revenue enablement leaders use AI to supercharge their sales, marketing, and customer success, resulting in faster deal closures and highly effective coaching sessions. In addition, sales coaching (29 percent) and sales call analysis (29 percent) are the top uses of AI, providing real-time insights and feedback that boost sales team performance, increase productivity, and increase revenue.Research from Salesforce supports the benefits of using AI in sales. In its State of Sales, 6th Edition, it reported teams that use AI outperform the rest. Specifically, “83% of sales teams with AI saw revenue growth in the past year—versus 66% of teams without AI.”5 Benefits of AI-Driven Sales CoachingIntegrating AI into sales coaching offers significant advantages that can transform how coaching is delivered and improve sales outcomes. It personalizes coaching by analyzing vast amounts of data and delivering insights that humans might miss. Automatic feedback from AI tools helps reps quickly adjust their strategies. And by automating routine tasks, AI frees up sales coaches to focus on strategic development.1. Personalized Coaching at ScaleAI takes sales coaching to the next level by diving deep into each rep’s unique data—everything from their past wins and losses to how they communicate with customers. It’s like having a personal coach who knows exactly where each rep shines and where they need a little extra help. AI doesn’t just give generic advice; it tailors feedback to fit each rep’s style and needs.2. Sales Call Monitoring and FeedbackAI-powered coaching tools can analyze sales calls, providing feedback and actionable insights. This helps sales reps understand their performance and adjust their approach. For example, AI can transcribe and analyze sales calls, highlighting key areas such as tone, sentiment, and adherence to product messaging.3. Enhanced Sales Training EfficiencyAI-powered sales coaching tools significantly enhance sales training efficiency by automating routine tasks that traditionally consume a lot of time. For instance, these tools can automatically generate sales coaching quizzes based on the training content, personalize the quizzes for individual reps, and instantly score them. Beyond quizzes, AI tools can also provide detailed feedback on assessments and sales calls, analyzing interactions for adherence to best practices, tone, and messaging.4. Predictive Sales PerformanceAI helps sales leaders analyze historical data, current performance metrics, and market trends to forecast future outcomes. By identifying patterns and correlations that might not be immediately obvious, AI can predict which sales reps are likely to meet or exceed their targets and which may need additional support to avoid falling behind. This predictive capability allows coaches to proactively address potential issues and tailor coaching strategies to individual needs.5. Continuous Sales Rep ImprovementAI-powered coaching tools enable continuous improvement among sales reps by providing ongoing, data-driven feedback and personalized training recommendations. Unlike traditional coaching methods that may only occur periodically, these tools constantly monitor sales interactions, performance metrics, and learning progress, identifying growth opportunities.AI-Driven Coaching Key to Sales SuccessAI-driven sales coaching is not just a trend—it’s the future of sales excellence. By leveraging the power of AI, sales leaders can provide their teams with personalized, real-time coaching that boosts performance, accelerates revenue growth, and drives continuous improvement. The sooner your team taps into this technology, the sooner you’ll see the results that set you apart from the competition.

5 Ways AI Is Transforming Sales Coaching and Improving Sales Performance

How are you feeling today? Talent leaders know that emotional intelligence (EI) is a contributor to professional success. Awareness of one’s own emotions and the emotions of others is essential to managing feelings and relationships in a productive and empathetic way.Yet many sales leaders focus on building their team’s hard skills and neglect emotional intelligence or “soft skills.” Emotional intelligence matters for every field—especially sales. When sales professionals understand and act on emotions appropriately, they can connect and communicate more effectively with their colleagues and customers.This ability has a significant impact on job satisfaction and sales performance. Find out why emotional intelligence is essential for sales professionals today and how to develop this critical skill.The Importance of Emotional Intelligence in Sales Having a great product is no longer a guarantee of a successful sales career. Today’s sales professionals need to position themselves as strategic advisors—resources to help solve their customers’ business problems. This is known as “consultative selling.”A consultative sales professional puts the buyer’s needs ahead of their own. Instead of leading with a sales pitch, sellers discuss options, provide insights, and guide buyers.Emotionally intelligent sales professionals are well suited for consultative selling because they’re aware of their own strengths and weaknesses, able to adapt to the emotional states of others, and proficient at building rapport and maintaining strong connections.5 Ways Emotional Intelligence Affects Sales PerformanceThere are five categories: self-awareness, self-regulation, social skills, empathy, and motivation. Each of these contributes to the success of highly emotionally intelligent sales professionals.1. Self-Aware Sales Professionals Manage Their Emotional StatesSelf-aware sellers can identify and understand their emotions and the impact they have on others. They can manage their mood, are less likely to clash with others, and recover from rejection faster than sellers who don’t recognize or manage feelings. 2. Self-Regulated Sales Professionals Control Their ImpulsesSelf-regulated salespeople don’t bring negative emotions—anxiety, discomfort, or irritation—to sales conversations. They adapt their behavior to the needs of their job and can motivate themselves over the long term. 3. Socially Skilled Sales Professionals Make Meaningful Connections Sales professionals with strong social skills make meaningful connections, build rapport easily, and maintain relationships over time. They know how to “read a room” and adjust their own behavior to get the outcomes they desire. 4. Empathetic Sales Professionals Understand Others’ EmotionsEmpathetic sales professionals identify other people’s emotions—and are good at adapting to fit the situation. Empathy helps sellers understand customer needs, goals, and pain points so they can address them most effectively.5. Motivated Sales Professionals Work to Achieve Their GoalsMotivated sales professionals get more done in a day and seek out training to improve their skills. They pursue promising leads and follow up on opportunities more assertively than less-motivated peers. They embrace coaching that helps them reach their goals.Developing an Emotionally Intelligent Sales Team Emotional intelligence can be developed to improve sales team performance and harmony. Look for these five building blocks of emotional intelligence when hiring and developing sales professionals:Self-Awareness: Do they seem able to recognize their own emotions and tendencies? Emotional Regulation: How do they describe handling stressful or challenging situations?Social Skills: Do they make eye contact? Do they pick up on social and non-verbal cues? Empathy: Can they see things from another perspective? Do they actively listen?Motivational Skills: Do they have techniques or habits to keep themselves energized? You can help your sales professionals increase their emotional intelligence and perform to their maximum potential with an emotional quotient (EQ) assessment. Assessments help team members gain self-awareness, reveal strengths and gaps, and help talent professionals develop low-competency areas. Consider the level of emotional intelligence within your sales organization. Are there customer satisfaction issues, personal conflicts, or tensions? It may be time to assess the team’s ability to understand and apply the power of their own emotions to improve sales performance and satisfaction.Want to learn more about emotional intelligence and sales training? Visit The Brooks Group blog for expert advice.

Emotional Intelligence: Why It’s Essential for Today’s Sales Professionals

In my 17 years in training and workforce development, I’ve witnessed a significant transformation that parallels the technological convergence we’ve seen in mobile phones. Mobile phones began as single-use devices for voice communication, evolved to include text messaging, QWERTY keyboards, touch screens, and now host apps for nearly every conceivable need. Technologists predicted this convergence years before it became a reality, fundamentally changing user habits, creating new expectations, and facilitating our always-on, always-connected, ever-changing world.Today, the majority of the workforce was born into this digital world, yet our training methodologies have not kept pace with evolving user expectations. The pressure on learning and skill development functions is no longer annual or fixed; it’s dynamic. Products, goods, and services we train on are moving targets, and with the mobility of the modern workforce, so are our learners. Like their phones, employees expect an always-on, always-connected experience. They no longer want to navigate multiple platforms for training, communication, conferences, performance tracking, and rewards.This convergence in expectations necessitates a shift in mindset. We are no longer just trainers; we must adopt the mindset of marketers, connecting our strategies from training to communication to rewards and recognition into one cohesive, connected learning journey.The Era of Dynamic LearningThe traditional model of static, periodic training sessions is becoming obsolete. Organizations must move toward a dynamic learning model, where continuous skill development and talent nurturing are integral parts of the employee experience. This shift is driven by several factors:Accelerated Product Life Cycles: As product life cycles shorten, training must keep pace with rapid changes in technology, customer preferences, and market demands. Employees need immediate access to the latest information and skills to remain competitive and effective.Remote and Global Workforce: The rise of remote work and global teams demands flexible and accessible training solutions. Employees must be able to learn anytime, anywhere, on any device, ensuring that learning fits into their daily routines.Hyper Personalized Learning: Just as users personalize their smartphone apps to fit their lifestyles, employees now expect personalized learning paths that cater to their skills, roles, and career aspirations. Adaptive AI learning technologies and data-driven insights enable the creation of tailored experiences that meet individual needs.Integrating Training, Communication, and RecognitionTo meet these new expectations, training programs must be integrated with communication and recognition strategies, creating a unified learning ecosystem. Here’s how organizations can achieve this:Unified Platforms: Implement integrated platforms that provide a one-stop shop for learning, communication, and performance management. These platforms should offer a user-friendly interface, accessible via mobile devices, ensuring that employees can easily access all resources.Continuous Feedback Loops: Foster a culture of continuous feedback, where employees receive real-time insights into their performance and development. This approach encourages ongoing improvement and helps employees feel valued and recognized for their contributions.Cross-Functional Collaboration: Encourage collaboration between training, HR, marketing, product, and IT teams to develop cohesive strategies that align with business goals. This cross-functional approach ensures that all aspects of the employee experience are interconnected and reinforce each other.The Marketer MindsetAdopting a marketer mindset means viewing training as a holistic journey rather than a series of isolated events. It requires understanding the employee experience from end to end and crafting narratives and connected strategies that resonate with learners. Here are key elements of this approach:Storytelling: Use storytelling techniques to create engaging learning experiences that captivate employees’ attention and foster emotional connections. Compelling narratives make training content more memorable and relatable.Gamification and Rewards: Incorporate gamification elements and rewards to motivate and engage employees. Leaderboards, badges, and point systems can drive healthy competition and encourage active participation.Data-Driven Insights: Leverage unified data analytics to gain insights into learning behaviors and preferences. These insights enable organizations to continuously refine and optimize their training programs to better meet employees’ needs.Campaign-Based Learning: Develop modularity in your learning content architecture to create ongoing continuous learning campaigns. These campaigns can adapt based on market dynamics and conversion data, ensuring that learning remains relevant and effective.Embracing the FutureThe convergence of talent and skill development is not just a trend; it’s a necessity in today’s fast-paced, digital world. By adopting a holistic, integrated approach to training, communication, and recognition, organizations can create a connected learning journey that meets the expectations of the modern workforce. This shift requires a marketer mindset, where learning is personalized, dynamic, and seamlessly integrated into the employee experience, ensuring that organizations remain agile, competitive, and ready for the future.

Beyond Training: Creating a Connected Learning Journey

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