As a marketing sales manager, you've heard a lot about “sales funnels.” But does your team fully understand their ins and outs… to the point where they feel confident setting up sales funnels for clients?

If not, your salespeople might struggle to tailor winning campaigns. 

The truth is, deep sales funnel knowledge is critical for success in media sales. It can make or break your sales team’s best efforts!

That’s where a sales funnel mastery course comes in. By exposing your sales and digital team to proven sales funnel training, they’ll be SO much more confident dealing with clients. And an increase in sales-qualified leads and a big bump in sales revenue should soon follow.

But with so many training options these days, which sales funnel course should you choose?

Here are some features to look for.

Curriculum That Covers Both Sales and Marketing

Each of your clients has a unique position in the marketplace and their own ways of catching a prospect’s attention and guiding them toward a sale. 

For example, one client’s business may acquire prospects with social media. It might then nurture those prospects with email before a sales rep gets to speak with them on the phone.
Meanwhile, another business may rely on paid SEO and SEM ads and their website.

Since it’s so common for sales funnels to span both marketing and human-to-human interaction, you'll want to make sure your team can handle both ends of the spectrum. So, make sure the training you choose covers both classic sales training and marketing.

Shape a Team of T-Shaped Marketers

Your sales funnel mastery course should set your team up to be “T-shaped marketers”.

It should first train your team on the fundamentals of digital marketing. This involves setting up a profile for each target customer, creating a core message canvas, and understanding the Customer Value Journey.

It should also give your team a broad overview of the major channels of digital marketing.

After laying this foundation, your program should allow each of your salespeople to choose one of the areas of the funnel to specialize in. These areas include content, social media, digital advertising, email, search marketing, and optimization.

(This latter step is where your salespeople solidify the “vertical part of the T” and become full-stack digital marketers!)

Putting the “Sales” in your Sales Funnel Mastery Course

For the sales component of your team’s sales funnel training, make sure there’s a focus on timeless sales strategies.

Look for topics like effective communication, prospecting, lead generation, sales techniques, closing strategies, and product knowledge.

The sales training you choose should also provide proven systems for sales growth. 

After all, your team can’t win if your people are winging it. Instead, you need a Sales Playbook to put the right strategy and resources at the fingertips of salespeople. This gives them a systematic solution, which achieves measurable results for their clients, every time.

If you’re a media seller, expect to hear cost-effective strategies for bringing in revenue and growing your client’s gross sales.

Finally, make sure the training you choose is updated regularly. That way it can help your team adapt to modern sales challenges.

Customization and Personalization

Make sure your sales funnel training can be personalized to accommodate your individual and group needs. That way your people absorb the material and get as much as possible out of it.

Custom-tailored training helps your team with their specific challenges. This makes it easier for everyone on your team to learn in a way that suits them best and get the most out of the training.

Have independent learners on a budget? Choose a Do It Yourself path.  

Could your team use some simulations and role-playing before they hit the streets? Or do they need extra coaching and feedback? Choose a Do It With You path. 

Finally, want a sales playbook and a coach that does the training for you while you focus on other areas of your business? Or need a coach and trainer who spends time one-on-one and works directly with your marketing team, clients, and prospects? (And does this both virtually and in person.)

Choose the Do It For You path. 

Bottom line: the best sales funnel mastery course offers both online and on-site coaching, with the option for personalized attention.

Look for Certifications that Earn Trust 

As part of the individual attention given to each team member, your sales funnel training should offer certifications.

Certifications are credentials that show each salesperson’s level of sales and marketing expertise. 

Not only do certifications boost the confidence of each salesperson, but they help build trust with clients. That’s because they show clients your team members possess real, business-building knowledge.

Look for tough but fair exams that ensure your team earns credentials with valuable, applicable knowledge.

Combination of Online and Interactive Learning Methods

Online courses are great because your salespeople can access them at any time, day or night. (Even on the job site or at home.) Digital courses also accommodate different learning styles with audio, videos, and PDFs.

On the other hand, the human touch of in-person interaction and live coaching brings the learning experience to life.

In fact, the American Society for Training and Development found that hands-on training results in 76% retention rates. (That’s up from 16% retention from theoretical training alone.)

What does that mean for your training?

The ideal sales funnel mastery course features an interactive component, in the form of workshops, simulations, and role-playing exercises. These approaches not only aid in skill retention, but they also help your team develop the “muscle memory” of what to do in real-world scenarios.

Experienced Coaches and Trainers

Learning from successful sales and marketing veterans is one of the best shortcuts in any course on sales funnel mastery.

Their expertise can guide your team through challenges, so you can avoid pitfalls and seize opportunities.

Seasoned trainers will also have insights into customer behavior, market trends, and effective lead generation and monetization strategies.

When looking for a sales coach, choose a sales veteran with years of success in sales behind them, ideally in your industry. Look for someone who has owned and created companies, hit significant revenue milestones, and built a successful sales culture.

An Option for Ongoing Coaching

Ongoing sales coaching is particularly important for reinforcing and refining your skills. According to a 2016 study, companies with dynamic coaching programs have 28 percent higher win rates.

Regular coaching ensures you stay sharp, apply what you've learned, and handle new challenges. It's not a one-time thing – it's continuous support, helping you stay at the top of your game in the ever-changing world of sales.

Bonus if your training organization offers live training events and workshops to wow your prospective clients!

Choose a Sales Funnel Mastery Course With Confidence

So now you see why choosing the right course will help you achieve sales funnel mastery… and what to look for when you choose one!

Wondering where to find best-in-class sales funnel training? Contact Navaquest.