Chances are there’s room for massive growth within your sales team. 

That’s because, according to Entrepreneur, only 12% of sales reps are considered excellent salespeople. Meanwhile, Forbes claims that companies that put effort into training their employees end up with a 24% higher profit margin and a whopping 218% more income per employee. 

So sales and marketing training is a big deal in today’s fiercely competitive business environment.

The only catch? To reap these benefits you have to choose the right training program. And while the number of programs out there can seem overwhelming… Never fear, we’re here to help you narrow your options down. Here’s what to look for: 

1. Comprehensive Curriculum

You can’t just wing it and expect to win. You have to know what you’re doing! 

In sales, “knowing what you’re doing” means mastering the fundamentals of selling. (Because 90% of sales are won that way.)  

Therefore, you want a proven sales training playbook. One that teaches you to sell with strategies, not tactics. Your sales playbook should cover everything you need to know as a seller, including prospecting, full-funnel solutions, properly using systems, relationship building, and great storytelling.

Keep in mind that if your role as a seller involves any kind of media sales, your ideal training program should also include the fundamentals of online marketing. 

2. Creates T-Shaped Marketers

As a media-seller, look for a program that will set you up to be a T-shaped marketer. A T-shaped marketer is someone who’s been trained as a marketing generalist, but who’s also chosen a vertical area of specialization. 

For example, you first do a comprehensive training in Digital Marketing Mastery, then choose an area to specialize in like copywriting, search marketing, or paid traffic. 

This allows you to coordinate strategies between different areas of marketing – for example, email, SEO, and paid ad strategies, and put together a cohesive marketing plan to boost revenue for any company you work with. 

3: Customization and Personalization     

Avoid “one size fits all” training programs. 

Instead, look for a customizable curriculum. Your curriculum should have personalized learning paths that can be tailored to individual or organizational needs.  

This makes sure skill development is relevant to each salesperson, and that it meets them where they are at their current skill level. A customizable curriculum also allows you to fit a tight budget and meet your goals. 

At the organizational level, you want a choice between Do It Yourself, Do It With You, and Do It For You paths to business profitability. 

The training team you work with should create a program just for you, either as a group or one-on-one, and include live events and virtual or live mentoring where necessary.

4: Experienced Instructors

Choose sales trainers who are industry experts with years of real-world experience getting results for other businesses like yours.

The ideal sales trainers are experienced sales experts who have made millions of dollars for their companies and have been praised as the best in the industry by their colleagues. 

Not only will their “gold dust” rub off on you… but their expertise, complete with case studies, helps you get a feel for the real-world application of what you’re learning.

For digital marketing, tactics change so fast that it’s especially important to learn step-by-step from experts who do it every day. They know what works!

5. Up-to-Date Industry Insights 

The sales and marketing landscape is ever-evolving, so your team needs to stay up to date. That means your sales and marketing training also needs to stay current with industry trends… or you risk learning strategies that don’t work in today’s marketing. 

Choose a training program that’s updated regularly so that it integrates the latest technology and trends, and the latest sales and marketing strategies and tools.

6.  Interactive Learning Methods

According to the RAIN Group, sales teams who have been through successful coaching systems report a 25-40% jump in close ratios, average deal size, sales activity, and fresh leads.

That’s largely because world-class sales coaching includes a variety of interactive learning methodologies, such as workshops, group coaching simulations, role-playing exercises, one-on-one, and case studies. 

This type of hands-on learning enhances engagement. It also aids skill retention and promotes immediate implementation, while acting out real-world scenarios helps bridge theory with practical execution.

7. Incremental Feedback

Feedback mechanisms and progress tracking within the training program are critical. 

Choose a program that tracks your progress and measures your engagement, training effectiveness, and any areas for improvement. You’ll also want “satisfyingly difficult” exams, to make you earn your credentials with valuable knowledge you can use on the job! 

You’ll also want to get live feedback from experienced coaches whenever possible.

Great coaches can transform you and your team of pretty-good marketers and sales professionals into truly exceptional performers! Meanwhile, the feedback loop between you and your coach contributes to continuous improvement and skill enhancement.

8. Accessible Resources and Materials

Choose a program with a mix of online and offline training for the best of both worlds. 

Why? For starters, technology brings convenience. Log in and complete your training at home, in between tasks at work, or whenever it’s convenient. Virtual coaching means it can happen at any place, any time. 

Technology integration also makes it easy to learn by accommodating a variety of learning styles, such as audio, audio-visual, reading transcripts, and viewing slides.

But we’re humans, after all. And we’re fundamentally designed for in-person interaction. So make sure you can add in live coaching and training as well, so you can bring what you’re learning to life and “really get it!”

9. Ongoing Support and Mentorship

Choose a program that has the option of ongoing coaching, even after your training is over. Long-term coaching can help your team reinforce skills and work through challenges as they face real-world sales and marketing scenarios. (After all, it’s one thing to complete a training certificate, it’s another thing to face the series of challenges that come up when you’re selling in real life!) 

Ongoing mentorship also helps your team stay inspired, confident, centered in their best game, and “in it to win it” – both during and after the official training period.

10. Certification 

Last, but not least, look for a sales and marketing training program that offers certifications. 

Earning a certification in sales, digital marketing, copywriting, paid traffic – or any area of sales or marketing – has several benefits. First, it boosts your confidence in your own abilities. Then, your certification shows your sales manager your initiative to improve.  

Finally, your certification provides “proof” of your expertise, as it affiliates you with a market-tested training program. This not only makes you look good to clients… But the training program also has your back in case you need further guidance on your journey as a seller.

Now You Know How to Spot a World-Class Sales and Marketing Training Program!

So, there you have it. The 10 hallmarks of a robust, revenue-boosting sales and marketing training program.

Choose a training program with as many of these features as possible, and you’ll be on a time-tested track to up-level your selling! 

Oh, and if you’re interested in checking out a sales and marketing training program that does all of the above and more… Click here to learn more about Navaquest.