They say that knowledge is power. While that sentiment has roots in academia, it's accurate and relevant in the world of sales. Knowledge is the ultimate tool for your sales team.
You know better than anyone else that you can't throw a new sales rep into the fray and expect to see success. There are many soft and hard skills to attain, strategies to employ, and information about customers to understand.
That's where sales learning management systems come in. What is a sales LMS? A learning management system (LMS) is a software tool that encourages and facilitates ongoing sales education. The definition of an LMS is in its name. Think of it as the central hub for your company's training courses, coaching tools, and learning content. A well-utilized LMS is accessible to everyone in your organization, paving the way for continued individual development and collective success.
What Features Are Important for an Effective Sales Team LMS?
Like all software you encounter in sales, an LMS is only effective if it has the knockout features you need to support your team. These platforms can do a lot, but the most crucial capabilities should revolve around accessibility, high-quality learning content, engagement, and analytics.
Accessibility should always be a priority. If an LMS platform is challenging to use or get into, your team will be less inclined to use it. Sales organizations can benefit from well-designed and intuitive platforms for everyone to use.
Engagement is about keeping reps interested in learning at every turn. Let's face it: No one wants to sit through boring lessons. Features like gamification elements, interactive content, and real-world examples go beyond static sales training, improving retention and giving your team plenty of opportunities to put what they learn to good use.
Of course, no learning management system is complete without quality content. Give your salesforce all the lessons they need to reach their full potential. Compile a library of training modules, create custom lessons, and capture winning moments from your most successful team members. Surface those lessons at every opportunity and give everyone in your company lightning-fast access to the training they need. From new sales reps to seasoned sellers wanting to brush up their skills, a good LMS will have the material to make a difference.
The final must-have feature to round up a solid LMS is analytics. Once again, knowledge is power! There's no better way to track performance and measure progress than through in-depth data. Spot potential skill gaps, identify training opportunities, and give every rep a chance to focus on their unique training needs. With analytics by your side, you can create custom strategies that take your team to new heights.
Examples of the Benefits of a Sales Learning Management System
The right learning platform can teach your team best practices, impactful sales strategies, and more. There are countless rewards to gain from investing in an LMS solution. Here are some game-changing perks that both sales leaders and reps gain.
Streamline Onboarding to Ramp Reps Faster
Did you know that the average ramp-up time for new sales reps can take as long as nine months? That's a long time to wait for a new hire to start contributing to the bottom line. With an LMS, sales readiness will come faster than you thought possible!
A sales LMS will make the training and learning experience more streamlined. Your new hires can brush up on your company's best practices, learn about your products or services, and develop sales strategies to knock it out of the park in no time. Pair that with solid sales enablement, and your new reps will get up to speed faster than ever.
Improve Training and Coaching with Analytics
Analytics tools provide peace of mind and guidance. With traditional lesson plans, you never know if that training sticks. But with data guiding your training efforts, you can make every minute count. See what your reps need to work on and develop a training plan that caters to their needs.
With data, you can monitor progress, get a more refined view of product selling capabilities, and determine what type of coaching will work best. It's about getting the most bang for your training buck; analytics will help you maximize your ROI.
Create a Digital Sales Floor to Connect Remote Reps
Does your business employ fully remote or hybrid salespeople? In the past, reps who don't work full-time in the office are often at a disadvantage. Not only are they not there to take advantage of coaches and instructors, but they can’t interact with the rest of the team.
A good LMS will bridge the gap by creating a virtual sales floor. Keep your team connected and improve accessibility across the board. Your remote and in-office teams will benefit from the connection, creating more opportunities to share knowledge and learn.
Encourage Peer-to-Peer Learning and Mentorship
It's not just videos, interactive lessons, and e-books that will teach your team to improve their sales capabilities. Peer-to-peer learning is one of the best ways to get better. Your superstar sellers can become mentors to new reps, teaching them their ways and creating an ongoing cycle of learning.
With an LMS, you can facilitate peer coaching. Capture those successful sales and turn them into best practices. Surface those moments during your training and let your sales force tap into the knowledge of their peers to get better.
Generate New Insights and Content for Sales Enablement
A sales LMS can also be a source of effective sales enablement. Encourage your team to share insights they gain during their individual sales cycles. Whether it's competitive intelligence or information about a group of prospects, that information can facilitate more success for the entire team.
Turn your LMS into an ever-growing source of insights, and it'll continue serving your organization and driving revenue for years.
Turn Your Sales Reps into a Sales Community
Don't let a lack of knowledge prevent your team from reaching its full potential. An LMS can take your efforts to new heights, creating countless opportunities to train and learn. From peer-to-peer insight-sharing to interactive lessons on the virtual sales floor, the right LMS platform can turn your reps into a winning sales community.
Turn to Flockjay to make it happen! Flockjay is an all-in-one sales LMS and enablement platform with the tools your team needs to win more and love their jobs. Harness the power of analytics, keep motivation high with gamification, share successful sales moments, and more with Flockjay!
