New ways of working require newer mediums and technologies to run your business. The sales function is no exception.

Selling has moved virtual and virtual platforms pose a major challenge of establishing a connect with the customers which, otherwise, would happen naturally in a face-to-face environment. Sales reps need to be trained on new selling strategies that enable them to have a meaningful interaction and establish credibility even on video or audio call or social media.

Virtual trainings are more challenging than face-to-face trainings especially when you are forced to be in a virtual environment. People are prone to frequent distractions and even a small mistake can have an amplified impact. Sales trainings need to be such that they are concise, engaging and fit in the busy schedule of a sales rep.

Here are six reasons why microlearning could be an effective way to train your sales reps to ramp up their performance and enable them on how to sell virtually.

1.      Engagement through gamification

In a virtual environment, the trainer does not have enough time to build rapport and engage with the learners. The short attention span of a virtual audience leaves the trainer with limited time to convey the key messages. What if, the medium of delivery could resolve this problem of engagement. A gamified mobile learning platform can engage the sales rep as well as deliver the required information in a creative way. The compelling nature of games will help the sales rep to retain the information and habitually learn on the go.

2.      Focussed learning

One of the biggest struggles for a sales rep is to take out time to get upskilled on product knowledge, selling skills & customer interactions. Sales reps seek information that is concise and to the point. Microlearning provides bite-sized learning that can be completed within 3-5 minutes and can easily be taken by the sales reps in between their sales calls. This helps them to spend minimum time on training and maximize their time for selling as well as apply their skills on the job.

3.      Quick to update

Internal product and service updates are released regularly. A short video or a microlearning module can help the sales reps to quickly upskill themselves with the latest information and present it to their client. Frequent updates may also require trainers to update existing modules. It takes less time and money to update a 3-5-minute learning nugget than to update a 30-minute eLearning course or virtual training session.  

4.      Creative content

When time is an enemy, visuals are the ally. A picture not only says a thousand words but also makes the message memorable. Microlearning, unlike traditional trainings, provides room for creating visually appealing content to control the visual focus of a sales rep during the sales training. This makes learning an engaging experience rather than a burden that the sales reps must do for the sake of completion.

5.      Ease of access

A sales rep naturally takes the training when they need it and it is most relevant for their work. The ease of access further nudges the learner to take the training. Microlearning can easily be deployed on a learner’s mobile, making it readily available and quick to go through; when required.

6.      Spaced learning

Sales trainings require sales reps to recall the concepts learnt and apply them on the job. This can effectively be achieved through constant reinforcement. Scheduling frequent training sessions and bringing sales reps together might be cumbersome. With microlearning, you can share new modules or videos regularly to reinforce the learnt concepts and enhance the overall effectiveness of the training.

When time is precious, attention is limited, and tolerance is low - our best allies are creative, brief, and simple ways to deliver training. Our salesforce should not be forced to go through another set of trainings just because they need to. Our sales reps should embrace the new ways of working and engage confidently with customers over virtual mediums.

Looking for creative ways to engage your sales reps so that they can engage your customers, reach out to us at hello@masteroapp.com