What do you do if your sales team needs to stay ahead of the current trends in continuing education?

If your sales team needs to stay ahead of current trends in continuing education, take a multi-pronged approach by implementing the following. Encourage and incentivize team members to participate in relevant online courses, webinars, conferences and certifications; invite subject matter experts and industry leaders to provide training sessions; create a culture of knowledge sharing by having team members present the latest trends, best practices and case studies; leverage social media, blogs and forums to learn from influential voices; provide access to up-to-date resources like books, whitepapers and research reports; attend trade shows to experience new products and services firsthand; and continuously identify knowledge gaps.

Embrace microlearning for maximum knowledge retention. Bite-sized modules keep sales reps engaged and focused. Leverage mobile learning to upskill your team on-the-go.

To keep your sales team ahead in continuing education, cultivate a culture of ongoing learning by enrolling them in up-to-date online courses, webinars, and workshops that focus on the latest in sales techniques and industry trends. Encourage engagement with professional networks and participation in industry conferences for broader insights. Foster internal knowledge sharing through regular learning sessions or a digital resource hub. Tailor personal development plans for each team member to align with their career aspirations and learning styles, ensuring they remain adaptable and competitive in the dynamic market landscape.

Current trends are just that. Trends. Often, most available learning and development tracks will not keep up with trends. Why would an L&D provider spend time creating a curriculum around trends that will be phased out? That said, it is key to keep your team up with current trends and empower them to speak to customers about them. I have found that peer-led learning sessions are key. Who on your team is most in touch with a given trend? Are they able to teach their peers? A great format for sharing this information is the lunch-and-learn. This allows your team to share their knowledge, gain agency, and, differentiate their skill sets. Other team members can then reference them when they have particular questions.

Complacency is the enemy of growth. Immerse your team in the latest industry insights and innovations. Those who embrace continuous learning will outpace competitors.

I think the key point is to establish a learning focused sales culture. When you make learning a principle growth learning and integrate it into your management process, it will be a natural part of the routine of the sales team. That will help the company to have more and more salespeople becoming “intentional learners”. Then you will not have to worry that much about formal training programs.