How can product training support new product launches and market expansion?

How you conduct product training is what really makes the difference, most firms treat it as a formality and some don't even bother. Investing in extraordinary trainers can make all the difference. People recall, imbibe and incorporate what they've learned when they've enjoyed the learning experience. It is also important to identify and retain the top performers while putting poor performers through a structured performance improvement program. There is research that suggest that high performers can become 20% less productive around poor performers so one must be cognisant of these considerations.

Launching a new product or expanding into new markets? The secret sauce lies in comprehensive product training. Here's how it can be a game-changer: Deep Product Understanding: Equip your teams with in-depth knowledge to ensure they understand the product inside out. Confident Sales Teams: Boost sales team confidence by providing training that allows them to articulate product features and benefits with assurance. Customer-Centric Approach: Foster a customer-centric approach by emphasizing understanding customer needs and tailoring your product as the solution. Unified Messaging: Ensure consistent messaging across teams, creating a cohesive brand image and improving overall communication.

Elevate new product launches and market expansion by providing comprehensive product training to sales teams, empowering them to effectively communicate product value, address customer needs, and drive successful adoption in diverse markets.

First and foremost product training ahead of a launch or market expansion is all about alignment - having all external elements say the same thing. Remember this is likely the first time that the target audience has heard your message about the new product/feature - either because it is brand new or brand new to them. So you want them to get a clear and compelling message - and to avoid confusion. So product training is your chance to make sure that everyone is signing from the same sheet. Something you will want to spend a lot of time on, especially if the product or market requires specialized knowledge that is new to the team, like technical knowledge (e.g. AI) or country/market specific knowledge (e.g. like entering a new country).

I have known people who believe that “ go to market” is a 3 day effort of putting out a press release and a blog post and you’re done. You’re not. You need to equip your customers, prospects, and internal teams with everything they need to know about the new offering so that they are ready to roll on day one.

I'm a big believer in making sure that product training happens at least a week prior to new feature releases. Seems intuitive but I've seen too often customer-facing teams learning new features at the same time customers are exposed to it. Arm your teams in advance to help them guide users on how to realize feature value Day 1.

Competitive advantage comes from a detailed understanding of your target audience (e.g. what they care about, what the challenge is, etc.) and your competitors (e.g. where are they strong, where are they weak, what gaps do they have in their solution, why do users think they are poor, etc.). From these two elements, you have a solid platform to craft a narrative and message to weave into your product training. Remember, your team will need to know how to talk about the product in terms of the end user(s), and also how your offering compares and contrasts to the competition. Only then, can you steer the conversation with your audience to the end goal you desire.