9 Motivating Sales Training Ideas

If you need to train some new sales staff or update your existing staff with new strategies and information, design a curriculum that will get everyone excited to get out and close deals. Check out sales training ideas that will leave everyone feeling prepared and motivated to do their best.

Corporate meetings and events aren’t limited to the conference rooms of local hotels or convention centers. There’s a whole world of other venue options to explore, and Peerspace will be your guide. It’s the online event venue booking marketplace that allows you to host an event of virtually any kind, anywhere. Cafes, lofts, museums, art galleries, and bars —you can rent each of these spaces and more on Peerspace. So whether your team comprises five or 50 people, you can find the ideal spot for your next corporate event. Now, let’s get on to our sales training ideas.

1. Host the training in an exciting Peerspace venue

First things first: sometimes, a change in scenery can help spark creativity. Try switching up your next sales training by getting out of the office. On Peerspace, you can find a venue with the A/V capabilities and space you need to host your next training. All venues have their own dedicated listing page that includes a full list of amenities as well as photos, upfront pricing, and reviews from past renters. Keep in mind that your venue’s host is also available to recommend trusted vendors and arrange for catering, furniture rentals, and more.

Throughout this article, we’ll share photos and links to real Peerspace venues that we think would make fabulous training spaces, so check them out. Make your sales training ideas come to life in a new environment!

2. Train your team in the art of the elevator pitch

This classic sales training tool is a tried-and-true method. Can your employees explain who your company is and what you do in a compelling 30-second speech that leaves a potential customer curious to learn more? Elevator pitches don’t always follow the same formula, but any good speech should contain the “who,” the “what,” and the value proposition. Some pitches begin with a question that serves as a “hook.” That question can reveal a customer pain point your company addresses.

Other pitches can simply be a story about a previous customer that might resonate with the audience. You can train your staff in the art of crafting the perfect elevator pitch by assigning them either real or hypothetical companies and/or products, then dividing them into pairs so that each employee can take turns being the salesperson and the potential customer. After making some tweaks to their original pitches, ask everyone to share their pitch with the entire team for more feedback.

Our creative workshop ideas can inspire your training session. Check them out!

3. Practice demos and presentations

If presentations are a core part of your sales strategy, consider hosting a training dedicated to perfecting them. As with the elevator pitch, you can assign each staff member a product and a hypothetical company they would be selling to and ask them to come up with a presentation or demo that best sells that product. Presentations should always be tailored to the specific company you are trying to sell to. Host a feedback session after everyone gives their presentation to talk about what went well and ways to improve.

4. Share success stories

Let your staff learn from the best! Gather the top performers on your sales team and ask them to come up with a presentation showcasing their strategies for success. Then, ask each of the sales team members in the audience to brainstorm how they will be implementing those strategies. 

5. Invite guest speakers to present their area of sales expertise

If your company is trying to ramp up social media sales efforts, consider inviting a social media marketing expert to your next sales training meeting (or, find another area that needs improvement and invite an expert in that area). Ask your staff members to come prepared with questions.

It’s not only a great learning opportunity, but also a fantastic chance for your team to network with a thought leader in the industry. As an extra perk for the guest and your staff, you can turn this sales training meeting idea into a full-on “Lunch and Learn” by ordering catering for the day.

6. Catch up on industry news and trends

It’s important for every sales team to understand the changing needs of their target market and be up to date on all of the latest trends in their industry. Subscribe to industry magazines (or print out copies of online articles), and host a training meeting where you break your staff into teams and assign them a section to read. Then, ask everyone to summarize their findings and brainstorm how they can apply their new knowledge and adapt their current selling methods accordingly.

7. Roleplay customer and salesperson scenarios

An important aspect of selling is being prepared to answer questions and address customer concerns. For this sales training meeting idea, break your staff into pairs and ask each person to take turns being the salesperson and the customer. The point of this exercise is to have everyone practice responding to questions and objections that customers may have. It’s not on-the-job practice, but it’s the next best thing (and comes with a whole lot less pressure).

New to hosting? Then check out our guide on hosting a seminar to impress your guests!

8. Let a webinar do the training

Online sales training tools are affordable and can offer excellent information. So why not host a webinar “watch party” for you next sales training meeting? You can gather everyone in a conference room and have coffee and bagels or catered lunch as you all watch the webinar and take notes. After the webinar, ask everyone to share what they learned and how they will apply it to their next sale.

9. Show your buyer’s journey

This sales training activity is especially important if you just hired new people or have started offering a product with a new target market. With a presentation or mini movie (it can be animated with a tool like PowToon), show the process your customers go through before purchasing your product, including the awareness stage, consideration/evaluation stage, and, finally, the decision stage. You can find buyer’s journey templates online to help you map out this process.

Bonus: Provide a space to relax during breaks

Sales trainings can go on for hours or even days, depending on needs. That’s why it is ideal to break up your sales training into sections, with ample break time every 3-4 hours. Make sure your training venue has a separate room for your attendees to relax and decompress during these breaks, so that it definitely feels like they’re away from the training and can unwind a bit.

When you book a Peerspace for your training session, you’ll be able to book a venue that has a primary space for your training presentations. But you can also find venues that have separate breakout spaces for your attendees to mix and mingle before and after. It’s a great way to keep your trainees involved and motivated. Plus, it will give them room to network and get to know each other, limiting distractions during the training itself.

Sales training ideas: conclusion

Your next sales training doesn’t have to be a drag. If you create a learning experience that is memorable, impactful, and fun, your staff is more likely to succeed.

The first step is to book an exceptional Peerspace venue that helps you guests immediately get into their ales training mindset. It’s the most effective way to get your team excited about their work and the progress they can make with these motivating sales training ideas.

Find unique sales training ideas on Peerspace