If you want your team to succeed in the industrial sales sector your reps need to become more than order-takers. They need to take a proactive approach to find quality buyers for themselves.
This is much easier said than done, of course. Thankfully, there are plenty of effective industrial sales training programs available. Each one will teach your reps to close more deals—often in less time and with less effort than before. (And no, it’s not too good to be true.)
In this article we’ll explain why industrial sales training will benefit your sales team. Then we’ll list six resources you should consider investing in to level up your reps’ skill sets. Let’s dive in!
Why Should You Invest In Industrial Sales Training?
As you know, industrial sales is challenging. Many products in this space have become commoditized because customers tend to focus on lowest price, not highest quality.
Effective industrial sales training programs teach salespeople to close deals consistently in this competitive environment. Specifically, your reps will learn how to:
Improve Technical Product Knowledge
Want your reps to make more sales? They need to know the technical details about the products they sell. That way they can answer prospect questions with clarity and confidence. Industrial distribution sales training will help reps learn the ins and outs of their offerings.
Boost Customer Satisfaction
Happy customers make repeat purchases and encourage their colleagues to do the same. So, boosting customer satisfaction is always a good idea. The right industrial sales training program will teach your reps to understand prospect pain points, establish rapport, and build trust. The result? Customers who enjoy the buying process and come back for more.
Shorten Sales Cycles
Sales cycles in the industrial sector are often long and complex. This is a problem because it leads to lost opportunities and less revenue. Fortunately, effective industrial sales training programs will help your sales team shorten its sales cycles by teaching reps to identify quality prospects and allocate their efforts in more productive ways.
Increase Close Rates
Last but not least, stellar industrial sales training will teach your reps the best sales strategies and tactics. Armed with this information, your reps will become more knowledgeable and confident, which will enable them to close more deals and drive more revenue.
6 Best Industrial Sales Training Resources
Good news: there are a bunch of quality industrial sales training programs on the market. You just have to choose the right one for your sales team. We’re here to help with that.
Keep reading to learn the pros and cons of six popular training resources in the industrial sector.
Richardson Manufacturing & Industrial Sales Training
Richardson is known for creating top-level sales content. So you can invest in the company’s Manufacturing & Industrial Sales Training program with confidence. Doing so will put you in good company, as major brands like Cummins and Honeywell have also purchased this course.
Training Pros:
- Teach your reps to engage modern buyers, leverage all of the resources at their disposal, and develop customer-centric selling skills that drive more revenue.
- Enjoy impressive results. On average, clients who take this course boost revenue by 30%, drive 12% more opportunities per quarter, and outperform peers by 21%.
Training Cons:
Prices for this specific course aren’t posted on Richardson’s website. The company isn’t known for cheap sales training materials, though, so expect to pay a hefty sum.
Testimonial:
“I won an opportunity by applying my listening skills, providing a solution to the customer’s needs and utilizing the correct product for their application.” – Sales Associate, Cummins
RAIN Group Industrial Sales Training
The RAIN Group is an award-winning company that sells dozens of sales training programs. Their Industrial Sales Training modules are used by brands like Terrapure and Wakefield.
Training Pros:
- Helps sales managers develop and maintain a consistent approach to training
- Teaches reps all the skills they need to succeed, from prospecting to negotiation
- Past customers have used the course to increase revenue by as much as 75%.
Training Cons:
- Pricing isn’t listed on the RAIN website, so you’ll need to contact the company directly.
Testimonial:
“RAIN Group’s training was exactly what our team needed to close the gaps. The program focused on critical skills and knowledge that we needed to grow our accounts. This was not a training course that we’ll never use again.” – Don Turano, VP Sales for the Americas, FLIR Systems
Integrity Solutions Industrial Sales Training
Integrity Solutions has been educating customers for more than 50 years. In that time, the company has developed numerous training programs, including one for manufacturing and industrial professionals. This particular course has been used by Komatsu and Samsonite.
Training Pros:
- Help reps discover how to sell on value, not just price; increase product mix and market share; and even how to work with distributors and retailers to drive more demand
- Integrity offers courses for both sales reps and sales managers in the industrial space
Training Cons:
- Integrity Solutions emphasizes mindset, which might not be where your reps struggle
Testimonial:
“We as a company needed to be customer-focused and by working with our partners at Integrity Solutions, we were able to accomplish this. Their methods are proven, and the consistent approach really brought confidence to our sales team…” – Sales & Marketing Excellence Manager
Sandler Training
Sandler is a respected name in sales training. The company’s Manufacturing and Logistics program doesn’t disappoint, helping sellers of all skill levels excel in the industrial sales space.
Training Pros:
- Enjoy the customized training that Sandler offers to sales teams in the industrial space
- Teach your reps to connect with the right leads, start interesting sales conversations, close deals at premium prices, and generate more warm referrals with this course
Training Cons:
- Sandler teaches students its proven 12-point system. This isn’t a bad thing—unless you disagree with their approach. If so, consider other industrial sales training programs.
Testimonial:
“I’ve been selling to the industrial marketplace for over 15 years… After completing your sessions and developing a 30 second commercial, I am amazed with the reaction from my prospects and customers.” – Greg Schreier, Camfil Air Pollution Control
SOCO Sales Training
SOCO Selling’s Manufacturing & Industrial Sales Training program has been taken by more than 50,000 people in 20+ countries around the globe. The course has maintained its popularity by teaching students the specific skills they need to thrive in the industrial sales industry.
Training Pros:
- Help your sales reps build rapport and trust with prospects, shorten sales cycles, and strengthen brand reputation—all while operating with renewed confidence.
- Receive a post-training evaluation to understand what your reps learn in the SOCO Selling course and, just as important, how said reps should implement the material.
Training Cons:
- In-person training isn’t available in all countries. (Fortunately, SOCO Selling offers virtual training, too, which you can purchase and use no matter where your sales team is.)
Testimonial:
“Engaging, thoughtful training with a real insight into the world of sales.” – John Cronin, Verified Google Reviewer
ASLAN
When it comes to sales training, few names are as well-known and respected as ASLAN. The company has courses for sales reps, sales managers, and customer services professionals.
Training Pros:
- Teach your reps the “others-centered selling” approach that focuses on customer needs and makes them feel understood—which almost always leads to more sales.
- Help your reps build trust with prospects, understand their pain points, become a trusted advisor in the sales process, and simplify the buying process for potential customers.
Training Cons:
- ASLAN doesn’t offer a specific industrial sales training course. Instead, the company teaches strategies that work in all industries. Some might dislike the broad approach.
Testimonial:
“We hired ASLAN to train our inbound reps… Bottom line… Reps that were trained outperformed untrained reps by almost 8X.” – Director, Fortune 1000 Industrial Distributor
Other Training Resources For Industrial Sales Teams
Looking for additional resources?
Maybe you want to level up your sales team so they can succeed in the competitive industrial sector, but you’re not ready to shell out hundreds of dollars for one of the programs above.
Not to worry. There are other options available to you, and many of them can be had for free. In fact, we have multiple resources on this website that you should take a look at:
- Selling To Distributors: 9 Steps For Success
- Effective Strategies For Selling To MRO Companies
- 8 Tips To Build An Effective Manufacturing Sales Strategy
Since we’re on the topic of resources, have you tried SPOTIO’s Sales Engagement Software?
Our solution was specifically designed to bring out the best in your field sales team. That’s why it includes lead generation, territory management, route planning, multi-channel communication, task automation, document management, sales tracking, and analytics reporting tools.
Sign up for a free demo of SPOTIO today to view our platform for yourself and decide if it’s right for your sales team. We’re confident you’ll love what you see!
Which Industrial Sales Training Program Is Right For You?
Industrial sales training will help your sales reps improve their technical product knowledge, boost customer satisfaction, shorten sales cycles, and increase their close rates.
Of course, you have to invest in the right program for your team. This begs the question, “Which industrial sales training program is right for you?” Find a program that fits your:
- Needs: Every program is unique and focuses on slightly different aspects of the industrial sales process. Choose a program that will fill in knowledge gaps for your team.
- Budget: Your mom always told you that money doesn’t grow on trees—and she was right. Choose a program that fits your budget and won’t break the bank.
Industrial sales training programs are excellent resources. But you need to continually invest in your sales team, even after your reps complete the program you purchase for them.
As mentioned above, SPOTIO is a great tool for field sales teams because it includes features reps need to close deals. It also includes features sales managers need to coach reps on a consistent basis. Sign up for a free demo of SPOTIO now to see these features in action!
