Sales Academy

It probably sounds familiar: the material you heard during lessons in secondary school often went in one ear and out the other. No matter how passionately a teacher spoke about their subject, the theory didn't stick for long. Because, let's be honest, how much do you still remember about the French Revolution?

Many professionals find themselves in a similar situation after attending training sessions throughout their careers. Despite the dedication of trainers, the lessons often fail to leave a lasting impact. Sales Academy recognised that their sales training wasn't sticking with their learners either. It was time for a new strategy. They developed a ‘glue’ in the form of a hybrid learning journey designed to make the knowledge stick.

Sales Academy is a training provider for sales professionals. Their blended training programmes focus on improving sales skills and building strong customer relationships. Key training topics include customer acquisition, retention, development, negotiation, and sales management.

For years, Sales Academy delivered sales training in a traditional style: half-day or full-day sessions held on-site, where the trainer addressed the theory and facilitated exercises with the learners.

While learners often returned to their workplaces feeling highly motivated, feedback frequently indicated that there hadn’t been any significant changes for learners in their work practices. The new knowledge and skills failed to stick, and they fell back into old behaviours.

One-time training sessions resulted in learners quickly forgetting what they had learned.

According to Arja van der Valk, founder of Sales Academy, people tend to fall back into old habits because it feels safe. Telling learners how to do things differently during a one-off training day has little effect. As soon as the sales professionals leave the classroom, they return to their familiar way of handling clients.

The challenge, therefore, lies in changing a habit. This cannot be achieved with a single training day, which is often even perceived as 'annoying' by learners because it interrupts their daily work.

Sales Academy had previously experimented with e-learning, but this was initially unsuccessful. Their first experience with online learning was uncomfortable: it often felt complicated and the dynamic was lacking. As a result, they tried a different approach: covering the theory in two online training days and providing feedback on learners' skills during live sessions.

Unfortunately, this approach also faced difficulties. Learners became tired from sitting in front of the computer all day and struggled to absorb the information.

Although the first experiment with online learning was unsuccessful, Arja and Nicoline didn't give up and kept looking for the glue to make their sales training stick. In 2023, they created a new design and started testing several training programmes. They made adjustments based on extensive feedback from their learners and this now forms the core of their 2024 curriculum.

The two days of online theory were split up in parts that were smaller and more manageable, resulting in a great combination of microlearning and preliminary theoretical education.

Convenience is key

According to Arja, a platform that puts learners' convenience first was a necessity to achieve this. Learners prefer a flexible learning environment that allows them to learn when and where they want, without their working day being interrupted.

Sales Academy stumbled upon aNewSpring through one of their customers. The platform fit their needs: it's user-friendly for both learners and the people who develop the training. Splitting up the training into smaller sections turned out to be easy. It helps learners absorb the material better, while still maintaining have a clear overview and knowing exactly what is expected of them. On top of that, the shorter sessions minimise the chance that they get tired easily or even drop out.

By addressing the theory online, there are numerous opportunities for practice and feedback during the live sessions. The combination of online and offline learning builds confidence in learners: they are better prepared, know what is expected of them and have the space to make mistakes while practicing. Confidence grows through preparation. Additionally, learners feel more engaged and motivated due to interactive assignments and microlearning.

Sales actors

During the live sessions, Sales Academy employs sales actors to create authentic practice scenarios. Learners role-play customer situations to refine their sales skills and gain confidence in the new approach. They also receive immediate feedback on what works well and what could be improved.

Additionally, Sales Academy offers client simulation sessions, where two sales actors mimic customer interactions. Learners give the actors directions on how to handle the scenarios, based on what they've learned.

The Sales Whisperer

Their latest concept is the Sales Whisperer Show: a powerful learning experience for larger groups that reflects the daily practice of sales with humour and lightness. Learners receive practical tips that are 'whispered' to them. These tips are often packaged in playful acronyms that are easy to remember. These small, clever reminders assist in improving sales results and boost the ability to engage with customers.

This combination of practical tips and realistic exercises ensures that learners not only gain knowledge but also grow in their role as sales professionals. The training provides not only new information but also the confidence to apply that knowledge in practice. And that is exactly what you need to succeed in the world of sales.

Intensively practicing the knowledge and skills enables learners to apply those more effectively in real-life situations. They now have permanent access to sales knowledge in their pockets, allowing them to refresh their understanding whenever and wherever they need it. The different content formats are highly appreciated, as they are adapted to personal needs.

Feedback from learners indicates that the new approach is effective. “We want people to get one percent better every day,” says Nicoline Huizinga, L&D Consultant at Sales Academy. “And we apply that mindset to ourselves as well. That’s why we continuously seek feedback and adapt our programme based on that input.”

Sales Academy continues to innovate and improve. It remains essential to inspire and engage learners, so they can apply the knowledge gained and avoid falling back into old habits. With continuous feedback loops and a commitment to on-the-job coaching, Sales Academy ensures that the learning experience remains dynamic and that learners actively participate. The transition to blended learning journeys not only makes the training more effective but also contributes to the ongoing development of sales skills.

With their innovative approach and focus on continuous improvement, Sales Academy illustrates that more is needed than just transmitting knowledge for learning to truly stick.