Sales Training Vs Sales Coaching: Key Differences and Synergies

Introduction

Sales training and sales coaching are two of the six pillars of sales enablement, as I covered in my sales enablement handbook. 

In other words, you will be hard-pressed to find a successful sales enablement initiative that doesn’t involve a combination of sales training and coaching.

Ask most sales enablement professionals, and you’ll likely hear a consensus: training and coaching are two distinct yet complementary practices.

Put simply, the real effects of sales training are more likely to last if followed or complemented by sales coaching. 

Despite this, the fact remains that some people still confuse the two; they either mix them up or think that they are the same thing.

In this article, we will explore the reasons for this confusion but also provide a detailed explanation of the goals, the roles involved, the various approaches, and the interconnectedness of sales training and coaching, which makes them essential for successful sales enablement interventions. 

Understanding sales training and sales coaching

As discussed in my sales coaching roadmap article, sales coaching is often misused and frequently interchanged with concepts like sales training or mentoring. It’s therefore crucial to provide side-by-side definitions of sales training and sales coaching:

A mere glance at these two definitions will reveal important differences, the most essential one being highlighted: instructive vs collaborative. 

In other words, with sales training, the sales organisation or the sales enablement team has a set of goals, and they take a directive approach to move the trainees closer to those goals.

With sales coaching, the road taken is a non-directive one and emphasises the coachee’s natural potential that can be fulfilled. 

I believe these two definitions also give an insight into why people sometimes have trouble distinguishing between the two.

Most importantly, they are about salespeople getting better at what they do.

From the standpoint of a trainee/coachee, they both involve learning and developing new skills that will help them become better sales professionals.  

Moreover, as we go into more detail about these two core practices, we will also discover that sometimes they share the same focus areas.

Key differences between sales training and coaching

While sales training and sales coaching share the ultimate goal of optimal sales readiness, they are still different in a number of different aspects.

In this section, we will provide an overview of those differences. 

Purpose and focus

Sales training is educational in nature, where trainees are imparted knowledge, skills, and techniques that they need to perform well in their roles. 

In the past, this has often been executed as a one-size-fits-all approach where every salesperson at a company, regardless of their focus and circumstances, would be getting the same training. They’d receive the same talk about the product, the ideal customer profile (ICP), the call script, objection handling, and so on. 

Fortunately, in recent years, we have seen a shift in sales training, especially in companies possessing a sales enablement function and a more advanced tech stack.

Training in such companies is becoming more personalised and tailored to the people involved and their circumstances (e.g., industry focus, role type). 

Still, at its very core, sales training involves a primarily educational process whose ultimate purpose is to create a foundational, measurable skill set that every salesperson at a company should possess to succeed. 

On the other hand, sales coaching is centred more around the further development of existing skills and qualities through a less formal and more ongoing approach. 

Instead of instructing the sales rep or sales manager about certain aspects of their job, a sales coach works collaboratively with them to raise their levels of self-awareness, motivation, and commitment, thereby helping them overcome the possible “interference” that exists between where they are and where they are expected to be or want to be. 

Methodology and approach

Sales training and sales coaching also differ greatly when it comes to the methodology used and the approach taken to learning, as lightly hinted in the previous section. 

For instance, training is usually highly structured, with standardised materials, coursework, and tests established in advance. The training itself is usually provided on a certain schedule, often in a classroom-like setting (virtual or physical). 

It’s much closer to the traditional educational system.

Sales coaching is, typically, much less formalised and is most often done one-on-one. Of course, the sales coach and the coachee can set a specific process, but this process tends to be more dynamic and adaptive to the emerging needs of the coachee. 

Sales coaches provide constructive feedback and keep the coachee accountable for the goals they’ve set for themselves. Still, they tend to maintain a more non-directive approach. 

While we compared training with the educational system, sales coaching could best be likened to personalised guidance.

Scope and duration

Sales training is typically conducted in set sessions over a limited period.

It’s very common for companies to include sales training as part of their sales onboarding process.

Of course, there are many more cases in which training can be warranted; for example, when the company introduces a new product to the market or releases a new sales process. 

The statistics have shown that a one-off kind of approach to sales training is often ineffective, especially in the long run, which is why sales enablement teams aim for continuous or at least regular training programmes that will consolidate skills learned in initial training sessions. 

On the other hand, sales coaching is inherently a much more ongoing process than training.

Sales coaches and the coachees work regularly together on identifying areas for improvement and removing the impediments that are holding the coachees back; they pivot their approach if and when needed, and they adapt to the coachees’ development needs over time. 

This long-term nature of coaching has inspired sales and sales enablement professionals to see it as a fantastic reinforcement method for sales training.

Sales training best practices

Sales training can be transformative and highly impactful for an organisation, yet real sales acceleration is dependent on impeccable execution. 

In the sales training best practices guide I authored, I discussed that there are a few things that you must keep in mind if you wish your training to truly help your sales team and the sales organisation as a whole.

Here’s a summary of what those best practices involve. 

Conduct training needs assessments

Conducting a comprehensive training needs assessment is the essential first step that will influence everything that comes later.

Without this foundational step, it’s much more likely that your training efforts could miss the mark. 

Training needs assessment helps in aligning the training with the strategic objectives of the organisation and the specific development needs of individual sales professionals. 

To do it well, you have to evaluate the existing skill levels, identify gaps, and understand the unique challenges faced by the sales team.

This tailored approach ensures that the training is relevant, focused, and capable of addressing the specific requirements of your sales force.

A well-executed needs assessment also helps in setting measurable goals.

Training is designed to be outcome-focused, thereby maximising its effectiveness and ensuring that it delivers tangible results in terms of improved sales performance and business outcomes.

Get management on board early

The involvement of sales managers from the beginning (or the lack of it) can make or break even the finest training programme. Their direct experience with the day-to-day realities of the sales team provides invaluable insights into what the training should cover.

Sales managers can offer a practical perspective, helping you ground the training in the real challenges and opportunities faced by the sales team.

In addition, sales managers also play a key role in reinforcing the training. Their involvement in the training process enables them to support their teams in developing new skills and implementing new strategies. 

Use adult learning principles

Adults learn differently than children or youngsters; they value practical application and self-direction.

Training should, therefore, be designed to be engaging, interactive, and relevant to the salespeople’s experiences.

This approach respects their knowledge and life experiences, making the learning process more meaningful and impactful.

Focusing on practical and relevant applications helps keep trainees engaged.

By relating concepts to real-world scenarios, salespeople can better understand and apply what they learn.

Training should be an empowering experience that encourages learners to take responsibility for their own development.

Apply different active learning approaches

Active learning approaches relate to adult learning principles in that they keep training engaging and effective.

These methods involve the learners directly, making them active participants in their learning journey. Techniques like role-playing, group discussions, and case study exercises encourage active engagement, critical thinking, and practical application of skills.

Active learning also allows for immediate feedback, which is crucial for refining skills and strategies.

Additionally, active learning helps trainees have a deeper understanding and retention of what they’ve learned since they are conditioned to apply it in practical situations early on.

Map training to the learning curve

The learning curve recognises the varying stages of competence within the sales team.

This allows you to create tailored training programmes that address the specific needs and abilities of each team member. 

Whether they are beginners needing foundational knowledge or experienced salespeople looking for advanced techniques, training should be relevant to their stage of development.

This approach ensures that training is neither too basic nor too advanced.

By aligning training with the team’s learning curve, you can adequately challenge and support each member in their growth journey.

Acknowledge different learning styles

Different people learn differently. 

Just think back to your school days. 

There were friends who completely immersed themselves in their books, almost as if they were about to plunge right into the pages.

Meanwhile, others strolled around, reading everything aloud.

Some immediately came up with examples of what they learned or promptly put their newfound knowledge into action.

They were simply exhibiting proclivities for different ways of learning: visual, auditory, or kinaesthetic. 

Incorporating a mix of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic elements ensures that the training resonates with everyone in the sales organisation.

For instance, using a combination of presentations, discussions, and practical exercises can cater to different preferences, enhancing the learning experience.

Sales coaching best practices

Building on the foundation of effective training, sales coaching is the next critical step in the development of a high-performing sales culture and team.

Here are some best practices in sales coaching.

Understand the context and needs

Sales coaching works best when it’s tailored to the context of each individual’s needs and situation.

It’s not a uniform process, with different approaches designed to enhance specific facets of sales performance and career advancement. 

Recognising this diversity in coaching styles is crucial; it fosters a coaching strategy that resonates with the unique circumstances and objectives of each sales rep and the sales organisation as a whole, thereby making it more effective.

In other words, different circumstances will warrant different types of coaching, as shown in the image below.

Emphasise self-discovery 

A sales coach is less like a trainer or teacher and more like a guide. Their role is to facilitate self-discovery in sales reps and sales leaders alike, helping them identify their strengths and areas for improvement. 

This process involves guiding them to reflect on their experiences, understand their selling styles, and be honest with themselves.

Self-discovery leads to greater self-awareness, which is essential for personal development and sales skills enhancement.

Provide strategic guidance

When performing sales coaching, there are particular moments where the approach has to shift towards a blend of coaching and mentoring.

This means introducing direct advice and guidance while still maintaining the co-creative and non-directive essence of traditional sales coaching.

A key example of this is when a salesperson faces a stalled deal.

In such instances, a sales coach can actively step in to collaboratively brainstorm innovative strategies, helping to reignite buyer interest and skillfully navigate the hurdles that are stalling the sale.

Similarly, this approach is helpful in unique or complex sales scenarios.

For instance, in deals that involve intricate negotiations or sectors unfamiliar to the salesperson, the coach’s possible domain expertise and experience can be leveraged for optimal results.

Here, the coach offers guidance while still engaging the salesperson in strategic thinking, ensuring both effective problem-solving and meaningful skill development.

Encourage goal-setting and accountability

A crucial aspect of sales coaching is helping sales reps set realistic and achievable goals.

Sales coaches should work with sellers to establish these goals and hold them accountable for reaching them.

This helps in tracking progress and identifying areas for further development, thereby driving performance.

Integrating sales training and coaching in sales enablement

Having delved into the distinct aspects of sales training and sales coaching, along with their respective best practices, it’s now time to also discuss how they complement each other.

From a sales enablement standpoint, sales training and sales coaching play distinct yet complementary roles. 

Training lays the groundwork, as it provides sales professionals with essential knowledge and skills. 

This foundational phase familiarises the sales reps with areas like product details, sales and qualification methodologies, customer engagement tactics, and more. 

Sales training ensures that all team members have a consistent level of basic sales competency, which helps maintain a standardised approach across teams. 

Then, sales coaching builds on this foundational knowledge. It refines and adapts the skills acquired during training to fit individual sales reps’ contexts, styles, and strengths. 

Sales coaching sessions focus on personalised, ongoing development, offering one-on-one guidance to help every sales rep navigate specific sales challenges, fine-tune their approaches, and work on themselves both as salespeople and individuals. 

The transition from training to coaching is a critical phase in the specific development of different skills by the sales professional.

Initially, training is the primary focus, but as salespeople practice and gain experience and confidence, the need for structured training tends to decrease, and the focus shifts to more personalised development, marking the beginning of sales coaching.

During sales coaching, each sales rep is encouraged to analyse their experiences, learn from them, and continuously adapt their strategies, which allows them to continuously develop their craft.

In companies with mature sales enablement initiatives, coaching offers guidance and feedback that is directly relevant to each salesperson’s specific context, challenges, and goals, turning them, along the way, into high-performing sales reps.

It’s clear that the journey from sales training to sales coaching is core to transforming sales professionals into high-performers.

However, implementing this comprehensive approach often poses its own set of challenges, particularly when it comes to justifying the need and investment for both components within a sales organisation.

One common challenge is building a convincing business case for integrating sales coaching alongside training.

This often involves considering additional investments, whether in hiring sales coaches or training sales managers to take on coaching responsibilities.

The question then becomes how to demonstrate the tangible return on this investment.

The good news is that I have already compiled some very convincing stats on the ROI of sales training and coaching in my two comprehensive guides to these practices.

If your organisation is still lacking a sales enablement team and you are pushing for the initiative, the data found in those should be a good starting point to convince even the most sceptical of leaders.

In addition to the stats, you will also find some first-hand, practical advice on how to measure the effectiveness of your training and coaching. These will be extremely important if you want to ensure you’re getting the most out of your efforts.

Conclusion

In conclusion, training and coaching, integral components of sales enablement, are not rivals but allies in the pursuit of sales excellence.

Sales training lays the foundation by imparting essential knowledge and skills, while coaching personalises this learning, focusing on individual development and deliberate application. 

The journey from training to coaching marks an important transition in any sales enablement programme that aims to solidify the knowledge and skills acquired and help sales professionals develop mastery and situational fluency.

The combination of training and coaching is key to cultivating skilled, adaptable, and high-performing sales teams.

It’s not sales training vs sales coaching; it’s sales training and sales coaching working together to help sales reps develop mastery.