Product Training for Sales – 8 Expert Best Practices

Introduction

Welcome to another article in my multiple-part series on product training and enablement!

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out the first two pieces in this series: an introduction to product enablement and a product marketing vs product enablement discussion.

Both were created in collaboration with Devon McDermott, an enablement leader and true expert in the field, who generously shared her extensive insights in one of the most enlightening conversations I’ve had in years.

In this article, we focus on best practices for product training, and I’m excited to bring you 8 best practices that Devon herself has championed throughout her career.

As someone whose early experiences in enablement included being a product trainer at Salesforce, Devon’s perspective is rooted in hands-on experience and a deep understanding of what makes product training effective.

I’ve chosen to focus on product training here because I’ve observed how often it is misunderstood in the industry – frequently reduced to a one-off event, merely a checkbox in the onboarding process.

When done right, however, product training plays a crucial role in product adoption, sales performance, and customer satisfaction – all compelling reasons to get it right!

In our conversation, Devon emphasised that success requires going beyond basic product knowledge. The goal is to establish a continuous, immersive learning process that enables teams to confidently apply their knowledge in real-world scenarios.

In fact, you’ll notice that I’ve used one of Devon’s quotes to introduce each of the best practices we’ll explore.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Without further ado, here are 8 best practices for effective product training in sales.

1. Align learning objectives with business outcomes

While Devon’s quote references product enablement rather than product training, it’s worth briefly noting the distinction between the two.

Training typically focuses on transferring knowledge and skills, whereas enablement takes a broader, more strategic approach by incorporating tools, processes, and ongoing support to drive performance.

That said, the key message applies to both: effective training should remain focused on achieving measurable business outcomes.

Devon’s insight underscores a key best practice: aligning product training with both learning objectives and business goals.

For sales teams, this means setting clear learning objectives that are directly tied to specific sales outcomes.

Rather than merely delivering product knowledge training, training should focus on the application of product knowledge so that salespeople can close more deals and drive customer satisfaction.

For instance, if the business goal is to increase win rates, product training should focus on helping sales teams communicate the product’s value proposition clearly and differentiate it from competitors in ways that resonate with potential customers.

If the aim is to expand deal sizes over time, training should be geared towards upselling and cross-selling by teaching how the product can meet a wider range of customer needs.

By aligning training with business and sales outcomes, salespeople and managers can clearly see how learning directly impacts performance. This keeps training relevant, engaging, and actionable. 

Instead of simply listing features, training should tackle real-world scenarios, such as handling objections, presenting demos, pitching during cold calls or discovery conversations, and building differentiation in competitive environments.

Furthermore, aligning learning objectives with business outcomes provides a clear path for measuring success.

If you define what success looks like – whether it’s improving win rates, increasing product adoption, or enhancing customer retention – it becomes easier to evaluate the impact of training.

Tracking performance metrics against these objectives also helps you demonstrate the value of the training and continually improve it (I also discussed this in my general sales training best practices guide).

In short, product training should always support both knowledge and skill acquisition and business performance, equipping sales teams to excel in real-world interactions while achieving strategic outcomes.

2. Integrate industry and market understanding early on

Before delving into product features and functionality, it’s essential to give your salespeople a broader context of the industry and market in which the product operates. 

As Devon rightly points out, understanding the “why” behind the product is just as important as knowing the “what.”

When salespeople grasp the bigger picture, they can position the product more effectively. They see how it fits into the landscape and, more importantly, how it solves real problems for buyers.

Starting product training with industry and market knowledge provides a solid foundation. All other product knowledge builds upon this.

Salespeople who understand the key industry trends, market dynamics, competitive landscape, and customer challenges are better equipped to articulate how the product addresses and fits within these areas. 

This is especially crucial when engaging with buyers who may already have a strong understanding of their industry and market. You want to enable the sellers to position themselves as trusted advisor whenever possible. 

Moreover, when sales teams understand the market context, they can adapt their messaging based on the unique needs of different buyer personas.

For example, a feature that resonates with a marketing team won’t have the same appeal for a sales or finance team.

Understanding these nuances and the specific goals and challenges faced by each persona enables salespeople to tailor their conversations, making them more relevant and impactful.

3. Cultivate empathy and buyer-centricity

A product is only as good as the value it brings to the buyer, and product training should focus on helping salespeople see the product through the buyer’s eyes.

As Devon advises, sales teams must “walk a mile in the shoes of the buyer” to fully understand the expectations buyers have and the challenges they face. 

This empathy-driven approach is what differentiates a great salesperson from a good one – the focus should’t be on forcing the sale, but on helping the buyer make an informed decision.

When salespeople can empathise with buyers, they are more likely to offer the right solutions at the right time. This means focusing on the problems the buyer is trying to solve and the goals they are after, rather than just showcasing product features. 

Designing and delivering buyer-centric product training also ensures that salespeople can set the right expectations with buyers and provide reassurance.

As Devon points out, having transparent communication on what the buyer should expect when using the product is key. It builds confidence and trust. 

This involves explaining how it will feel to use it in real-world scenarios.

Sales teams must be able to communicate the practical realities of the product – how easy it is to implement, how it integrates with existing systems, and the tangible benefits it delivers over time.

4. Focus on practical scenarios

When it comes to product training, it’s easy to fall into the trap of focusing too heavily on features, functions, and specifications.

While these are necessary, they aren’t enough to equip sales teams with the tools and resources they need to succeed in the field.

The true goal of product training should be to help teams understand how to apply that knowledge in real-life scenarios.

Devon rightly points out that product training is about building high-value conversations, not simply ticking off a checklist of product attributes.

To achieve this, scenario-based learning is key. You must incorporate real-life scenarios to give your sales teams the opportunity to practice how they would respond in different situations. 

For example, how might they position the product when a buyer raises specific objections? How would they highlight its benefits in a conversation with an IT manager versus a marketing director? 

By offering realistic, relevant training experiences, you can give your team the practical skills they need to navigate customer interactions effectively.

Scenario-based learning can also help develop and reinforce a sense of empathy and perspective-taking by helping sales teams understand the customer’s perspective. It allows them to see the product not just as a set of features, but as something that someone uses to solve their problems and achieve their goals. 

Moreover, role-playing these scenarios fosters critical thinking and quick decision-making.

Salespeople can rehearse how they would pitch the product, overcome objections, or answer complex questions.

The more contextually relevant learning experiences you can provide, the more confident and prepared your salespeople will feel when facing similar situations in real life. 

Ultimately, product training should empower your sales teams to have impactful, context-rich conversations that resonate with buyers or customers, making it more likely to progress the deal towards a positive end. 

5. Establish a continuous learning process

When we think about product training, it’s common to focus heavily on the onboarding phase – the time when new hires get up to speed with the product, its features, and its value. While onboarding is very important, it’s just the start. 

Continuous learning is the key to maintaining product knowledge, keeping up with updates, and making sales teams always prepared to have the most current, relevant conversations with buyers and customers.

As Devon explains, product training is a multi-phase process. It doesn’t stop once onboarding is complete.

Instead, it’s a cycle that involves regular updates, feedback, and ongoing learning opportunities.

This enables sales teams to stay informed and capable of delivering value throughout the entire customer journey.

Establishing an “everboarding” process – a continuous learning framework – helps reinforce product knowledge and prevents it from becoming outdated.

Think of this process as a continual loop where extensive product knowledge is regularly refreshed. 

The approach could involve, short, regular learning updates to keep the team in the loop without overwhelming them.

These updates can be delivered via quick videos, short assessments, or interactive knowledge checks that are easy to digest, all accompanied by practical scenario-based learning and roleplays. 

One of the main challenges in keeping product knowledge fresh is ensuring that new product features or updates are seamlessly integrated into this ongoing learning process. It’s essential to create a structured system that integrates product releases into the continuous learning flow.

This might involve setting up alerts, internal communications, or micro-learning product knowledge training modules that focus on new features, updates, or shifts in product strategy. 

Hopefully, as your enablement maturity advances, you can get to a point where, when a new product enhancement is released, your team is immediately aware and can adapt their approach accordingly.

Regular feedback loops also play an important role in a continuous learning process.

By checking in with your sales teams (and even other teams, such as CS providing feedback on customer success stories), you can gather insights into how they’re applying product knowledge in the field and where they might need additional support or clarification. 

These feedback loops help identify gaps in knowledge or areas where training might need to be adjusted. Additionally, they allow you to track whether the learning is resulting in the desired outcomes. 

6. Include experts from across the organisation

Creating effective product training for sales is not a solitary task.

In fact, one of the most impactful steps in building relevant and tailored training content is collaborating with various teams.

Sales teams, customer experience (CX) teams, account management (AM) teams, and product teams all have valuable perspectives on how the product is used, the challenges customers face, and the most important features to highlight depending on the type of sales conversations. 

As Devon points out, it’s essential to bring these teams into the training process.

If you involve those who interact with customers (and the product) daily, you can increase the likelihood of designing and delivering product training that reflects real-world conditions. 

For example, sales reps might be able to provide insights into common customer objections.

Customer success and account management teams, on the other hand, can highlight customer pain points they address during the onboarding or post-sale phases. They can also offer additional perspectives on long-term product adoption and how certain features and benefits are key to ongoing customer satisfaction.

Additionally, involving cross-functional teams in the creation of training content helps build a sense of ownership and alignment across the business.

When your sales teams, product teams, and other customer-facing teams work together on training, they gain a deeper understanding of each other’s roles and perspectives.

This alignment leads to a more cohesive experience for both internal teams and customers.

7. Implement micro-learning and agile training

In companies where products are frequently updated, it’s crucial for training content to remain relevant and up-to-date.

One of the best ways to achieve this is through micro-learning – the practice of delivering small, focused learning modules that cover a specific topic or concept.

Rather than overwhelming employees with hours of product knowledge training sessions, micro-learning breaks down training into manageable, bite-sized chunks that can be consumed quickly and easily.

Micro-learning also provides a key advantage in terms of adaptability.

When a new product update or feature is released, you can create and deploy new micro-videos or bite-sized learning resources very rapidly.

Devon highlights the importance of agility in training content by suggesting that training materials, like videos or modules, should be designed with flexibility in mind.

Micro-learning allows you to swiftly update training assets whenever there are product changes, ensuring that teams are always on top of new features, updates, or shifts in product messaging. 

Moreover, these small learning modules can be consumed during short breaks or between meetings, making learning more accessible and less disruptive to daily workflows.

Another benefit of agile, micro-learning is that it supports continuous learning.

Rather than relying on a one-off, exhaustive training session at the start of onboarding, micro-learning enables ongoing learning opportunities.

Teams can revisit training whenever they need to refresh their knowledge. Because the content is short and accessible, it doesn’t feel like a chore.

Instead, it becomes part of a continuous learning cycle – one that evolves alongside the product, gradually adding more layers of product knowledge for future use.

8. Use tech to facilitate learning, feedback, and measurement 

Integrating the right tech tools can significantly enhance your product training strategy.

Learning management systems (LMS) allow for the centralised delivery and tracking of training modules, ensuring that product knowledge is consistently available and easily accessible.

These platforms can also allow for real-time updates, so your training content stays current with product changes.

Content management systems (CMS) serve a similar purpose but focus on the organisation and distribution of product assets.

A well-structured CMS can house everything from product guides to sales decks, ensuring that training resources are organised and easy to find when needed.

In this regard, a lot of evolution has occurred, with the advent of AI co-pilots and digital sales rooms, as I discuss in my piece on why traditional CMS are dead. 

By analysing conversations, they help assess how effectively product messaging is landing and highlight areas where understanding or training may need improvement.

Insights from these interactions can then be fed back into the training process, allowing you to track leading indicators of behavioural change and adherence.

Conclusion

Effective product knowledge training for sales team members requires more than just listing features, which is, unfortunately, a way in which a lot of product training is being performed today, even in more mature companies.

Like any sales training, product training is most effective when it’s continuous, includes regular feedback, and builds on a growing, easily updated knowledge base.

Most importantly, it should be grounded in real-life scenarios that sales reps can relate to.

In that way, product training for sales reps follows the same best practices that you would apply to any kind of sales training.

However, due to the specific type of information that the sales reps are being trained on (extensive product knowledge that is constantly evolving), there is a need to enable a level of agility that you may not require with other sales training areas.

I hope this was a helpful breakdown of product training best practices, and make sure to check out many other interesting articles on The Enablement Insight.