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News & Insights for B2B Sales Leaders

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December 16, 2024

How AI Reinforcement is Transforming Sales Training

By Larissa DiStefano, VP of Marketing, The Brooks Group
A person in a yellow hard hat drills into a pipe.

Many sales leaders struggle with filling the gap between training and the real world. The challenge is having your sellers retain and apply their new skills consistently.

While traditional sales training programs deliver essential knowledge, research shows that without proper reinforcement, learners forget up to 87% of training content within just 30 days. This “forgetting curve” poses a significant obstacle for sales leaders invested in developing high-performing teams.

Enter artificial intelligence—a game-changing force that’s transforming how sales professionals learn, practice, and retain crucial selling skills. The integration of AI into sales training platforms isn’t just an incremental improvement; it’s a paradigm shift in how we approach sales force development.

The Power of Continuous Reinforcement

Conventional sales training often follows a “one-and-done” approach, where sellers attend workshops or complete courses but lack structured follow-up. This approach ignores a fundamental principle of adult learning: skills must be developed through consistent use. 

According to research, when we practice what we learn, 75% of us retain the information. But sales training reinforcement can be a burden on busy sales enablement teams, adding yet another activity to the training calendar.

AI-powered platforms allow sales organizations to address this challenge by providing:

  • On-demand practice opportunities that fit into busy schedules
  • Immediate, objective feedback on performance
  • Personalized learning paths based on individual needs
  • Consistent measurement of progress and proficiency

AI as Your 24/7 Sales Coach

Modern AI-powered training platforms serve as always-available coaching resources, enabling sellers to rehearse crucial conversations and receive instant feedback. These systems analyze various aspects of performance, including:

  • Content relevance and alignment with sales methodology
  • Tone and emotional intelligence
  • Pacing and delivery
  • Key message incorporation
  • Overall effectiveness

This continuous feedback loop accelerates skill development and builds confidence through private sessions—something traditional training methods can’t match in scale or consistency.

Empowering Sales Leaders

For sales leaders, AI-enhanced training platforms provide unprecedented visibility into team development. These tools offer:

  • Data-driven insights into individual and team progress
  • Early identification of skill gaps
  • Targeted coaching recommendations
  • Scalable practice environments
  • Objective measurement of improvement

This technology enables leaders to make informed decisions about where to focus coaching efforts and how to optimize training investments.

The Future of Sales Training

As AI technology continues to evolve, we’re seeing emerging capabilities that were impossible just a few years ago. Modern platforms can now generate realistic customer scenarios for practice; provide nuanced feedback on complex selling behaviors; adapt learning paths in real-time based on performance; and create personalized reinforcement exercises.

These innovations ensure that sales training isn’t just an event but an ongoing journey of improvement and skill refinement.

The message for sales leaders is clear: incorporating AI-powered reinforcement into your training strategy isn’t optional—it’s essential for building and maintaining a high-performing sales team in today’s competitive landscape. Organizations that embrace these tools gain a significant advantage in developing more confident, capable, and successful sales professionals.

Headshot of Larissa Gschwandtner

Larissa DiStefano is vice president of marketing at The Brooks Group, one of the leading sales training and development companies empowering sales teams to generate breakthrough results.