Sales Training 2024: The Best Free Training Resources

Here’s a secret: no one is too sophisticated for sales training. There’s no point in your sales career when you’re done learning. The sooner you realize this, the more skillful and resilient you’ll become.

Think of the sales world as a constantly changing landscape, with new ideas and technologies emerging all the time. Just like a person needs to adapt and evolve to keep up with the world around them, sales professionals also need to continuously develop their skills to stay relevant in today’s market.

Of course, the type of sales training you need depends on your role, skills and career trajectory. Before we jump into our list of free sales training resources for 2024, let’s spend some time exploring which skills to focus on for each sales role so you can set goals for areas of improvement this year.

Sales Training for Business Development Reps

Business development representatives are typically responsible for generating leads, nurturing relationships and building a pipeline of potential customers. This involves lots of different skills that vary day by day. In order to be a successful business development rep, you’ll likely need the following skills in your toolkit.

1. Communication: You’ll spend lots of time talking to potential customers and need to make sure you can present your products or services clearly and confidently. Of course, product knowledge may change whenever you join a new company, but a solid foundation will allow you to articulate the value of any product you’re offering.
2. Networking: Sellers should be able to connect with people and easily build relationships, whether it’s at a trade show, online, or over the phone. If you get nervous talking to strangers, keep practicing until it’s second nature.
3. Data analysis: Looking at numbers and using them to make smart decisions about how to approach potential customers and move them to the next stage is a key part of being a successful business development rep. The more data-driven you are, the more meetings you’ll be able to book.
4. Time management: Business development reps have a lot on their plate, from making sales calls to analyzing data, so being able to prioritize and manage their time effectively is essential. One of the best ways to get time back is by becoming a master of sales automation.
5. Resilience: Let’s face it, being a seller has its challenges. Some days, you don’t have any pickups or email replies. Instead of taking this personally, develop a positive attitude that keeps looking forward to the great moments in sales.

Essential Skills for Account Executives

Since account executives typically manage existing buyer and customer relationships and focus on maximizing revenue, they should focus their energy on improving sales skills. Here is a checklist for what you should cultivate as an account executive.

1. Empathy: Account executives should be customer-focused and able to put themselves in the buyer’s shoes to provide the best possible experience. In a down market, this is often the difference between winning and losing a deal.
2. Strategic thinking: The ability to think strategically and develop a roadmap that aligns with both the customer’s needs and the company’s goals is key to success in this role. Top AEs are always one step ahead as they’re considering how to move deals forward.
3. Negotiation skills: Account executives must be able to negotiate effectively to secure deals, resolve conflicts and manage customer expectations. This requires alignment with various internal teams and excellent communication with everyone in the buying group.
4. Technological adaptability: Account executives must be comfortable using technology, including CRM systems and other sales software, to manage buyer information and track progress. Taking the time to learn your CRM in and out will make you an invaluable AE.
5. Industry knowledge: A deep understanding of the industry and market trends is essential for account executives to be able to identify new opportunities and address customer needs. Staying curious about the latest research can make you a much better seller.

Check out our Account Executive Factsheet for more information

10 Free Sales Training Resources for 2024

The world of sales is changing practically every day. Check out these 10 sales training resources that offer fresh insights into the best way to sell in the current economy.

1. 7 Habits of Highly Successful Salespeople – Revenue.io

Training is worthless unless it becomes a habit. Check out these 7 habits of highly successful salespeople and find ways to develop the habits you might be missing.

2. The New Formula for Perfect Sales Discovery Meetings – Revenue.io

This on-demand webinar with Jason Bay and Jake Spear is our most successful ever. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn from these two sales legends as they offer a masterclass on leading the perfect discovery meeting.

3. Recession-Proof Selling: The Four Step Plan – Revenue.io

The strategies that worked for sellers in the past (e.g. product-focused selling) simply aren’t working in this climate. That’s why the right kind of sales engagement has never been more important. With the right plan in place, you can move more deals forward in the midst of a recession. This guide offers a four-step framework for selling in a downturn economy.

4. The Sales Enablement Podcast – Andy Paul

The Sales Enablement Podcast is full of practical sales training that’s easy to digest. Host Andy Paul is the author of two award-winning sales books, is ranked #8 on LinkedIn’s list of Top 50 Global Sales Experts and has consulted with the biggest businesses in the world.

What is sales enablement?

5. Challenge Email Template – Revenue.io

Improving your writing is essential, especially when people only spend 10 seconds reading your email. This email template from Revenue.io VP of Sales Ryan Vaillancourt can set you apart in the sales process and increase your chances of receiving a reply.

6. Live Negotiation Role Play – 30 Minutes to President’s Club

It’s difficult to become a great negotiator without lots of practice. This role-play session includes negotiation best practices from top sellers Nick Cegelski and Armand Farrokh.

7. Massive Sales Time Wasters – Revenue.io

Time management is one of the top struggles for sellers. It’s easy to get distracted as you research who to reach out to next or switch back and forth between multiple sales tools. In this guide, we’ve identified the top ways that valuable sales time gets wasted. But far more importantly, we’ve offered simple solutions that can keep you focused on what moves the needle.

8. Resource Library – JB Sales

The best kind of sales training is ultra-practical and immediately applicable. Rockstar sales coach John Barrows has curated this library of free sales training resources that includes templates, guides, videos and more.

9. Summaries of Bestselling Sales Books – Outbound Squad

There are so many incredible sales books out there, but most sellers don’t have time to read them all. Outbound Squad has put together this collection of short, digestible book summaries of top-selling business, sales, and marketing books.

10. 5 Sequences Every Team Needs in Their Playbook – Revenue.io

What does a winning sales playbook look like? Using the best practices we’ve gained from helping hundreds of customers, we’ve put together a list of the greatest sales sequences to help you meet quota.

Check out our full list of sales training resources here.