Best Sales Courses - Q2 2023
Sales was recently listed as #5 among the top 20 in-demand skills by LinkedIn. The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that there will likely be 1.9 million sales positions open each year for the next decade. That said, sales skills are not just related to sales positions. Company leaders, recruiters, entrepreneurs, marketers, and product managers all use sales skills in a variety of ways. For this reason, sales is often a great entry-level position that can help employees leapfrog into more advanced roles.
Our Expert Picks
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Our Expert Review
Content Coverage (5/5)
This course is structured into 4 modules comprised of video lectures, readings, and computer-graded quizzes. Each of the modules is extensive in the amount of information covered. The scope of this course is outstanding and includes the majority of topics we consider to be essential for a course on Sales.
A few areas that were not covered in this course were writing effective e-mails and creating effective proposals. However, this is an excellent course to take if you are looking for a crash course in sales.
Lecture Quality (5/5)
The instructors for this course have impressive credentials, are highly professional, and are very knowledgeable in their disciplines. They do an excellent job of keeping students engaged, presenting with enthusiasm and excitement for the topics being covered. The course is designed in a side-by-side view, with one side showing the instructor while the other side displays slides, graphics, and code to illustrate the concepts being covered.
Quiz Quality (5/5)
Quizzes are consistently offered at the end of each module. There are both practice quizzes and graded quizzes in this course. Graded quizzes are timed. Learners have 30 minutes to finish each quiz. In order to pass a quiz a learner must receive at least 80% correct. They can retake the quiz in order to pass.
There were more than enough questions in each quiz to test the learner’s knowledge of the material covered in each module.
Assignment/Exercise Quality (3/5)
This course only offers 2 written assignments that are graded by peers and not the instructor. There is an abundance of reading assignments that will help students with additional learning material in the subject matter being discussed in each module. No discussions are offered in this class.
Learners are also expected to grade the submissions of their peers. For conscientious learners, this can be an excellent form of learning, but neither the submissions nor the reviews are supervised by the instructors.
Certificate Brand Quality (5/5)
This course is offered by the FIA Business School through Coursera. FIA is a well-known and respected business school and Coursera is among the top online learning platforms.
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Our Expert Review
Content Coverage (5/5)
This course is structured in 6 modules, including video lectures, readings, and computer-graded quizzes. The scope of this course is outstanding if you are interested in the basics of sales. Topics include: knowing your customer, targets, social media, LinkedIn, networking, filtering high-quality prospects, making phone calls, emailing, negotiation, and closing practices. The sequence of the information delivered flows well. A few of the topics not covered in this course are effective Zoom meetings and prospecting on search engines.
Lecture Quality (5/5)
While the instructor lacks some academic credentials, they appear to have substantial experience in sales and public speaking. The instructor is very engaging, knowledgeable in the discipline, and poised. The instructor uses real-world scenarios to explain concepts, as well as a wide variety of PowerPoint slides, visuals and animations.
Quiz Quality (5/5)
Quizzes including multiple-choice and true/false questions are consistently offered at the end of each module in this course. Learners must earn a score of 80% in order to gain credit for the quiz and can retake quizzes if they do not earn the minimum score. Immediate feedback is provided for incorrect answers.
Students are able to retake a quiz 3 times every 8 hours. The course developers did a thorough job covering the information that was shared in each of the modules. There were more than enough questions in each quiz to test the learner’s knowledge of the material covered in the module approximately 1 to 10 questions per quiz.
Assignment/Exercise Quality (1/5)
There are no assignments or exercises offered in this course.
Certificate Brand Quality (4/5)
The course is provided by Hubspot through Coursera. Hubspot is one of the leading customer relationship management systems and Coursera is one of the leading learning platforms.
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Our Expert Review
Content Coverage (5/5)
This course is structured in 10 modules, comprised of video lectures and computer-graded quizzes. The majority of essential topics are covered and the scope and sequence of this course is outstanding if you are interested in learning about sales. Some of the topics covered are: negotiations, presentations, qualifying potential clients, meeting directly with clients, prospecting, and the psychology of sales.
A few topics that are not covered in the scope are:
- developing questioning strategies
- writing effective emails
- effective teleconferencing
Lecture Quality (5/5)
The instructor appears to have substantial experience in training, coaching, and consulting. The speaker is very confident in the discipline and does a good job bringing examples into the course. Of particular interest is the way the instructor ties psychology to sales. Well-designed visuals, graphs, and animations are used consistently throughout the lectures to aid the learner on more complex topics.
Quiz Quality (4/5)
Quizzes including true/false and multiple-choice questions are offered at the end of each module. The quizzes are computer-graded and the student receives immediate results. Unfortunately, there are limited questions per quiz, so students are not required to recall much of the information covered in order to pass the course. Students are able to retake quizzes as many times as they would like if they don’t initially pass the quiz.
Assignment/Exercise Quality (1/5)
There are no assignments or exercises offered in this course.
Certificate Brand Quality (4/5)
This course is offered by LinkedIn Learning. Formerly Lynda Learning, LinkedIn Learning has a strong reputation in corporate training.
Topics to Look For in a Sales Course
- Identifying Targets
- Prospecting on Search Engines
- Prospecting on social media
- Prospecting on LinkedIn
- Prospecting at networking events
- Developing questioning strategies
- Writing effective emails
- Managing effective phone call meetings
- Managing effective teleconference meetings
- Planning for and overcoming objections
- Creating effective proposals
- Effective follow-up processes
- Negotiating a deal
- Closing deals
The Major Online Learning Platforms
Each online learning platform is unique. Some specialize in certain types of content, some partner with major universities or corporations to develop content, and some have special learning features. While not exhaustive, the list below includes the major online platforms whose courses we feature.
Pros / Cons
Pros: Certificates often are offered from major universities or corporations.
Cons: The quality of course content and features available varies dramatically between courses.
Cost
$$$
Pros / Cons
Pros: Courses are very similar to those offered in colleges.
Cons: The quality of content and features offered varies dramatically between learning programs.
Cost
$$$$
Pros / Cons
Pros: A focus on microlearning with consistently high-quality content. Consistent use of quizzes throughout all courses.
Cons: Pricing is skewed toward annual subscriptions, which is far more content (and cost) than most learners need within a year.
Cost
$$$
Pros / Cons
Pros: Labs offer a means of gaining practical experience in technical skills.
Cons: There are no incremental quizzes or ways to test learners on specific topics.
Cost
$$$$
Pros / Cons
Pros: Udemy tends to be one of the more affordable options for individuals looking to learn specific technical skills.
Cons: Highly inconsistent quality between courses.
Cost
$
Pros / Cons
Pros: Consistent, high-quality micro-content that focuses on practical exercises.
Cons: The catalog is somewhat limited compared to other vendors on this list.
Cost
$$$
Pros / Cons
Pros: Many free online classes are offered. Live online classroom experiences are offered for some of their courses.
Cons: Variable quality of courses, with some courses having relatively low quality.
Cost
$$$$$
Pros / Cons
Pros: Skillshare has a large library of courses related to creative skills.
Cons: Most courses are just a series of lectures with no interactivity, quizzing, or opportunities to practice concepts.
Cost
$$$
For more information, check out our detailed post on the best online course platforms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will sales jobs disappear?
According the the Bureau of Labor Statistics (https://www.bls.gov/ooh/sales/home.htm), overall employment in sales occupations is expected to experience a decrease of about 164,500 jobs over the next decade. Despite this small decline, new job opportunities will still be available from the need to replace workers retire or resign permanently. About 1.9 million openings each year, on average, are projected to come from replacement needs.
Do sales jobs pay well?
Sales jobs can be highly lucrative, and the earning potential often depends on factors such as industry, company size, and level of experience. Some of the highest paying sales jobs include:
- Pharmaceutical Sales Representative: Pharmaceutical sales representatives promote and sell prescription drugs to healthcare professionals. This job requires a strong knowledge of pharmacology and medical terminology, as well as excellent communication and negotiation skills. According to Glassdoor, the average salary for a pharmaceutical sales representative is $81,000 per year.
- Enterprise Sales Manager: Enterprise sales managers are responsible for selling complex software, technology, and services to large businesses. This job requires a deep understanding of enterprise software solutions and the ability to build strong relationships with clients. According to Glassdoor, the average salary for an enterprise sales manager is $100,000 per year.
- Financial Services Sales Agent: Financial services sales agents sell investment products, such as stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, to clients. This job requires a strong knowledge of financial markets, as well as excellent communication and interpersonal skills. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for a financial services sales agent is $63,780.
How does sales and marketing work together?
Sales and marketing are two interrelated functions that work together to generate revenue and grow a business. The primary goal of marketing is to create demand for a company’s products or services by understanding the needs of customers and communicating the value of the company’s offerings to them. The primary goal of sales is to close deals by converting leads into customers and generating revenue.
Here are some ways in which sales and marketing work together:
- Collaboration on messaging and positioning: Sales and marketing teams work together to develop messaging and positioning that resonates with the target audience. Marketing creates the overall messaging, while sales provides feedback on what messaging resonates with customers during sales conversations.
- Lead generation and nurturing: Marketing generates leads through various channels such as advertising, content marketing, and social media. Sales then takes over and nurtures those leads by engaging with them, understanding their needs, and helping them make a purchase decision.
- Sales enablement: Marketing provides sales teams with the tools and resources they need to be successful, such as sales collateral, case studies, and product demos. Sales can then use these resources to educate prospects and move them closer to a sale.
- Feedback loop: Sales and marketing teams work together to gather feedback from customers and prospects, which is then used to refine messaging, positioning, and the overall sales process. This feedback loop helps to improve the effectiveness of both sales and marketing efforts.
- Overall, sales and marketing are closely intertwined, and effective collaboration between the two teams is essential for generating revenue and growing a business.
How does the sales funnel work?
The sales funnel is a model that describes the journey that a potential customer takes from awareness of a product or service to making a purchase. It is called a “funnel” because the number of potential customers at each stage of the process gets smaller, similar to how a funnel narrows towards the bottom.
The stages of sales funnels vary dramatically between business and products, but sales funnels typically have four stages:
- Awareness: At this stage, potential customers become aware of a product or service. This can happen through various channels, such as social media, advertising, content marketing, or direct outreach. The goal is to attract the attention of a large number of potential customers and make them aware of the product or service.
- Interest: Once potential customers become aware of the product or service, they may develop an interest in it. This is where the sales efforts focus on providing more information about the product or service to educate and convince the potential customers of its value. The goal is to build interest and establish a connection with the potential customers.
- Decision: At this stage, potential customers have developed a strong interest in the product or service and are considering making a purchase.
- Action: This is the final stage of the sales funnel, where potential customers become paying customers. The goal of the marketing efforts is to make it easy for the potential customers to complete the purchase, provide excellent customer service, and encourage repeat purchases or referrals.
- The sales funnel can be useful for businesses to analyze and improve their sales and marketing efforts, as it provides a framework for understanding the customer journey and identifying areas where potential customers may drop off. By optimizing each stage of the funnel, businesses can increase their conversion rates and improve their overall sales.