Is an LMS the best sales enablement technology? LMS vs. sales enablement platforms

Companies need to onboard, train, and upskill their sales teams effectively so that work can move forward. Sales enablement training is a business-critical function that has the power to bolster the bottom line or disrupt it altogether. When choosing a sales enablement platform, many companies look to sales-specific technologies to serve their teams. Sales enablement platforms, also known as sales readiness platforms, boast a design that caters to a sales team’s objectives and daily practices. But is an LMS any different, and do companies need both?

If you’re trying to decide whether to go with an LMS software or a sales enablement platform, this blog is for you. Read on to learn the differences between the two and discover when an LMS is the best choice for sales enablement.

The difference between an LMS and a sales enablement training platform

LMS platforms fall under the same categorical umbrella of software that companies use to equip their teams to be more effective. While an LMS platform can also be a sales enablement platform, a sales enablement platform cannot also be an LMS. The main difference between the two is that the LMS is a larger, broader software that accounts for corporate learning in all its forms, from employee onboarding to sales enablement. A sales enablement platform can only be used by sales teams because its features are designed specifically for that role.

How can an LMS be used for sales enablement training?

Because an LMS is designed to cater to a variety of training needs and a wide range of audiences, sales enablement training is simply another application of the software. The same LMS features that make training engaging, productive, and effective are the ones that improve sales outcomes and equip sales personnel for success in the field.

A digital LMS platform allows every learner to engage with training content relevant to their role and an essential part of their work. An LMS can effectively distribute sales enablement resources and convey learning pathways for sales rep ramp time. Sales coaching, mentoring, and sales role-play can all take place within the LMS so that sales personnel get both asynchronous and synchronous training experiences. Companies can manage every vertical of their corporate learning and development program within an LMS, which means it’s easier to track the effectiveness of sales training and tie it to other data — like customer training programs. Companies can track compliance across the entire organization, sales team included, to ensure organizational alignment.

LMS features for sales enablement

While there are a variety of LMS features that boost engagement, make learning more effective, and increase workplace productivity, a handful of LMS features are essential for sales enablement:

Personalized learning using AI-enabled course recommendations

For companies with large sales teams distributed across multiple regions with varying specializations, personalized learning is essential. Ensure that your sales team has the information directly useful to their area of expertise and the region where they are selling.

Microlearning opportunities created with a rapid-authoring LMS tool

Companies can use a rapid-authoring LMS tool to create microlearning opportunities throughout sales training content so that learners can check their knowledge as they move through courses. Easily add polls, quizzes, videos, and audio to existing courses or new courses.

Live coaching sessions conducted within the LMS

Using the ExpertusONE LMS platform’s live meetings feature, sales managers can coach their employees in a digital one-on-one session. These coaching sessions can be recorded and converted into digital training sessions for other team members to learn from.

LMS app for Salesforce

Shorten the path from learning to sales by connecting your digital LMS to Salesforce. With the ExpertusONE LMS app for Salesforce, companies can connect sales outcomes to training pathways to determine where learning gaps may exist or which courses are having the most impact.

When to choose an LMS for sales enablement

There is no reason not to choose an LMS for sales enablement because modern, digital LMS platforms offer the same benefits of training technology that companies expect from sales enablement training software. An LMS is a comparable alternative to a sales enablement platform, and, more importantly, it makes it possible for companies to train every type of learner in their system. A sales enablement platform is for sales teams only. An LMS platform is for every learner.

LMS platforms meet modern sales teams’ needs by providing flexibility, adaptability, and personalization. With an LMS, sales team members are given personalized learning plans that ensure they are getting the training that is relevant to their unique role at the company, the region they serve, and the product that they are to be experts about.

As far as mobility and flexibility go, a digital LMS platform remains the best choice in these capacities as well. With an LMS mobile app, sales personnel can search for and access essential resources when they are in the field. This means they can answer prospect questions more readily—because the information will be accessible—and build trust rapidly.

Considerable training is required for sales personnel to understand the differences between a prospect and a real, actionable opportunity. This is why ongoing sales enablement is essential, and companies must train their teams beyond singular product-training sessions but also to understand the phases of a buyer journey and different buyer behaviors. Even further, sales teams must be connected to mentors and coaches and empowered by data to understand the real, measurable effects of sales training. All of this exists within an LMS platform and can be quickly and easily condensed into meaningful reports.

An LMS is the best technology sales enablement because it’s a single system through which companies can manage every facet of training. Companies that choose an LMS for sales enablement will reap all of the essential benefits of sales enablement platforms but in a more flexible and useful system across the industry (not just for the sales team).

Struggling to decide which platform to use to train your sales team? Choose an LMS, and let us show you the way. Contact us for a free demo of the ExpertusONE LMS.