Sales Management Courses: A Comparison of Top Programs

It’s always the right time to implement better practices in sales. 

Not just marginally better practices — but exceptional, influential practices that equip the whole sales team to thrive.

Finding the guidance your salesforce needs is an ongoing effort. 

We know that the leaders in any industry constantly learn, lead, and improve.

To support the professional journey of yourself and your sales team, here’s a look at some of the top sales management courses available today. These range from simple, online-based DIY endeavors to full-fledged in-person or virtual instructor-led courses. 

ASLAN Sales Management Catalyst

As a leading sales training consultancy, ASLAN provides relationship-focused sales courses for organizations of all sizes. Our course materials cover field sales, inside sales, call center sales, and online sales — all catalyzed by the core skills of leadership, coaching, and management.

Sales and negotiation start and end with human-to-human communication. We believe that selling is about addressing receptivity and the evolution of sales demands a teachable attitude and firm dedication. 

The ASLAN Sales Management Catalyst course helps sales leaders understand what drives connection, behavior, and success.  We equip managers to put course instruction into practice right away, then arm them with the tools to lead their people.

Want to get a flavor for our beliefs and approach to training? Check out our podcast here: Eliminate the Hard Sell.

Other-CenteredⓇ Selling Course

The Other-Centered Selling course is available in-person and online. It is rep-centered but has principles that apply to sales managers and account managers who want to build out the abilities of their teams. This course covers a gamut of essential ideas, as well as addressing the common blocks and setbacks that prevent reps from effectively engaging with customers. 

Leaders can learn to equip their team in numerous ways, including:

• How to be more confident in sales team leadership
• The key to overcoming resistance in sales calls
• Integrity-based formulas for outperforming average sellers
• Practical ways to increase customer loyalty
• Strategic processes to grow and manage sales accounts
• Unique new methods for selling over the phone
• What to do when traditional selling no longer works

This course is ideal for sales managers and sales representatives who want to go above and beyond selling, and instead solve real problems. It’s packed with activities, homework, and lifelike scenarios to practice the learning materials as you go.

Sales and Persuasion Masterclass 

The principles of sales focus heavily on persuasion and human motivation. In this Masterclass course for sales managers, Daniel Pink, author of To Sell is Human, lectures on the important sales mindsets and strategies every business leader needs.

This course covers pitching, communication, and understanding people’s cognitive biases. You’ll learn the sales communication techniques you need to understand people, not simply manipulate them. With this information, you can guide your sales team to greater results. 

LinkedIn Learning: Online Sales Management Courses

LinkedIn Learning is a great place to obtain bite-sized course material online. While you’ll have to dig for in-depth courses, there’s a whole section dedicated to sales management. These mini-courses include:

• Transitioning to Management for Salespeople
• Becoming Head of Sales
• Retail Sales Management
• Data-Drive Sales Management
• Managing a High-Performing Sales Team
• And more

As the top business platform online, why not learn while growing your professional network on LinkedIn? If you already pay for LinkedIn Premium, you get complete access to LinkedIn Learning courses. If not, you can sign up to view Learning courses with an annual or monthly subscription. 

Harvard Strategic Sales Management Course

What makes a great sales manager? This December, Harvard University will be hosting an in-person sales leadership course answering this question for business professionals. 

Ideal for B2B and B2C teams, instructors at Harvard Business School will cover the character traits of top sales managers and how to apply team leadership methods that work. From setting up pipeline strategies to career goals, this two-day course promises training, thought leadership, and networking.

This course will be available online in the Spring of 2023 and reoccur periodically on campus. 

Udemy Sales Management Courses

Udemy.com is an online education platform that offers affordable courses for almost any topic. There are several online sales management courses featured for anyone new to sales or looking to gain insights on leading a sales team. 

Udemy sales courses include:

• Applying the Art and Science of Sales Enablement 
• Complete Sales Management Course for Beginners 
• Sales Management Masterclass
• The Keys to Effective Sales Management 

These courses are ideal for anyone approaching sales management for the first time or teaching fellow sales managers the methods they need to succeed. 

eCornell: Managing Sales Performance for Growth

Learn from business experts at Cornell University in this online course to boost your salesforce’s performance. This class will help you get clear on a more functional sales framework for the growth of your team and company.

You will learn about:

• Setting up metrics and sales targets
• Tips for coaching a sales team 
• Effectively tracking sales team performance
• Sales science solutions to real-world scenarios  

This course is an online, two-week course taught by sales leaders, including the vice presidents of Home Depot. You don’t have to be a student at Cornell University to enroll.

Coursera: Strategic Sales Management Specialization 

Coursera.org is another online education website where eager minds go to continue personal and professional development. In the Strategic Sales Management Specialization course, four sales instructors teach sales managers how to improve both value and expertise throughout their company. 

You’ll learn intermediate-level sales strategies, team management methods, project management funnels, and customer communication tips. The class also touches on planning, online sales methodologies, and marketing solutions to become more competent and reliable in the real world. 

The course consists of five lessons plus an applied project at the end to put sales specialization into practice. 

Introduction to Sales Management 

From Alison.com, this Introduction to Sales Management course is a general overview of the skills that any sales manager needs to run an effective team. Since it’s an introduction, this course is ideal for direct sales representatives stepping into a manager role. 

Some of the modules include:

• Building sales channels
• Customer networking and relationship management
• Sales environments
• Communication and coaching 

With nearly 6,000 students already enrolled, this easily-accessible course is a primer on managing your sales methods across multiple platforms. 

Skillshare: The Art of Likability Course

Good sales managers are effective when they understand the art of sales. The best sales managers are effective because they achieve interpersonal mastery. On Skillshare, The Art of Likability is a basic introductory course aspiring sales experts may need. 

This course is less of a strategic training and more of an introspective, self-development exercise. You’ll learn tips for “Better Business, Networking, Sales, Leadership, Management and Self”, as the subtitle states. 

Find a Sales Management Course, Then Use It

The best sales management course or training resource? The one you’ll use. It’s imperative that sales leaders stay at the forefront of a volatile market. Sales is different than it was three years ago. And three years from now, who knows. You must stay sharp, and tools like these will help you do it.

Realize that you need someone with more skill and more insights to coach you along the way? ASLAN has programs for that. Connect with us anytime to learn more.