Onboarding alone isn’t enough to build a high-performing sales team. Research shows that 70% of training is forgotten within a week, leaving sellers struggling to apply what they’ve learned when it matters most.
That’s where everboarding comes in. Instead of treating sales training as a one-time event, everboarding ensures that learning continues long after onboarding ends. This continuous development approach helps sellers sharpen their skills, adapt to changing markets, and consistently drive revenue.
In highly effective sales organizations, learning never stops. Companies that seamlessly transition from onboarding to everboarding can create teams that stay sharp, ramp up faster, and outperform the competition.
Let’s explore why continuous learning is critical for sales success and how to embed everboarding into your sales culture.
The Value of Continuous Learning in Sales
- Shifting from Onboarding to Everboarding
- Why Is Everboarding Crucial for Sales Success?
- How to Build a Continuous Learning Culture in Sales
- Structured Learning Journeys & Modular Training
- Coaching & Reinforcement
- Self-Paced Learning & Digital Enablement
- Blended Learning: In-Person & Virtual Experiences
- Measurement & Continuous Improvement
- The Path to a Stronger Sales Force
Why Does Continuous Learning Matter for Sales Success?
Continuous learning is associated with highly effective sales training. Companies with the most effective sales training are:
- 2.2x more likely to have leadership that strongly supports continuous learning
- 2.3x to 5x more likely to embrace key elements of a continuous learning culture
In turn, these highly effective companies experience:
- Faster time to productivity: 4.9x more likely to ramp sellers quickly
- Lower undesired turnover: 33.8% vs. 45.5% for companies with less effective training
- Prepared sellers: 3.5x more likely to have better-prepared sales teams
Shifting from Onboarding to Everboarding
For sales enablement programs to be truly effective, sales training shouldn’t stop after onboarding. Research from RAIN Group shows that companies with the most effective sales training are 3.9x more likely to transition seamlessly into continuous learning. This shift, known as everboarding, ensures that sellers consistently develop their skills over time.
Why Is Everboarding Crucial for Sales Success?
- Sales knowledge fades fast: 70% of training is forgotten within a week (Hermann Ebbinghaus’ Forgetting Curve).
- Sales cycles are complex: Mastering consultative selling, negotiation, and value-based conversations requires continuous reinforcement.
- Markets & products evolve: Sellers must stay ahead of customer expectations and competition.
- Skills develop over time: From foundational consultative selling to advanced approaches like insight selling and strategic account management, training must evolve with experience.
By embedding everboarding into their culture, companies create a sales team that not only learns but also executes with confidence. Continuous learning becomes an expectation, with support extending far beyond traditional training. This commitment ensures sellers are always equipped to succeed in an ever-changing market.
How to Build a Continuous Learning Culture in Sales
The best sales enablement programs don’t rely on sporadic training; they create structured learning journeys that help sellers build their skill mastery over time.
Here are four ways to make the transition from onboarding to everboarding successful.
1. Structured Learning Journeys & Modular Training
Rather than one-off workshops, highly effective organizations implement structured learning journeys—a series of tailored training activities designed for sustained skill development. Research shows that companies with the most effective training are 2.1x more likely to use structured learning paths. These can integrate:
- Live instruction for hands-on learning
- Digital content for flexibility and accessibility
- Real-world application for immediate skill reinforcement
2. Coaching & Reinforcement
Ongoing coaching is crucial for embedding new behaviors. Companies with the most effective sales training are:
- 2x more likely to use group coaching sessions
- 1.9x more likely to offer scheduled coaching
- 1.8x more likely to provide ad hoc coaching
For example, Blancco Technology Group, a RAIN Group client, integrated coaching sessions that reinforced the consultative selling skills taught during in-person programs. As a result, sellers’ confidence in communicating ROI to buyers increased by 129%.
3. Self-Paced Learning & Digital Enablement
Sales professionals need flexible, on-demand learning resources. Organizations with the most effective sales training leverage:
- Online self-study modules (2x more likely)
- Simulations, role-plays tools, and worksheets for reinforcement
- Micro-learning videos and interactive content for engagement
For instance, Blancco successfully adopted RAIN Group’s Total Access subscription-based training, embedding content directly into its LMS (Highspot). This accessibility helps to boost adoption and long-term retention of key selling behaviors.
4. Blended Learning: In-Person & Virtual Experiences
While digital learning offers flexibility, blending live and virtual instruction can create a more immersive, interactive experience. Companies with highly effective training programs recognize the value of combining multiple modalities to maximize engagement and retention.
Research shows that highly effective organizations are:
- 1.9x more likely to use virtual instructor-led training (VILT) for scalable, interactive learning
- 1.3x more likely to incorporate in-person training for deeper skill development and hands-on practice
Blended learning allows sellers to benefit from the best of both worlds:
- Live, instructor-led training fosters collaboration, role-playing, and real-time coaching
- Virtual sessions reinforce concepts and provide ongoing skill application in a flexible format
- On-the-job application ensures that newly learned skills translate into real sales conversations
By strategically combining formats, organizations create a dynamic learning environment that meets sellers where they are, whether they need foundational training, advanced consultative skills development, or reinforcement of key sales behaviors.
5. Measurement & Continuous Improvement
To ensure a continuous learning approach is effective, track key indicators such as:
- Sales performance improvements (win rates, quota attainment)
- Engagement metrics (participation rates, quiz scores)
- Behavioral adoption (coaching feedback, CRM data analysis)
- Confidence scores (pre- and post-training surveys)
For example, Blancco saw measurable success by embedding continuous learning into their sales enablement strategy. Their post-training confidence scores reflected a 52.9% increase in needs discovery skills, a critical skill for improved sales outcomes.
The Path to a Stronger Sales Force
Effective sales training extends beyond onboarding, helping to develop a team that continually evolves, learns, and thrives.
By investing in structured learning journeys, coaching, self-paced training, and reinforcement, organizations can build high-performing sales teams that consistently deliver results.
Key Takeaways
- Commit to continuous learning: Sales training shouldn’t end after onboarding. By adopting everboarding, organizations ensure sellers stay agile and effective in a changing market.
- Leverage diverse learning methods: A mix of structured learning, coaching, self-paced content, and blended training enhances retention and application of sales skills.
- Measure and refine training effectiveness: Tracking key performance indicators ensures ongoing improvement and alignment with business goals
Is your sales team equipped for long-term success? Now is the time to transform your training strategy. Invest in everboarding today to build a future-proof, high-performing sales force that thrives in an evolving market.
