If you manage or coach a sales team, you know the drill: one-size-fits-all training rarely sticks. Sales reps tune out, and you waste hours prepping sessions that don’t move the needle. This guide is for sales leaders, enablement folks, and frontline managers who want to use Saleshood to actually help their reps—not just check a box.
Here’s how to build coaching sessions that feel tailored (without making you lose your mind), actually get used, and drive results.
Step 1: Get Clear on What “Personalized” Means (and What It Doesn’t)
Personalized coaching isn’t about making everyone a special snowflake. It means focusing on what each rep actually needs to improve, not just flooding them with generic tips.
What to do: - Look at real performance data—calls, deals, pipeline numbers. - Ask reps what’s actually tripping them up. - Pick 1–2 high-impact skills per rep (not 10).
What to ignore:
Don’t waste time building custom sessions for every tiny thing. If one rep’s struggling with discovery calls, start there. Most reps need help with the same handful of skills anyway.
Pro Tip:
If you’re not sure what’s most important, ask your manager or listen to a few sales calls. The patterns are usually obvious.
Step 2: Organize Your Coaching Plan in Saleshood
Saleshood makes it easy to structure sessions, but it’s up to you to avoid the rabbit hole of endless content.
How to set up your plan: - Map out core skills: List the top 2–3 areas each rep needs to work on. - Group reps with similar needs: No need to reinvent the wheel for each person. - Set realistic goals: What does “better” look like for each skill? Be specific (“Book 2 more meetings/month” beats “Improve prospecting”).
Inside Saleshood: - Use “Learning Paths” or “Coaching Huddles” as containers for your sessions. - Don’t overload with modules—focus on quality over quantity. - Use templates (they help, but don’t just copy/paste without tweaking).
What to skip:
Saleshood’s content library is tempting, but loading up every shiny video or resource just confuses people. Start lean.
Step 3: Build the Session—Keep it Tight and Actionable
Personalization doesn’t mean longer. It means more relevant. Here’s how to set up a session in Saleshood that reps won’t dread.
Session essentials: - Short intro: Why are we doing this, and what’s in it for the rep? - Real-life scenarios: Use their pipeline, deals, or call recordings—not just theory. - Specific exercises: “Record yourself handling this objection,” or “Write three prospecting emails for your target account.” - Peer feedback: Saleshood lets reps comment on each other’s submissions. This works—if you keep it focused. - Manager feedback: Make it count. Give direct, useful pointers, not vague praise.
How to do this in Saleshood: - Create a Coaching Huddle. - Upload or link to relevant deals/calls. - Set clear instructions and deadlines. - Assign reps, or let them self-enroll if they're motivated.
What works:
Short, focused tasks. Clear feedback. Real examples from the rep’s own world.
What doesn’t:
Hour-long lectures, endless slides, or asking for homework no one will do.
Step 4: Make Feedback Fast and Useful
Feedback is where most coaching falls down. If it’s slow, generic, or sugar-coated, reps tune out.
How to nail feedback: - Do it quickly: Aim for same-day or next-day responses. - Be specific: “Pause before answering price objections” beats “Nice job!” - Focus on the next step: One thing to improve, one thing they did well.
In Saleshood: - Use the comment and scoring features in Coaching Huddles. - Don’t just assign scores—write a sentence or two explaining your thought process. - Encourage reps to respond or ask questions (but don’t force it).
What to ignore:
Don’t try to make every piece of feedback a TED Talk. Keep it practical.
Step 5: Track Progress (But Don’t Obsess Over Analytics)
Saleshood shows you who completed which module, scores, and engagement stats. Useful, but don’t get lost in the weeds.
How to use data: - Check who’s actually doing the work. - Spot patterns—are certain skills still weak across the team? - Use completion as a signal, not the goal.
What matters:
Improvement in real sales results. If Sally’s booking more meetings, the coaching worked—even if she skipped a video.
What doesn’t:
100% completion rates. Some reps will just click through. Focus on results.
Step 6: Iterate, Don’t Overhaul
The first version won’t be perfect. That’s fine. Watch what lands, what falls flat, and tweak from there.
How to iterate: - Ask reps what helped and what felt like a waste. - Drop what’s not working. Double down on what is. - Stay flexible—if the team’s priorities change, update your sessions.
Trap to avoid:
Don’t wait for the perfect plan or “all the right content.” Get started, then refine.
Pro Tips to Save Time and Headaches
- Reuse what works: If a session or exercise clicks with one group, try it with others.
- Keep it public: Let reps see each other’s work (within reason). Peer learning beats top-down lectures.
- Limit notifications: Saleshood can spam people if you’re not careful—check your settings.
- Don’t overthink video: Sometimes a simple written exercise or a quick audio recording is faster and just as effective.
- Skip the fluff: It’s tempting to add “motivational” videos or stock sales advice. Your reps have YouTube for that.
Keep It Simple, Keep It Moving
Personalized coaching in Saleshood doesn’t have to be complicated. Start with what matters: real skills, real feedback, and small improvements. Don’t worry about making it fancy or perfect. The more you iterate, the better your sessions (and your team) will get. Just keep it honest, focused, and—most importantly—useful.