2026 Archives - Kona - Sales and Management Training

Sales training has come a long way. What worked well in the past isn’t always enough to keep sales teams competitive, confident, and consistent. As we move into 2026, buyers are more informed, sales cycles are more complex, and salespeople are expected to add value at every interaction. This means choosing the right sales training program for your business has never been more important.

But with so many options available, from online courses to one-off workshops and everything in between, how do you actually choose a sales training program that delivers real results rather than just short-term motivation?

Start with Your Business Goals, Not the Training Content

One of the biggest mistakes businesses make when choosing sales training is starting with the content rather than the outcome. Before you look at programs, providers, or methodologies, take a step back and ask what you actually want to improve in 2026.

Are you looking to:

Increase close rates?
Shorten sales cycles?
Improve prospecting confidence?
Lift average deal size?
Develop stronger sales conversations?
Or build more accountability across the team?

The right sales training program should clearly link to your business goals. If a provider cannot explain how their training supports revenue growth, pipeline quality, or sales execution, it is a red flag.
Training should never be generic. It should be aligned to where your business is now and where you want it to go.

Look for Behaviour Change, Not Just Inspiration

Motivational sales training can feel great in the moment. People leave energised, optimistic, and ready to conquer the world. The problem is that motivation fades quickly if it is not backed by practical tools and consistent reinforcement.

In 2026, effective sales training programs focus on behaviour change. That means helping salespeople do things differently on a daily basis.

How they prepare for calls
How they ask questions
How they handle objections
How they manage their pipeline
How they follow up.

When assessing a program, ask how it helps salespeople apply what they learn in real sales conversations. Look for role plays, practical frameworks, real-world examples, and post-training reinforcement.
If the training does not translate into new habits, it will not translate into better results.

Make Sure It Fits Your Sales Team, Not the Other Way Around

Every sales team is different. Industry, sales cycle length, customer type, experience level, and sales style all matter. A strong sales training program should adapt to your team rather than forcing your team to adapt to it.

In 2026, flexibility is key. Your sales team may include a mix of experienced performers, newer recruits, remote sellers, and sales managers who are also expected to coach. The right program should cater to these differences.

Ask whether the training can be customised. Can it incorporate your language, your sales process, and your real challenges? Does it support different communication styles and strengths within the team?

At KONA Training, everything we do is tailored to our clients. Our sales training techniques include proven sales coaching methods and common sense strategies that define training success.

KONA interactive workshop exercise — *An interactive exercise during a KONA Training Workshop*

Don’t Ignore the Role of Sales Managers

Sales training often fails because managers are not equipped to reinforce it. If managers are not confident coaching the behaviours being taught, the training will slowly disappear under the pressure of targets and deadlines.

When choosing a sales training program in 2026, look for one that includes sales leaders and managers. Managers need tools to coach, observe, and hold their teams accountable in a supportive way.
Training that involves managers creates consistency and ensures the learning sticks long after the workshop ends.

Think Long-Term, Not One-Off

Sales training should be viewed as an investment, not an event. One-off workshops can be useful, but they rarely create sustained performance improvement on their own.

The best sales training programs in 2026 are structured, ongoing, and supported over time. This might include:
• Follow-up sessions
• Coaching
• Refresher workshops, or
• Practical tools that keep the learning alive

Ask what happens after the training. How is progress measured? How are skills reinforced? How does the program evolve as your team grows? Sustainable sales performance comes from continuous development, not quick fixes.

Choose a Partner, Not Just a Provider

Finally, choose a sales training partner who understands your business and genuinely cares about your outcomes.

A good partner will challenge your thinking, ask the right questions, and work with you to design training that
delivers measurable impact.

They should be just as focused on your success as you are.

Ready to Choose the Best Sales Training Program for 2026?

If you want sales training that is practical, tailored, and focused on real-world sales performance, KONA Training can help. We work with businesses to design and deliver customised sales training programs that build confident sales teams, improve execution, and drive sustainable results.

To learn more about choosing the right Sales Training Program for your team, click here.

Contact KONA Training today to discuss tailored sales training for your sales team in 2026 and beyond.

Call 1300 611 288 or Email info@kona.com.au to find out more!

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Author – Garret Norris – https://www.linkedin.com/in/garretnorris/

If your sales team are still handling objections the same way they did three or four years ago, chances are they are losing deals they could be winning. Objection handling has changed. Buyers have changed. The entire sales landscape has shifted. Yet many sales teams are still relying on old scripts, outdated closing tricks and generic answers that do nothing to move a modern buyer forward.

The good news is that once you understand how objections work today, you can coach your team to handle them with more confidence, more intelligence and far better outcomes.

Buyers Aren’t Saying No. They’re Saying Show Me More

Objections used to be seen as a roadblock. Salespeople would tense up, jump into pitch mode and try to bulldoze their way through. Today, objections are more like invitations. Buyers have more information than ever and they want to sense check, validate or clarify before committing. Their objections are less about pushback and more about understanding.

When a buyer says the price is too high, often they are really saying help me see the value. When they say they need more time, they might be saying I am not confident enough yet. And when they say they want to think about it, they might be saying I am not sure you understand what I actually need.
Modern objection handling requires curiosity. Instead of countering the objection, the salesperson needs to explore it. Instead of defending the offer, the salesperson needs to understand the context behind the concern.

This shift alone is helping top performing sales teams close more deals with less pressure and far stronger relationships.

The Old Playbook Doesn’t Work Anymore

For years, sales training taught reps to memorise canned responses. You know the ones. If the customer says X, you reply with Y. If they stall, you push. If they hesitate, you assume the close. These tactics feel tone deaf today because they ignore how buyers make decisions.

Buyers now expect personalised conversations. They want salespeople who listen, ask thoughtful questions and adapt in real time. A one size fits all objection handling script simply doesn’t match how people will buy in 2026.

What does work is helping your team develop the mindset and skills to diagnose objections on the spot. They need to understand whether the concern is emotional, logical or situational. They need to know how to pause, dig deeper and reframe the conversation. And they especially need the confidence to slow down instead of panic.

Objections Are Happening Earlier Than Ever

Thanks to online research, reviews, competitors advertising and social proof, customers walk into conversations with objections already formed. This means your team need to be prepared long before the pitch even starts.

The best sales teams handle objections proactively. They bring up concerns before the buyer does. They normalise them rather than avoid them. They show that hesitation is expected and that talking through those hesitations is part of making a strong decision. This approach builds massive trust because it signals transparency and confidence.

If your team are waiting for objections to appear, they are already behind.

Emotion Now Plays a Bigger Role Than Logic

Another major shift is the emotional weight of objections. Buyers are more risk averse. Budgets are tighter. Decision makers are cautious and accountable to more people. Behind every objection is a personal fear like making a mistake, wasting money or choosing the wrong provider.

If your team only responds with logical facts, they miss the real issue. This is why modern objection handling blends logic and empathy. A simple acknowledgment like I can see why you feel that way takes the tension out of the conversation and lowers the buyers guard. When salespeople learn to meet the emotion before the logic, they advance the deal faster and more naturally.

Your Team Needs Training That Matches Today’s Buyer

Most objection handling problems aren’t because your team are inexperienced. They happen because your team haven’t been shown how objections work in the modern sales environment. They are doing the best they can with strategies that simply don’t match how people buy now.

With the right training, your team can learn how to:
• Decode the real meaning behind objections
• Ask better follow up questions
• Balance empathy with clarity
• Build confidence in uncertain buyers
• Move conversations forward without pressure
When your salespeople get this right, objection handling stops feeling like a battle and starts feeling like a conversation. Deals close faster, relationships strengthen and confidence skyrockets.

Objection handling has evolved. The question is whether your team has evolved with it. If you want them to feel confident, credible and capable in every sales conversation, it might be time to equip them with the skills that match today’s market. To find out more about effective Sales Strategies you can implement for your Sales Team, click here.

For tailored Sales Training that strengthens your team’s objection handling skills, contact KONA Training.
Call 1300 611 288 or Email info@kona.com.au

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Author – Garret Norris – https://www.linkedin.com/in/garretnorris/