“Sales training course” covers very different things: a free certification from a software company, a month-long specialization on cold calling and closing, a methodology programme that companies buy for whole sales teams, and short courses for an owner or freelancer who has to sell but never learned how. Picking well starts with knowing which of those you need. This guide compares six real options on format, length, price and certificate, using what each provider’s own page showed as of October 2026, and says who each one suits. That includes our own short course and the things it does not cover.
Who is looking for a sales course
- Owners, freelancers and consultants who sell their own services. You need a simple process you can repeat, a few techniques that raise the value of each sale, and the confidence to ask for the business.
- New sales staff in their first job. You need prospecting, call and meeting structure, objection handling and closing, ideally with practice and a certificate your manager will recognise.
- Sales managers training a team. You need one shared method, coaching and reinforcement over months, which usually means company training rather than a single online course.
The right choice depends mostly on which of these you are and how much time you can give it.
Sales training courses compared
| Program | Type | Format and length | Price | Certificate | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HubSpot Academy: Inbound Sales Certification Course | Free certification course from a software company | 7 lessons, 22 videos, 5 quizzes, 3 hr 6 min | Free (free Academy account) | Yes, HubSpot Inbound Sales certification | Owners and salespeople who want a free, structured approach to prospects and sales conversations |
| How to Sell: An Overview of Fundamental Selling Techniques (Coursera) | Single online course | 4 modules, 3 hours to complete, beginner | Coursera subscription (“Included with Coursera Plus”) | Shareable certificate | Beginners who want the whole sales process, from cold calls to objections, in one sitting |
| Sales Skills: The Complete Practical Toolkit Specialization (Coursera, Chris Croft Training) | Specialization, 4 courses | Courses listed at 10, 8, 8 and 5 hours; “4 weeks to complete at 10 hours a week” | Coursera subscription (“Included with Coursera Plus”) | Shareable certificate | New salespeople who want depth on prospecting, cold calling, objections and closing |
| LinkedIn Learning: Sales Foundations | Short video course | 58 minutes, beginner, released 2/11/2015 | LinkedIn Learning subscription, 1-month free trial | Certificate of completion | Anyone who wants a customer-centred mindset and a basic sales process in an hour |
| Sandler: business development and sales training | Company sales methodology and training programmes | Programmes through Sandler Online and local training centres; no course length on the page | Not shown on the page (contact form) | Page lists a Sandler sales certification programme | Companies that want one method and ongoing reinforcement for a sales team |
| Easy Marketing School: Sales Techniques Course | Short self-paced course | 7 video lessons, listed at 0.6 hours, lifetime access | $19 one-time | Certificate of completion | Small business owners who want a quick primer on upselling, cross-selling, the sales process and the funnel |
Details and prices come from each provider’s public page as of October 2026 and change often; confirm on the provider’s page before enrolling. Coursera and LinkedIn Learning did not show a subscription price on the pages we checked, and Sandler shows none, so no prices are quoted for them here.
Each option: what it is good for, and what it is not
HubSpot Academy Inbound Sales: the best free starting point
As of October 2026, HubSpot’s Inbound Sales Certification Course is labelled “FREE Certification Course” and lists 1 certification, 7 lessons, 22 videos, 5 quizzes and 3 hr 6 min. The page names small business owners who want to grow sales through an inbound strategy, sales professionals, and people who want to improve their sales presentations and close more deals. It promises to cover identifying the right buyers, personalised outreach, exploratory conversations and sales presentations. It is also offered in German, Spanish, French and Japanese.
Good for: a free, structured method for finding and talking to the right prospects, with a certification at the end. Less good for: businesses that sell mostly face to face in a shop or on site; the page frames the course around an inbound strategy of personalised outreach and exploratory conversations.
Coursera “How to Sell”: the whole process in one short course
This course, offered by Coursera and taught by Jean Barnard, lists 4 modules and “3 hours to complete” at beginner level, with a shareable certificate. It is included with Coursera Plus. The page says you will analyse the sales process alongside the buyer’s journey, practise cold calling by social media, telephone and email, use listening and questioning to find customer needs, and learn strategies for overcoming objections.
Good for: a beginner who wants the classic sequence, from first contact to handling objections, in an afternoon. Less good for: depth; three hours is enough to understand the steps, not to practise them.
Coursera Sales Skills specialization: depth for a sales job
Sales Skills: The Complete Practical Toolkit is offered by Chris Croft Training. As of October 2026 the page lists a 4-course series with courses of 10, 8, 8 and 5 hours, “4 weeks to complete at 10 hours a week”, beginner level and a shareable certificate, included with Coursera Plus. Its stated outcomes are practical techniques for prospecting, cold calling, sales conversations, handling objections and closing, plus habits for managing a pipeline and succeeding in your first 90 days.
Good for: people starting or changing into a sales role who want a structured month of training. Less good for: an owner who sells a few times a week and needs a quick improvement, not a programme.
LinkedIn Learning Sales Foundations: an hour on the mindset
Sales Foundations with Jeff Bloomfield lists a duration of 58 minutes, beginner level and a release date of 2/11/2015, with a certificate of completion, 4 quizzes and an exercise file. Its chapters cover thinking like a sales professional, being customer-centric, solution selling and focusing on the process, and the description includes a step-by-step guide to creating your own sales process. Access is through a LinkedIn Learning subscription with a 1-month free trial.
Good for: a clear, short introduction to customer-centred selling, especially if you already have LinkedIn Learning. Less good for: anyone who wants recent material; the release date is 2015, so check that its examples still fit how your buyers behave today.
Sandler: a method for whole sales teams
Sandler’s business development and sales page describes customisable training solutions, an online platform called Sandler Online, local training centres, and the Sandler Selling System, which it calls “a low-pressure, consultative framework for building relationships and closing deals”. Its menu lists programmes such as the Sales Development Series, Enterprise Selling, Prospecting and a sales certification. No prices or course lengths are shown; the page invites you to get in touch.
Good for: a company that wants every salesperson using the same method, with coaching and reinforcement over time. Less good for: a single owner or freelancer who wants to learn on their own for a small, known cost.
How to choose: a short checklist
- Name the sales problem first. Not enough prospects, conversations that stall, low average order value and deals lost on price each need different lessons. Read the syllabus for your problem, not for the word “sales”.
- Match the course to how you sell. Phone and email prospecting, inbound enquiries, in-store selling and long B2B deals are taught differently.
- Check for practice. Quizzes, exercise files, role-play prompts or graded tasks help selling skills stick far better than watching alone.
- Check the date. Buyer behaviour and tools change; a release or update date tells you how current the examples are.
- Decide who the certificate is for. For a sales job, a recognisable name helps. For your own business, the measure is your next month’s sales.
- Compare price models. Free, monthly subscription, one-time payment and company training differ a lot once you add up the months.
- Try a lesson first. HubSpot is free, Coursera and LinkedIn Learning have trial periods, and two of our lessons can be watched without signing up.
Where our course fits, and its limits
Our sales techniques course for small business is deliberately short: 7 self-paced video lessons, listed on the course page at 0.6 hours, for a one-time payment of $19 with lifetime access and a certificate of completion. The lessons are upselling, downselling, cross-selling, the stages of the sales process, spiffs (sales incentives), the difference between sales and marketing, and how to build a sales funnel. Upselling and downselling are free to watch without signing up.
It suits an owner or freelancer who wants to raise the value of each sale and understand the path from first contact to purchase in under an hour. What it is not:
- It is a primer, not a full sales training. There are no dedicated lessons on cold calling, prospecting scripts, objection handling or negotiation; the Coursera options above cover those in depth.
- There is no practice, role-play or feedback; you apply the lessons on your own customers.
- It is not accredited, and the certificate is a certificate of completion from Easy Marketing School, not an industry certification like HubSpot’s.
If you sell services and want the marketing side as well, our guide to B2B lead generation channels for small teams covers how to fill the funnel, and marketing concepts explained sets the selling concept beside the marketing concept.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free sales training course with a certificate?
Yes. As of October 2026, HubSpot Academy’s Inbound Sales Certification Course is free and lists 3 hr 6 min of lessons with a certification. Coursera and LinkedIn Learning offer trial periods, but their certificates come with a paid subscription.
What is the difference between sales training and sales techniques?
Techniques are individual tools, such as upselling, cross-selling, questioning or handling an objection. Sales training usually means a full method that strings those tools into a process and practises it over time. A short course teaches techniques; a programme like a specialization or company training builds the method.
How long does it take to learn to sell?
The basics take an hour or two: the short courses above run from under an hour to about three. A structured programme takes about a month part time. Real skill comes from many conversations, reviewed honestly afterwards.
Do small business owners need a sales course?
Not always a long one. Many owners gain the most from two or three techniques used consistently, such as offering the right add-on, following up every quote and asking for the decision. A short course is a sensible start; move to a longer programme if selling is most of your job.
