Role Playing

This method has trainees acting out parts in contrived problem situations. The role playing session begins with the trainer describing the situation and the different personalities involved. The trainer provides needed props, then designates trainees to play the salesperson, prospect, and other characters. Each plays his or her assigned role, and afterward, they, together with other group members and the trainer, appraise each player’s effectiveness and suggest how the performance of each might have been improved.

In another version of role playing a training group is given information on, for example, a buyer’s objection to a particular product and then is asked to extemporize a solution. Called a “sweat session,” this provides individual trainees a chance to apply what they have learned. Post mortem critiques afford opportunities to reinforce what has been learned through participating in, or viewing, the role playing.

Role playing presents few problems: Those playing roles must become actively and emotionally identified with the characters they portray; audience interest must be maintained throughout, even though spontaneous reactions are suppressed. Achieving these conditions is not easy. It is even more difficult when role players “ham it up” or when there is laughter or other involuntary audience reaction.

This tendency, however, is overcome with repeated use of the method.

More than offsetting the problems are the many benefits of this training method.

• It provides realistic practice in applying what has been learned in other training or by experience.
• It is flexible and adapts to extreme diversity in role-playing situations.
• Role playing lends itself to training new personnel, experienced salespeople, or even mixed groups.
• Trainees learn to accept criticism from others, and the group soon recognizes that sound suggestions benefit everyone.
• When a trainee criticizes another’s performance, that individual has an incentive not to perform similarly later
• Role players gain acting experience, which may help later in handling difficult selling situations.

Case Discussion

This method, originated by business educators as a partial substitute for learning by experience, is widely used in sales training. Write ups of selling and other problems encountered on the job provide the bases for group discussion. In most sales training situations, however, the cases used are short (one or two pages almost) and trainees are given ten or fifteen’ minutes to read them before group discussion starts. Each case either describes a real selling problem or is developed around a situation sufficiently real to stimulate emotional involvement by the trainee sough grasp of the problem situation is more essential to learning than the rapid production of solutions. To derive maximum benefit from case discussion, each session should conclude with the drawing of generalizations on lessons learned.

Impromptu Discussion

This method, sometimes called a sales seminar or buzz session, begins with the trainer, group leader, or some member of the sales force making a brief oral presentation on an everyday problem. General give-and-take discussion follows. Group members gain an understanding of many problems that otherwise is acquired only through long personal experience. Many complexities and implications that might go undetected by individuals are revealed to all, and trainees learn a valuable lesson: fixed selling rules and principles are often less important than are analysis and handling of specific situations. Impromptu group discussion improves the salesperson’s ability to handle problems.

Impromptu discussion differs from lecturing. The discussion leader assumes a less dominant role than the lecturer, trainees are active rather than passive participants, learning receives more emphasis than teaching, and the atmosphere is informal and relaxed. These are important advantages, and impromptu discussions are being increasingly used, chiefly in training programs for experienced sales personnel.

For maximum benefit from the impromptu discussion, certain conditions must be met.

• An effective leader or moderator is essential—otherwise, discussion drifts into extraneous subjects or becomes sterile.
• The discussion leader must command the trainees’ respect, be skilled in dealing with people, and be well informed.
• The room arrangement is important-it helps in generating discussion, for instance, if all trainees can see each other. It is/important, too, that someone draws conclusions at the close of the discussion.

Impromptu discussion requires considerable time. Most companies schedule sessions for at least a half-day or, more commonly, for a full day. If their aim is to maximize trainee learning of specific points in depth, the impromptu discussion- properly handled-is an effective training method.

Gaming

This method, also known as simulation, somewhat resembles role playing, uses highly structured contrived situations, based on reality, in which players assume decision-making roles through successive rounds of play. A unique feature is that players receive information feedback. In one game, for example, trainees play the roles of decision makers in customers’ organizations, using data ordinarily available to make decisions on the timing and size of orders, managing sales forces and advertising efforts, and so on. The results of these decisions then are calculated by referees (using computers) and are fed back for the players to use in the next round of decisions. Preparation of a game requires research to dig out the needed facts, the incorporation of these into a game model, development of detailed instructions for players and referees and writing of a computer program. Expertness and substantial investments in time and money, then, are required, but partially offsetting this is that, once prepared, a game may be used in many training programs.

Among the advantages of gaming are:

• Participants learn easily because they involve themselves in game play;
• Players develop skill in identifying key factors influencing decisions;
• Games lend themselves readily to demonstrations of the uses and value of such analytical techniques as inventory and other planning models;
• Games, with their built-in information feedback features, are effective in emphasizing the dynamic nature of problem situations and their interrelationships. .

Among the limitations of gaming are:

• Usually three or four hours is required for playing , to generate sufficient decision “rounds” to provide the desired learning experience;
• Since game designs are based on ordinary decision-making processes, their rules often prevent payoffs on unusual or novel approaches; and
• Players may learn some things that aren’t so, a limitation applying especially to poorly designed games. These limitations are overcome through careful game design and administration.

On the Job Training

This method, also called the coach-and-pupil method, com- bines telling, showing, practicing, and evaluating. The coach, sometimes a professional sales trainer but more often a seasoned salesperson, begins by describing particular selling situations, explaining various techniques and approaches that might be used effectively. Next, accompanied by the pupil, the coach makes actual sales calls, discussing each with the trainee afterward. Then, under the coach’s supervision, the trainee makes sales calls, each one being followed by discussion and appraisal. Gradually, the trainee works more and more on his or her own, but with continuing, although less frequent, coaching.

Many seasoned salespeople, qualified for coaching, are unwilling to spend the necessary time and effort. This is especially true when personnel are paid commissions on sales. The problem of recruiting coaches, nevertheless, is resolved through paying bonuses for each person coached, or “overriding” commissions on pupil’s sales.

On-the-job training is an important part of most initial sales training programs. No more effective way exists for learning a job. This method is appropriate for developing trainees’ skills in making sales presentations, answering objections, and closing sales. Training in these selling aspects requires practice, and this method provides expertly supervised practice.

Correspondence Courses

This method is used in both initial and continuing sales training. In the insolence field it is used to acquaint new salespeople with industry fundamentals and to instruct in basic sales techniques. Companies with highly technical products and small but widely deployed sales forces use correspondence courses to acquaint experienced salespeople with new product developments and applications. This method is used also to train non company any sales personnel, such as distributor’s salespersons, to improve their knowledge of the manufacturer’s product line and selling techniques. Few companies use this training method exclusively.

Correspondence training is most appropriate as an interim training method when trainees are scattered geographically. Initial sales training; for example, might be by correspondence courses begun at different times and places; continuing, or follow-up, training might come later through group methods at a central location. Preparing a standardized correspondence course covering technical product data, general company information, selling techniques and markets presents few difficulties other than those of choosing, organizing, and writing up the material. In many companies, particularly in the insurance field, instructional materials are also taped for cassette players.

The greatest problem is to motivate trainees to complete assignments on schedule.

Not only are enrollees engaged, in full-time work requiring that correspondence lessons be done after hours, but few have sufficient self-discipline to study without direct supervision.

It is necessary to provide regular examinations, prizes for completing work on time, or other incentives.

This method does not answer enrollees’ questions; hence, successful users arrange for periodic face-to-face discussions.

Shriller problems are met in processing completed assignments, evaluating work, and correcting errors. Despite these administrative problems, correspondence instruction is a useful supplement to other sales training methods.

Executing and Evaluating Sales Training Programs

The execution step (the first E) requires organizational decisions.

Who will be the trainees?

Who will do the training?

When will the training take place?

Where will the site of the training be?

(Who, Who, When, and Where) trainers ‘-whether full time or on special assignment-must be notified, necessary travel reservations made, and living accommodations arranged.

The “when” decision requires consideration of key time-related factors, and the “where” decision involves appraisal of factors bearing on the training site. In addition, instructional materials need preparing and training aids assembling.

When these things are done, the stage is set for program execution.

Effective program execution depends upon instructional skills as well as coordination of planning and housekeeping details. Program administration involves doing what can be done to produce a training atmosphere conductive to learning.