Role-playing is one of the most effective ways to teach your salespeople how
to sell. You're dealing with both a visual method and a participative technique,
two of the most powerful sales training methods you have.
If they are having problems with a particular selling skill, let one of them
re-create the part of the customer while you play the salesperson. This way,
they can see exactly how you want them to perform in a given situation.
Have one of your students be the customer, another the salesperson. Then let
them reverse the roles. At this point you are the facilitator, the observer, not
a role player.
Critique the situation in a participative manner.
- Ask other students what they think was positive about the performances.
- After you've gathered that feedback, ask the role players how they feel
they did. This lets them critique themselves first.
- Ask other students what they though needed improvement in the
role-playing.
- Have your trainees replay the situation incorporating the suggestions
you feel are appropriate.
By evaluating your role-playing in this manner, you avoid the uncomfortable
situation of putting the role players on the defensive. Peer critique is often
more readily accepted.
Make sure you give everyone a chance to take part, even if you have to repeat
a situation several times. Naturally, the last performances should be the most
polished, with all previous critiques having had their effect. This will ensure
that your salespeople see themselves doing things as they should be doing them.
If you have a video camera and a VCR, or if your sales training group
consists of only one or two people, tape your salespeople acting out their
roles. Have them view the tape and analyze their own efforts before you offer
any additional comments or suggestions.
You will realize several important benefits from role-playing:
- It puts trainees into realistic situations, yet affords them the
opportunity to make mistakes that don't cost anything.
- It validates your selling principles to your salespeople.
- You reduce the learning gap. Not only do your salespeople learn how to
do something, they get the experience of actually doing it.
- Your salespeople will be able to anticipate the problems and objections
in real selling situations and will know how to overcome them.
- It is a great way to reinforce the basics.
CRITICAL INCIDENTS
Critical incidents is another name for mini case studies that deal with
specific real life situations. These are usually written-out and given to a
sales training group to use as practice in problem solving. The teacher directs
the discussion of the varying solutions presented by the students. After the
possible solutions have been discussed, the best ones are selected. There are
four steps to utilizing critical incidents as a sales training method:
(1) picking a topic;
(2) writing the situation down in detail;
(3) dividing the class into small groups; and
(4) selecting the best solution.
When you write down the critical incident, compose it so the facts and
problems are clear to everyone. Your write up of the critical incident should
include:
* The issue, topic, subject or situation
* The who, what, when, where, why and how about the incident, the salesperson
and the customer
* Possible implications or consequences
* A request for specific action, i.e. "What would you have done?"
Groups with two or three students in each are best. If your sales training
class has four or more students, break them down into smaller groups. You'll get
better answers out of groups than from individuals because the group situation
creates give-and take. If your class consists of fewer than four students, have
each one present an individual solution. Then lead them through a discussion of
those solutions.
To conclude the process, have each group present its solution. They must be
prepared to defend it to the rest. Finally, have the entire group select the
best solution. Gart Sutton www.gartsutton.com
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