| The best training for acquiring sales skills is | | | | the sales person a situation such as "I've come in |
| through role playing exercises. By role playing | | | | and asked for tires for my car." Insist that he or |
| different scenarios with a sales person, the trainer | | | | she conduct themselves exactly as they would |
| can evaluate skills, give instant feedback, and | | | | with a customer. Unless the trainee has gone |
| correct shortcomings. Knowledge of sales | | | | totally off track, don't interrupt the scenario. At |
| techniques is only useful to the extent it can | | | | the conclusion, ask how he feels he has done. |
| actually be applied. | | | | Most persons will recognize if they've done a poor |
| Why is role playing a superior training method? I | | | | job. When giving feedback, praise something that |
| have found that inexperienced sales people can | | | | was done well before telling them what they did |
| pick up skills faster through a series of short role | | | | wrong. Build on their successes until they can do it |
| play sessions. Consider that typical sales training | | | | well. |
| consists of a lecture. Trainees may not give full | | | | One of the advantages of role playing is that it |
| attention to the subject. Even those that do | | | | can be done as an impromptu exercise during the |
| concentrate and take notes often retain only a | | | | day when business is slow. You can role play |
| small portion of the material. Having a sales | | | | face-to-face or phone sales situations. Some |
| person take part in role playing exercises forces | | | | people feel awkward when role playing, especially |
| them to be more engaged, to project more of | | | | in front of a group. With these individuals, focus |
| themselves into the material, to apply the | | | | on the benefits they will get from improving their |
| concepts that have been taught, and to retain | | | | sales skills and try to get them to take part in a |
| more skills. | | | | simple scenario to start with, perhaps one-on-one |
| Role playing can either be conducted one-on-one, | | | | with a trainer. |
| between the trainer and the student, or between | | | | When working with sales trainers, whether |
| two students as the instructor observes. The | | | | in-house or outside experts, ask that they |
| latter method is frequently used with groups | | | | present less lecture material and include more role |
| during training sessions. Unless there are enough | | | | playing so the students can practice their skills. It |
| experienced assistants to observe each group, | | | | is often well worth the extra expense to bring |
| mistakes may not be caught and corrected. | | | | the trainer back for a second session just for role |
| To conduct a role playing exercise, simply give | | | | play exercises. |