| Matthew logs onto his laptop at 8 p.m. Sunday | | | | of clients. Last year I became intrigued by a sales |
| evening as he starts preparing for Week number | | | | management system developed in the United |
| three as a new sales representative at a well | | | | Kingdom that includes two board games, one on |
| known high tech company. He is preparing for a | | | | prospecting, lead generation and account planning, |
| meeting with a large pharmaceutical client and | | | | and another entirely focused on consultative selling |
| wants to retrieve some of his previous notes in | | | | skills. What a great way to integrate team building, |
| order to prepare himself. Earlier the same day, | | | | and customized learning to immediate situations, |
| Linda, a consultant in a small professional services | | | | not to mention taking the pressure off sales |
| firm, a solid relationship builder and rainmaker for | | | | managers to excel as sales coaches. It's great to |
| years, logs onto the same program to try a new | | | | see what happens when participants get to |
| way of writing proposals. | | | | compete in a game where they learn and have |
| This is how traditional sales training and for that | | | | fun - a welcome change for the "regulars" and |
| matter, all learning and development is reinventing | | | | great insight into accommodating entrants into the |
| itself. No longer three days in a classroom with | | | | workforce. |
| the same old role plays, learning the same skills | | | | If you are responsible for the development of |
| with the same people. Matthew and Linda now | | | | others, or yourself for that matter, here's what |
| have the privilege of learning what and when they | | | | you can do to liven up the learning and distinguish |
| want to simply by logging on at any time of day, | | | | yourself in a workforce competing for high quality |
| wherever they left off, to a content rich, | | | | talent. |
| interactive and contemporary sales training | | | | Ø Introduce highly interactive, experiential |
| program. Not only that, but they have immediate | | | | learning into traditional workshops. Provide real |
| access to an online tutor who checks in with | | | | case studies, simulations and hands on problem |
| them regularly, looks at their assignments and | | | | solving activities where learning can be applied |
| dialogues with them at all times of the day. This is | | | | immediately on the job. |
| just one of the many ways training and | | | | Ø Invite your clients to participate in the |
| development is beginning to catch up to today's | | | | training or lead a Question and Answer session. |
| business environment, where young, savvy | | | | There is really no one better to tell you what you |
| professionals are coming onboard prepared to | | | | need to learn than your clients. What a great way |
| learn at their own pace. Couple this unique online | | | | to demonstrate how much you value their |
| training with more exciting classroom learning as | | | | opinions as well. |
| well as one on one coaching and watch out. | | | | Ø Find innovative training games, like The |
| Companies can now achieve and measure | | | | Sales Activator to make learning fun, ongoing and |
| considerable results from training investments. | | | | relevant. |
| Imagine dusty binders asleep on employees' | | | | Ø Utilize highly evolved online learning such |
| bookshelves becoming laptops dancing on and off | | | | as WinWin Selling to either replace or supplement |
| at their owners' leisure, at work, at home or at | | | | traditional training environments. |
| the local coffee shop. | | | | Ø For goodness sake, do ensure any type |
| To capture and sustain the attention of today's | | | | of training you invest in, is followed by |
| professionals, speakers and facilitators are forced | | | | professional coaching and other developmental |
| to notch up the excitement. Generation Y, | | | | activities. Without coaching, what people learn in |
| accustomed to immediate and fast paced applied | | | | session drops significantly as soon as they leave |
| learning, and those of us who aren't so new but | | | | the classroom. |
| definitely weary of the same old seminars, are | | | | Ø Above all, remember "innovation" is a |
| looking for ways to learn and be engaged every | | | | word worth remembering. I once worked for a |
| day and not just once a year on a two day leave | | | | Vice President of a very large company who said |
| from the job. I've heard of motivational speakers | | | | he came to work every day thinking , "If I was |
| who do magic tricks to get their point across, and | | | | the new person replacing myself in this job, what |
| facilitated workshops where actors play the role | | | | might I do differently? |