Sales People can learn with a laugh

The best sales people can ask questions to uncover the needs and wants of their potential customers and then expound the features and benefits of their products or services to meet those needs and wants.

Here are two training methods that will give your team a bit of a laugh but they are very effective at training them to ask searching open questions.

The Shoe-Box

Put an object (like a stapler) into a shoe box and take it in to a sales meeting. Place it on the table and the team must ask you questions until they figure out what is in the box.

They will start by asking closed questions Eg. Can you eat it? No. But they will soon figure out they get much more information by asking open questions: Describe the shape of the object.

When they master simple stuff like a stapler and an apple try some toughies (like a hinge off a door).

The Trading Post

Cut an advertisement from the classified for sale section of the paper. Select a member of the team to do a role play telephone call to you. Show the ad to all the others. The role play person must ask questions to try to figure out what you are selling. Run this like a phone call

Most often the ego of a sales person will lead to a reluctance  to join in these games but very rapidly a person who has played them can run rings around one who hasn’t – then who’s laughing? – especially if they sell for commission.