Sales reps forget 90% of what they learn at traditional conferences. Why? Because most seminars use a timeworn combination of paper handouts and professional speakers. It’s proven to be ineffective for information retention and most sales reps find it downright boring.
Ready to try something different? Now there’s a new way to boost retention by up to 90%: playing games. Sales training games help companies revitalize their training strategies and see stronger sales figures.
Let’s look at 5 sales training games you could use to energize your next conference.
There’s a reason “Jeopardy!” has been one of the world’s most popular TV shows since its debut in 1964. It’s fun. Players encounter trivia answers in categories and must respond quickly in the form of a question.
Jeopardy-style games are excellent for helping sales reps learn new information and reinforce important concepts. The trivia can be anything that relates to your sales team: sales figures, client details, company policies, industry facts. As the host unveils each answer, reps compete to come up with the right questions.
Trivia games use audience-response technology to determine who buzzed in first, which clue is up next, and other complex details of gameplay.
Your team can also try games that are similar to Jeopardy, but have a somewhat slower-moving format, like Who Wants to be a Millionaire? A game like Millionaire provides the additional challenge of “phone a friend” twists, which can be fun and memorable.
Don’t worry that your reps will be discouraged if they lose. As long as the atmosphere is upbeat, they’ll enjoy the friendly competition. In fact Salesforce research shows that getting answers wrong, and then learning the correct answers, is actually better for information retention.
Another excellent format for sales training games is Fastest Finger. This fast-paced competition gets hearts pumping and creates healthy competition. Keypads track which contestant, or team of contestants, pressed the button first. The one with the fastest finger gets a shot at giving the right answer.
These games rely on sophisticated digital tracking to deliver clear, accurate results. When handled properly, your audience experiences smooth gameplay, just like any TV quiz show.
The game of Speed Scoring is a variation on Fastest Finger that allows a larger group to buzz in. After the hosts asks a question, everyone can answer at once using keypads, and scores are awarded based on speed to respond.
For example, imagine that your host asks the question, “What percentage of our customers are enrolled in our loyalty program - 25%, 50%, or 75%?” Players who respond with the wrong answer, or don’t respond at all, are given 0 points. Players who respond correctly within 5 seconds receive 100 points. Players who respond correctly within 10 seconds receive 80 points, and so forth.
Speed scoring encourages fast decision-making. At the same time, it rewards correct answers only. This guides your sales reps toward the dual goals of speed and accuracy.
You can also work with a professional learning development company, like Option Technologies, to create a game that’s customized for your company or industry. Customized games usually start with an existing format, and branch out based on your company’s individual needs.
Perhaps you sell sports apparel, and you’d like to try a sports-themed game. Maybe during a conference, you want to have a friendly competition against another branch of the company, which could be done with a Family Feud-style game.
One of the biggest benefits of games is that they are adaptable for a variety of training needs. Games can fit into virtually any conference theme or format.
And they’re not only flexible, they’re effective. Training experts recommend group competitions because they’re fun, collaborative, and excellent at making lasting impressions.
As you prepare for your next conference, keep these game benefits in mind:
INTEGRATION: Games can integrate into an existing Powerpoint presentation.
RETENTION: Games are proven to boost information retention.
FUN: Games are fun, and that makes them more inviting to your sales reps.
FLEXIBLE: Games are endlessly flexible, for a custom experience for your team.
COST-EFFECTIVE: Games are an effective investment that bring real ROI.
Before you schedule another seminar, reach out to the experts at Option Technologies for a free estimate from a meeting specialist. See a live demo of an interactive sales game that will be the highlight of your next sales conference.