Games aren’t just fun; they’re powerful learning tools. This is backed up by several studies that have shown continuous training can improve net sales per employee by as much as 50%. Imagine every member of your sales team closing 50% more deals!
Educational games benefit sales teams by improving focus, encouraging friendly competition, and boosting retention of information. After an exciting round of game-playing, salespeople come away feeling refreshed and re-energized as they head out to appointments.
Training Done Wrong
Unfortunately, most training is ineffective. The American Society of Training and Development found that while American companies spend $20 billion a year on training, 90% of the information they teach has no impact on employees after 120 days. Fully 75% of training programs fail to add any measurable success to the businesses.
But let’s take that last statistic and flip it: 25% of training programs do add measurable success. What are those companies doing right?
According to the research, companies that train successfully avoid these three common pitfalls that cause training failure:
- Unclear goals. About 40% of sales leaders don’t know what measurable results they seek from training experiences.
- Poor program development. Low training ROI is usually the result of hastily-built programs and trainers who aren’t trained well themselves.
- Boredom. Audience boredom is the #1 killer of training effectiveness. Reading dull documents, or listening to a speaker drone on, contributes to boredom that prevents information retention.
Why is Gaming So Effective?
The 25% of companies that get it right do so by taking a fresh look at training. These successful companies build robust, well-thought-out programs that encourage active participation and make people look forward to being trained.
Gaming is effective because it directly addresses all three of the pitfalls above:
- Goals are built right into the game experience. It’s easy to measure success.
- Games support good training program development, especially when a professional learning company runs them.
- Games prevent boredom and promote active, hands-on learning experiences.
Salespeople Thrive with Gamification
Learning games are effective in large part because they’re fun and social. This is a huge benefit for salespeople, who tend to be socially-driven learners who dislike meetings. With games on the program, salespeople look forward to game time, rather than dreading the same old training sessions.
Games fulfill many of the top desires salespeople have from sales training meetings:
Real-world application. Salespeople don’t want theoretical concepts; they want tools and skills they can take directly into client pitches. Games provide this kind of skill-building.
Modern strategies. Top salespeople are tired of hearing the same old cliches. They want modern techniques, like mobile information, social media strategies, and new ways to connect with clients. Games fulfill this desire. They use cutting-edge technology.
Data and trends. Salespeople need data, and they want to share it with their clients, but they don’t want to get bogged down and bored by it. Games are a great way to enliven crucial stats and facts.
Fast pace. Salespeople - especially millennials - are classroom-averse and prefer training that is lively and fast-paced. That’s another win for games.
Long-Term Benefits of Games
Companies that use games in sales training see long-lasting benefits for their sales staffs. Here are some noticeable changes you could see in your team:
- Reduced stress and anxiety
- Faster decision-making
- Better memory and retention of information
- Improved morale
- Quicker achievement of performance goals
- A healthier competitive environment
- Behavioral changes that support company objectives
Games have a unique way of building camaraderie that’s hard to replicate with any other method. They also build the kind of personal drive it takes to be a superstar salesperson, month after month. And in the end, that’s what any sales manager wants: a team of shining stars.
Ready to help your sales stars shine? Connect with Option Technologies, a leader in digital learning solutions. We’ll help you find innovative training solutions that bring real ROI.
