These five sales training activities have been used successfully for over a decade in our sales training courses. Designed to engage participants and reinforce key concepts, these exercises are ideal for organizations looking to enhance their own sales training programs.
You are welcome to incorporate these games into your training sessions or link to this page. However, we kindly ask that you refrain from publishing them in any online or for-profit printed guides without prior permission.
Each activity assumes a basic understanding of customer service and sales principles. While we are happy to clarify how the games work, we encourage you to research specific content questions independently.
For more information about our onsite sales training workshops, contact us at info@businesstrainingworks.com or 301-934-3250.
Activity One: Ask or Tell?
Purpose: Highlight the importance of uncovering customer needs before launching into a sales pitch.
Materials Needed: Any object available in the training room.
Directions
- Pair up participants and assign one person in each pair to be the seller and the other the buyer.
- Instruct the sellers to sell an item in the room to the buyers.
- Allow the conversations to proceed for 3–5 minutes, observing interactions. Pay attention to whether sellers are asking questions to uncover needs or simply highlighting features.
- Conclude the activity and ask buyers to share their experiences.
Debrief
- Did sellers focus on discovering needs, or did they push product features?
- Highlight the importance of understanding customer needs before presenting solutions.
- Emphasize that even experienced salespeople can fall into the trap of feature-pushing.
Time: 5 minutes.
Activity Two: Your Order, Please
Purpose: Teach participants how to uncover a buyer’s priorities.
Materials Needed: Pen and paper.
Directions
- Divide participants into pairs or run the activity as a demonstration with two volunteers in front of the group.
- Assign one participant to play the seller and the other the buyer.
- Explain the scenario: The seller represents an art warehouse, and the buyer is renovating a hotel. The buyer has priorities such as price, quality, delivery dates, product originality, and payment terms. The seller must discover these priorities by asking questions.
- Allow 5–10 minutes for the interaction, during which the buyer reveals details about the hotel when prompted.
Debrief
- Compare the seller’s notes to the buyer’s actual priorities.
- Discuss how well the seller uncovered the buyer’s needs and what could have been done differently.
- Ask participants to reflect on how much time they typically spend uncovering priorities in real-life sales situations.
Time: 20–25 minutes.
Activity Three: Mr. Parker Schroeder
Purpose: Demonstrate the importance of research in sales preparation.
Materials Needed: Flipchart and markers.
Directions
- Divide participants into small teams of 4–5 people.
- Present the scenario: The team is preparing to meet Mr. Parker Schroeder, CFO of Gapland Industries, to pitch leasing financing services for the company’s high-end hospital equipment.
- Ask each team to list resources they would use to research Mr. Schroeder and his company.
Debrief
- Share and compare each team’s research strategies. Examples might include LinkedIn, Google, the company’s website, news articles, and industry reports.
- Emphasize the importance of being informed about a prospect before a meeting.
- Ask participants how often they research their clients and what tools they find most useful.
Time: 15 minutes.
Activity Four: So What’s My Line?
Purpose: Teach participants how to establish rapport with prospects using relevant, well-researched conversation starters.
Supplies Needed: Pen and paper.
Directions
- Ask participants to develop conversation starters based on the following details about Mr. Parker Schroeder, the CFO of Gapland Industries:
- He has degrees from UCLA and Rice University.
- He serves on the boards of the local art museum and Humane Society.
- He enjoys skiing, science fiction, and golf.
- He recently purchased a house.
- He donates to Republican candidates.
- Participants should also list topics to avoid, such as his divorce or a recent lawsuit.
- Review the participants’ conversation starters and identify areas for improvement.
Debrief
- Discuss how to use research effectively to build rapport without appearing intrusive.
- Summarize best practices for preparing conversation topics that resonate with prospects.
Time: 15 minutes.
Activity Five: Seat 4C
Purpose: Demonstrate the importance of being prepared to make new business connections in unexpected situations.
Goal: Encourage participants to develop and refine their personal introductions.
Supplies Needed: None.
Directions
- Present the scenario: Participants are flying for work and have been upgraded to first class. They notice that the person seated next to them (Seat 4D) works for a target client organization.
- Instruct participants to craft a short response to the question, “What do you do?”
- Ask participants to share their answers with a partner, then with the larger group.
Debrief
- Evaluate the responses for clarity, professionalism, and impact.
- Discuss the importance of keeping introductions fresh and relevant.
- Remind participants that opportunities to connect with prospects can happen anywhere, and being prepared is key.
Time: 20 minutes.
Final Notes
These activities are designed to make sales training sessions interactive, engaging, and impactful. By incorporating them into your programs, you can help participants strengthen their skills, connect with clients more effectively, and drive better results.
For more information about onsite sales training workshops or to discuss your organization’s needs, contact us at info@businesstrainingworks.com or 301-934-3250.