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February 18, 2009Progressive sales executives sometimes season their meetings with quiz programs. While there are many different ways of conducting such events, here’s a “for instance” or two:
Most salespeople are extroverted. They do not enjoy reading sales manuals or dissertations on company policy. It’s therefore necessary, from time to time, to stimulate their study of company literature. This can easily be accomplished by a quiz program.
Before the meeting, significant sentences are selected from various pieces of literature. Only the more important points are chosen, the things every salesperson should know. At the meeting, each person is issued a set of company literature. Then the preselected sentences are read by the emcee. As each sentence is read, the first person to find it in the literature wins a point toward the prize.
She jumps up and shouts the title of the publication containing it, as well as the number of the page on which it can be found.
The person who wins the most points is awarded a prize. But here’s the real payoff—after each sentence is found in the literature, someone is asked to explain it. She enlarges on it, applies it to the salesperson’s job. This results in a better understanding of procedures and policies.
Product information can also be learned in this manner.
Sales trainers have found written tests a good means of lending variety. True-false tests are most popular, although multiple choice and completion type tests are also used. Every salesperson grades his own paper. The grade is actually of little importance; the underlying teaching point is the significant thing.
In a discussion following each point, the trainer brings out the why and wherefore, letting everyone know what they are expected to do as a result. Still other quiz programs have been patterned after those seen on television. It’s not difficult to work up an event of this sort, one that is profitable, yet enjoyable. Give it a try.
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