Role-playing is an effective sales training tool.

Editor's note: This is part six in a series of articles about training your sales staff to achieve optimum performance

Role-playing is one of the most effective ways to teach your salespeople how to sell. You're dealing with both a visual method and a participative technique, two of

If they are having problems with a particular selling skill, let one of them re-create the part of the customer while you play the salesperson. This way, they can see exactly how you want them to perform in a given situation.

Have one of your students be the customer, another the salesperson. Then let them reverse the roles. At this point you are the facilitator, the observer, not a role player.

Critique the situation in a participative manner. (1) Ask other students what they think was positive about the performances. (2) After you've gathered that feedback, ask the role players how they feel they did. This lets them critique themselves first. (3) Ask other students what they though needed improvement in the role playing. (4) Have your trainees replay the situation incorporating the suggestions you feel are appropriate.

By evaluating your role playing in this manner, you avoid the uncomfortable situation of putting the role players on the defensive. Peer critique is often more readily accepted.

Make sure you give everyone a chance to take part, even if you have to repeat a situation several times. Naturally, the last performances should be the most polished, with all previous critiques having had their effect. This will ensure that your salespeople see themselves doing things as they should be doing them.

If you have a video camera and a VCR, or if your training group consists of only one or two people, tape your salespeople acting out their roles. Have them view the tape and analyze their own efforts before you offer any additional comments or suggestions.

You will realize several important benefits from role-playing:

* It puts trainees into realistic situations, yet affords them the opportunity to make mistakes that don't cost anything.

* It validates your selling principles to your salespeople.

* You reduce the learning gap. Not only do your salespeople learn how to do something, they get the experience of actually doing it.