My Process for

the Sales Strategies Training Module

Needs Analysis

Family Footwear* is growing and opening a new store in June 2022. Simultaneously, there has been a greater turnover rate in sales associates since the pandemic. They are hiring many new sales associates and needed a more efficient way to train new employees.

Problem: The current training program is conducted by a 1:1 trainer-to-trainee approach over the course of 2-3 weeks. However, since salespeople earn commission on their sales, having senior sales staff train new hires takes them off the sales floor at times, causing them to miss out on sales and commission while also causing the sales team to be understaffed on the floor. This negatively impacts the level of service all sales associates can offer their customers.

Solution: I created an online training module so that new sales associates can independently learn the basics of Family Footwear's sales strategies, thus increasing senior sales associates’ opportunities to actively sell shoes. This eLearning module provides a foundational overview of selling strategies so that when new associates shadow trainers, they can draw on prior knowledge from the module in their interactions.

Starting Point

The original training material consisted of a 15-page checklist organized by items the trainers should show and discuss each day, part of which is shown below. I identified one key problem with this approach: the organization of the material is not "chunked" in a way that is conducive for learners to consistently remember and apply the key sales strategies.

Writing Objectives

I crafted two learning objectives to guide the design of this module. With the assessment strategies in mind at the start, I then created the learning materials.

Learning Materials

I designed three interactive scenarios--one for each sales strategy. Prior to each scenario, the learner reads through a few brief paragraphs with accompanying icons for accomplishing each sales strategy. Because the learner is actively engaged in each scenario--and gets immediate feedback to their choices--the bulk of the instruction comes in the form of the scenarios, not text-based articles.

As learners work with Helen, they discover methods for the first sales strategy: Seat the Customer.

This scenario was created using Articulate Rise.

Learners are guided by Brian as he demonstrates methods for the second sales strategy: Service at the Seat.

I created this using Articulate Storyline since I wanted to show two characters on the same slide at times.

Gianna can't make up her mind on which shoes to buy. Learners make choices in this scenario to apply methods of the third sales strategy: Close the Sale.

This scenario was also created using Articulate Rise.

Linking to Prior Knowledge

One important component of good instructional design is to link new information to the learner's prior knowledge. This primes the learner's brain to better construct and remember the material; the learner can associate new material and mentally organize it with what they already know. I did this in two ways:

1) I opened the training module with three "Have you ever?" questions to elicit frustrating retail experiences the learners may have had and to contrast that with how Family Footwear is different.

2) After each scenario, I included a drag-n-drop activity for learners to match sales behaviors from the scenario to the four core company values they learned about in the Mission and Values module.

Assessing Knowledge

Because Family Footwear doesn't use a learning management system at this time, I created and linked a Google quiz to the module. The learner's answers will go to the store manager's email for his review. Additionally, once the learner submits the quiz, they will get immediate affirmative or corrective feedback on their choices.

A snapshot of the quiz. I included both recognition (multiple choice) and recall (fill-in-the-blank) questions.

A snapshot of the feedback learners get once they submit their answers.

Program Evaluation

This module went live on April 1, 2022. It was reviewed by the store manager, an assistant manager, and several sales associates for accuracy and cohesiveness. One new sales associate has already completed it.

Following Kirkpatrick's four levels of evaluation, I will obtain feedback about the training with these 4 questions on the quiz:

  • Assuming you have all the product knowledge you need, on a scale of 1-5, how prepared do you feel to engage with your first customer directly after this training?

  • Write one memorable thing you'll use on the sales floor from this training.

  • Write at least one question you now have about the topic(s) of this training.

  • What can we do to improve this training?

To measure behavioral outcomes of this training, I plan to interview management and training staff after the first few trainees go through the module to get their impression of how their subsequent one-on-one work with trainees has changed. Can they recognize that the trainee has more prior knowledge at the beginning of working with a trainer? Does the trainee use the sales techniques presented in the training? Does the trainee ask any questions about discrepancies between the training module's techniques and what they see on the sales floor?