Program Reinforcement
One of the major components of continual learning is reinforcement. While reinforcement is a broad term and can take many forms, our research of the marketplace, experience with best practices and understanding of how today’s adults truly learn and retain has dramatically shaped our view of effective reinforcement. Our approach has evolved into a systematic reinforcement approach using specific tools and technology to deliver scheduled and on-demand reinforcement.
Scheduled Reinforcement Components
The scheduled portion of reinforcement drives the sales team to participate in specific learning and reinforcement activities – a necessary discipline when sales teams leave training and go back to their busy, real world.
Skills Assessments - These assessments test respondents’ likely compliance with best practices across key planning, selling and management disciplines. Comprehensive Skill Assessments are used during the planning and configuration phase to help identify potential areas of attention as well as to shape recommended curriculum plans. Topical Skill Assessments are used before and after scheduled training events to gauge levels of skill improvement; these online assessments also help to determine areas of focus for individual reinforcement activities.
Push Reinforcement Questions and Tips - To support specific training objectives, we establish an automated delivery of a series of “pushed” review questions, tips, etc. to members of the sales team to stimulate thinking on the application of concepts learned. In many cases, members of the sales team receive 2-3 pushed reinforcement items (questions/tips) per week for several months. The user receives notices on their desktop (via a downloadable application) that new, pushed content is available for review. Content and duration of the pushes may vary based on the specific courses or roles of the learner.
Virtual Review Sessions - On a periodic basis (e.g. every 3-4 months), the sales team reassembles virtually for an hour using web-meeting technology. The goal is to focus on addressing specific sales issues/skills and share best practices. Topics for the sessions are often determined by reviewing results from skills assessments, monitoring of pushed reinforcement and management discretion.
On-Demand Reinforcement Components
While sales leaders can still direct sales reps to specific on-demand content as part of a learning or coaching plan, the on-demand portion of reinforcement is intended to put the learner in control of the content they want and need to access.
eLearning- Learners need real time access to a formal eLearning Library of self-paced, web based training courses in a variety of topics so they can review concepts, access tools, examine key methods and even test their knowledge prior to putting those concepts to use in real selling situations.
Sales Knowledge Center- Additionally, learners also need access to a standard, searchable content encyclopedia covering essential planning, sales and management “how to’s”, tips, tools and templates, Our Sales Knowledge Center content and structure provides this capability.
Sales Tools and Templates- On-demand, access to tools and templates that can be filled-out, shared with team members or customers, uploaded to the LMS or CRM.
Reinforcement Assets - These assets include micro-lessons, topical webcasts and videos. The micro –lessons are interactive, topical refreshers that last 3-5 minutes. Topical webcasts are 15-20 minute “refresher” webcasts recorded by our top subject matter experts. The videos are video-driven lesson that demonstrate best practices in common selling skills. These videos are between 5-10 minutes.
