Game for sales training |

Game for sales training

Hi, im looking for a very quick, short, interactive game based around selling such as identifying buying signals/business opportunities, negotiation, sales techniques, sales questionning etc.

Ideally looking for something that would last no more than 10 minutes.

Hope you can help:-)
Charlotte Walton


Nkellingley's picture

We used to use a game to demonstrate the advantage of open vs. closed questions. Called "What have I got in my pocket?" the team were allowed 10 closed questions to determine the item in the trainers pocket (choose something unusual keys or money will be guessed quickly) and they almost never worked it out.

Following that they were allowed 10 open questions to determine a different item - they only usually need 3/4 questions for this.

The only rule was they were not allowed to ask "What is the item?"

It only takes about 5 minutes and gives people a good demonstration of the power of open questions when you are looking to retrieve information from someone.

Nkellingley's picture

But as an interview technique - the best response to the "sell me a pen" question is "are you going to make notes?" if the person answers in the affirmative then the appropriate response is "so you'll need to buy a pen then."!

clive boorman's picture

This game has worked well for me in the past - pre-prepare a number of laminated price lists for a ficticious company, (I tend to use stationary items). Hand out the price lists to your learners and ask them to spend a minute looking at the products. The trainer/facilitator then plays the customer and asks each person questions based around the items on the price list, for example; 'Do you sell coloured rulers' or 'do you sell gel pens' - go around the room asking these questions and record the answers. What you are looking for is people to move away from answers like'yes we do' to answers like 'yes we do, how many are you looking for?' or 'yes we do, what colours would you like?'. In other words, encouraging the learners to try more probing questions that attract buying signals. Try 2 or 3 questions with each learner but if they don't get the point of the exercise, (which you don't explain fully when you start), then move onto another learner until you find someone that does ask more probing questions and explore the answers that those people give. Hope that helps

I'm not a sales trainer, but I sat in on a sales training course once and I seem to remember that we did several exercises. One of which was where the trainer would choose a random item in the room and then pick on someone and ask them to sell it to the group. Trainer would then debrief them. In another exercise, we were given a brief to design and market a deodrant, it had to be a maximum of £1.80 and we had to state what it looked like, range of flavours, benefits etc. We also had to come up with the name and draw it. Maybe you could incorporate something like this?

Jeremy Thorn's picture


There are tons of such excercises, depending on quite what you want to achieve, but two of the most common sales training needs are a) building rapport and b) establishing the real need.

I think you know all about a) from another forum! But a suggestion for b)?

A 'classic' is to offer a pen and ask delegates in turn to have one go at selling it to you. Most will pick on a feature (the clip, so you don't lose it; its image so that it reflects well on you; that it writes well everytime; that you can see when it is running empty, etc) - and each time you smile and say 'not interested'.

This is a tease, so you do need to smile! Then you tell them that you wanted it to prop the door/window open. The lesson being, until you have determined the real need, you can't expect to sell anything successfully.

Any use? (I was shown this in own my first-ever sales training a very long time ago - and I have never forgotten it! And I find it still works well...)

Best wishes!



As a sales trainer I have several games within my trainer’s kit that I use however there is one game that I have used several time. Whilst this game lasts over 10 minutes it pulls together all the skills and knowledge that should have covered on the training.

The game is called ‘selling to William Shakespeare’ where the delegates are set the challenge of selling a writing quill to William Shakespeare. The brief asks them to think about what questions they will need to ask, the benefits to William Shakespeare of owning a quill and any objections they may need to overcome. There are several variations to this game.

Allow the delegates around 15 minutes to prepare their presentation which must involve every member of the group and the presentation should last no longer than 5 minutes. The delegates then present their sales presentation to William Shakespeare who is normally played by the trainer and the trainer.

I trust this is of some help (although it lasts longer than the 10 minutes you have) and please feel free to get in touch if you would like help with any other games. My email address is

Wishing you every success.


f1girl's picture

I used a good activity in the past where you give delegates an object/service to sell that is totally removed from their usual product. I used a childs toy.

One person has to be the customer and give a very brief outline of their requirements e.g. "I have to buy a toy for my nephew who is 6. I want something that it robust, fun and educational". The rest of the delegates then have to sell that item focussing on the customers needs.

But...the first person gives a feature e.g. "this toy has 3 different modes" and then passes it onto the next delegate who has to priovide a benefit "which means that, he won't get bored quickly". It then gets passed to the third delegate who provides another feature, and the fourth then provides the corresponding benefit - matching the customers needs, and so on.

You then swap and have a different customer and/or object.

It is a fast-paced game that keeps the energy up and encourages delegates to focus on the customer, not the technical features of what they are selling.

mari's picture

I will be using this idea the next chance that i get

Always best training resources and training course material to develop your team building skills.

Training Games

Focus and determination is  the one key to develop your skills ..Proper training and self discipline also play a great rule to be success in the training.

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