Case Study Competition
In 2022, stepping into my new role as the Director of Revenue Enablement at Platform.sh, I was tasked with creating a role play exercise for our sellers during our Sales Kickoff (SKO). I've always believed that traditional role play exercises, where participants merely recite scripted lines and swap roles, lack the dynamism and realism needed to truly enhance sales skills. Determined to transform this educational experience into something more engaging and impactful, I devised a unique case study competition that would not only challenge but also invigorate our team.
I started by constructing an entire fictitious company, "BMC Global Group," and introduced a scenario where, through our 6sense integration, we detected high intent signals from one of their entities "The Sailing Frenchman." The lead we focused on was Edward Teach, a lead developer whose frequent visits to Platform.sh indicated a strong potential interest. His contact details and company information were provided to our teams as a starting point.
To simulate a real-world environment, I broke all SKO attendees into seven diverse teams, each a mix of sellers, support staff, technical experts, and marketing personnel. These teams were handed a set of rules along with their initial "lead" information. Their mission was ambitious: within just 24 hours, they needed to research the lead, prospect effectively, set up and conduct a discovery call, present a proposal, and attempt to close the deal.
Our solutions team and leadership were cast in various roles within BMC Global Group, the umbrella company for The Sailing Frenchman. This setup allowed teams to engage directly with 'company representatives' to extract valuable insights, simulating real stakeholder interactions. The intensity and authenticity of these interactions meant that the more effort and quality the teams invested, the richer the information and understanding they gained regarding their potential client's needs and challenges.
The competition was designed not just to test their ability to sell, but to encourage deep collaboration across functional teams, critical thinking, and adaptive strategy development. Prizes were awarded for various achievements, such as closing the deal and uncovering the most business opportunities, adding an element of fun and competition to the learning experience.
Reflecting on the event, it was clear from the feedback that this role play was not just a training exercise but the highlight of our SKO. It not only brought our team closer together but also pushed them to apply their skills in a highly practical, engaging, and ultimately rewarding format. This experience reinforced my belief in the power of innovative, immersive learning experiences and their ability to transform standard training into something truly spectacular.
To give you even more context here are some links to a few documents that can help you get a better understanding of the Case Study Competition.