Research Is Changing The Game Through Sales Education
The Department of Engineering Technology and Industrial Distribution at Texas A&M University prepares students for careers with the use of gaming technology.
The Lead Generation Game (LGG), a part-time job and experiential learning opportunity for students, uses the science of game design to teach sales call skills. The program is sponsored by various organizations and businesses. In return, participants put their new knowledge to the test by generating leads for the sponsoring industry partner.
“The training is invaluable,” said Clayton Raemsch, a student in the LGG. “While the LGG competition is enjoyable, the real reward is hearing from your sponsor when they close leads. We’re able to pay them back by using what they’ve allowed us to learn.”
With the goal of obtaining a return on investment (ROI) in closed leads and providing students with training, this partnership has the added benefit of providing both the student and the sponsor a semester-long trial run to help determine if a career with the company would be a good fit. The program, run by Brandon Hagen, creator and project manager, and Dr. Norm Clark, senior lecturer, allows students to learn in a real-world environment.
“We crafted the LGG with the goal of enabling our students to put what we teach into practice,” Hagen said. “There is a distinct difference between theory and reality. The LGG works to bridge that gap before students begin their careers.”
By making the learning process fun for students, the LGG makes the challenge of cold calling more enjoyable. The process engages different learning styles in various capacities, allowing all students to thrive in a hands-on environment.
The Game
The program employs gamification — the process of applying game design to engage and motivate people in goal achievement —for resonation with students. The LGG model connects with students and provides extrinsic motivators for project success. Gamification is an innovative way to make learning enjoyable for students, providing extra motivation to grow and improve skills.
The design of the LGG provides for a collaborative, yet competitive environment for students to engage with their peers. Students work in teams, listen in on other student’s phone calls and complete activities that earn points for their team. The point system provides an internal competition that keeps students connected, on-task and motivated to fine tune their sales abilities. In the LGG, every team member and call matters to the success of the team. This dynamic environment helps students be self-driven and self-motivated—skills that are vital to their future careers.
“We don’t just place students in a room and require them to make calls,” Hagen said. “We want students to be engaged and approach endeavors as a team.”
While students are developing leads for their sponsor, they are also being trained on the attention and discovery steps of the sales process. The game quickly shows students how and why customers make decisions. The success of the program originated from a two-week pilot study. Andrew Forney, a former student of the department, participated in the program during its pilot phase.
“I’m a big supporter of the LGG,” Forney said. “In terms of getting ready for my career, that was the most important two weeks of my college career.”
Students leave the Department of Engineering Technology and Industrial Distribution prepared to be productive employees, creating a great reputation for Texas A&M throughout the country.
This article originally appeared in the College of Engineering website.
