509 Zombie Sales Apocalypse: Using a Learning Game to Reinforce Sales Competencies
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM Thursday, November 17
Games and Gamification
108
It’s harder and harder to catch the attention of learners, especially field sales representatives. It is also difficult to encourage them to practice important skills like sales techniques and how to speak with customers in different situations. While they need to practice these critical skills to succeed in their roles, they don’t always take the time to do so. What could engage this audience?
The solution was Zombie Sales Apocalypse: a game to reinforce key sales skills. This serious game made practice easier by creating an exciting and immersive experience using the popular genre of zombie games. In this session, you’ll discover how a branching story simulation combined engaging game activities—such as fleeing from zombies, moving furniture, and smashing through walls—with sales-focused challenges like choosing the right response to customers, bringing the right materials to a sales call, and properly diagnosing customer issues. Through examining Zombie Sales Apocalypse, you’ll find out more about the key elements and influences you’ll want to consider when creating your own games for practice and reinforcement.
In this session, you will learn:
- About three key elements that are required in any serious learning game
- Why the use of fantasy was a critical element in the design of this learning game
- How immediate feedback changes learner behavior
- How learner input was used to drive engagement with the sales model
Audience:
Intermediate and advanced designers and senior leaders (VP, CLO, executive,
etc.).
Technology
discussed in this session:
Unity game platform.
Click here for the session trailer
Karl Kapp
Professor
Commonwealth University
Karl Kapp, EdD, is a professor of instructional technology at Commonwealth University in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania who teaches instructional game design, gamification, and online learning design. He keeps busy internationally consulting, training, coaching, and counseling established companies, academic institutions, and startups. He co-founded L&D Mentoring Academy, which helps midcareer learning professionals move to the next level. Karl has authored many books and created several LinkedIn Learning courses. In 2019, he received the ATD Distinguished Contribution to Talent Development Award. His YouTube series, "The Unauthorized, Unofficial History of Learning Game," is his current passion project.
Deborah DeNure
Learning Manager, Instructional Design—Employer Group-Sales Training
Humana
Deborah DeNure manages a team of learning and instruction designers for Humana. She is also a motivational speaker and team-building consultant. As a thought leader, Deborah offers professional and personal leadership insights and designs a variety of educational programs that sustain positive relationships through respect, reward, and recognition. She is also the founder and chief learning officer of DB Associates (DBA), Training and Consulting.
