This game is based on the “Challenger Selling Model” Venn diagram illustrated in the book The Challenger Sale: Taking Control of the Customer Conversation, written by Corporate Executive Board’s Executive Director Matthew Dixon and Managing Director Brent Adamson.

Timing: 1 hour

Ingredients:

  • Online access

Players (5..8 recommended):

  • Product Manager / Product Owner
  • Various Teams (sales, marketing, production, etc.)

Directions:
Play this game to transform your sales strategy into the Challenger Selling Model: an effective technique based on reps who can teach customers, tailor their message, and take control of the situation all while leveraging constructive tension. Clicking on this image will start an “instant play” game at innovationgames.com; simply email the game link to your team to invite them to play. In the game, the image to the right will be used as the “game board.” The Venn diagram organizes players’ ideas to design an effective Challenger tactic.

  • Top = “Teach for Differentiation” – insight that reframes how a customer may see their business and needs
  • Bottom Left = “Tailor for Resonance” – sales messages geared toward the values of the customer
  • Bottom Right = “Take Control of the Sale” – how to pursue goals assertively to overcome customer aversion
  • Outer Area = “Constructive Tension” – how a rep can use tension to their advantage

 

You will see note card icons in the upper left corner of the chart, which represent team members’ ideas. Simply drag a note card to the area you are thinking of and describe what the icon represents. Players can edit the placement and description of each note card, which everyone can view in real time. Use the integrated chat facility and communicate with your players throughout the game to get a better understanding of each move.

Key Points:
Becoming a Challenger demands that reps provide a unique perspective, be attentive to customer needs and values, and assert control while leveraging tension to their advantage. However, many teams must cooperate to bring different points of view for a successful transition to the model. Challenger Selling Model provides the visual organization necessary to balance the integral factors of the model while promoting the collaboration needed to help your team construct the most effective sales strategy for a specific stakeholder.

For more about the Challenger Selling Model, click here.