C + C + C + C = A+: A Blended Learning Formula for an A+ Salesforce Ruth A. Vukelich President and CEO Companies get only one shot at a successful product launch. The outcome of the launch often has long-term implications for the profitability and longevity of the brand and the organization. An integral element in ensuring success is a thoroughly and thoughtfully trained, highly effective salesforce: an A+ salesforce. An A+ salesforce is prepared to hit the ground running at launch, and is quickly recognized by customers as a valuable resource. To build an A+ salesforce, sales representatives must first achieve the 4 Cs: comprehension, competence, confidence, and credibility. The Four Elements for Success • Comprehension: Companies need to build the salesforces’ knowledge and skills through a core learning system — ideally, this is a blend of print-based elements, parallel e-learning courseware, and in-person training. Quality of the content is paramount. • Competence: Companies need to confirm that the salesforce has met its objectives and has raised the bar through assessments, interactive exercises, application activities, and role-plays and simulations. • Confidence: Empowered with competency, the salesforce is ready to engage in a meaningful dialogue with healthcare providers and can tailor discussions based on customer needs. • Credibility: Success is achieved through customer recognition that the salesforce is a credible and valued resource. The salesforce is empowered to help meet a company’s business objectives. Developing the Learning System With a blended learning program — a well-defined combination of various learning tools, delivered via a blend of media and/or platforms — a company can achieve this formula for success. A well-designed, well-developed blended learning environment provides a rich array of training elements presented in ways that appeal to auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learners. All of these elements should be synchronized to ensure maximum effectiveness for all learning styles. To foster rapid learning, the learning system needs to be at the appropriate educational level and be engaging for the user. To maximize learner ROI, the curriculum content must focus on “need-to-know” information — relevant clinical information, product knowledge, market and competition, managed care, product positioning, and selling strategies. Throughout the learning program, progress checks and assessments enable learners — and their managers — to gauge their comprehension of the material, and identify any areas for improvement. Online assessment programs provide the added value of various tracking functions and reporting features for managers. As comprehension grows, trainers can increase learners’ confidence and ensure their competency with activities and exercises in which the learners can apply their knowledge. For example, role-plays of objection handling, sales call simulation, clinical reprint presentations, and discussions of outcomes data are some techniques. Blended Learning One of the key benefits of blended learning programs is the robust nature of reusable learning objects (RLOs). Elements of one component –for example, graphics, animations, and video — can be leveraged for other components in the learning system, or be repurposed for use by other audiences within the organization, especially if this is planned for at the outset. For example, content developed for sales training may be employed in marketing materials, or in-house physicians may use graphics from sales training in publications or slide presentations to their peers. Another primary benefit of blended learning systems is flexibility. Such a system can be built in increments to meet the training and budgetary requirements of the organization. A well-designed blended learning system is a dynamic, “living” learning system, which can be easily and quickly updated or expanded as needed. A living learning system provides an organization with a vibrant learning repository that grows to meet the organization’s training needs and provides continuing education and timely updates on the latest need-to-know information for its users. The quality of all the training elements maximizes the effectiveness of the blended learning solution and helps ensure that sales reps master the 4 Cs — comprehension, competence, confidence, and credibility — essential to becoming an A+ salesforce. This is a proven formula for long-term success. PLEXUS Learning Designs Inc., Boston, is a developer of customized clinical education and sales training for the life-sciences industry; blended learning solutions provide world-class training, with innovative curriculum designs, to propel learning for biopharmaceutical sales, marketing, and science professionals. For more information, visit plexuslearning.com.

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