In the training industry, we are accustomed to the use of training to teach a skill that’s necessary for a vocation or an avocation. I believe that there is going to be a dramatic increase in the use of training as a sales tool. Increasingly customers are tuning out advertisments–in a sense advertisements largely serve the needs of just the advertisers and not the customer.
Teaching the customer something useful serves the need of the customer–it just might sell more product. The Secret Incredient is a videocast created by our friends at Lava Studios for Whole Foods that teaches customers how to cook some awesome dishes–I would bet that it results in sales of the ingredients featured. I was fortunate enough to attend the taping of one of the shows–Lou Lambert’s Coffee Rubbed Brisket. Truly, the best interaction with a SME I’ve had….well the tastiest. Check out the show at
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/list_secretingredient.html
Share your thoughts about the use of training as a sales tool in the comments. If the discussion gets intense enought we might just have to move it to Lamberts.