Accelerating New Product Launches For CPG Firms With Microlearning Platforms
India is poised to become third largest consumer market globally by 2026, surpassing Germany and Japan. Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) firms are investing in new products, expanding product lines to get a share of the consumer pie, both in urban and rural markets. 100+ brands available in India are disrupting the market with new product innovations. The needs and desires of consumers keep evolving and brands need to stay relevant either by releasing new products or updating existing products. Retailers, departmental stores, kirana shops, mom-and-pop stores are expected to have knowledge about the products stocked for the well-informed and growing consumer base.
At CPG firms, sales leaders and training managers need to design impactful sales training and frontline coaching for sales executives, dealers sales executives (DSEs) to have a successful product launch with a differentiated yet unique approach to retailer conversions. Read how microlearning platforms can help business heads generate a unified and differentiated customer outreach among their frontline teams. The sales training programs comprise key components like content, sales strategies and product modules which can be conveniently delivered via microlearning platforms. Microlearning platforms offer all-in-one solution for coaching, sales management training, assessments (gamified microlearning), AI sales training (AI-based role plays).
Here are 5 ways you can leverage microlearning platforms for accelerating new product launches in a highly competitive market:
1. New Product Training – Microlearning offers learning content in short modules which can be a boon for new product launches in CPG firms. New product involve new features, characteristics, price points, target market, consumer demographics. Repackaging this content in topic-based modules helps the DSEs to learn about the new product at their own pace without affecting their daily routine. Basic product concepts and USPs can be introduced well before launch. Downtimes during the day can be utilised to complete the short 15-20mins modules and improve learning retention. Microlearning platforms fit well with busy schedules, encourages retention with spaced repetition, and leverages multimedia for engagement.
2. Gamified Microlearning – Gamification and gamified microlearning has seen positive adoption and has become a key part of learning and development initiatives. Gamification in learning can be used to incentivize DSEs, promote healthy competition with Points, Badges and Leaderboards (PBLs). Gamified interactions built in the product knowledge modules quickly test the product understanding, allow to relearn the concept before moving to next concept. Gamified quizzes and challenges further reinforce learning, ensuring that product knowledge is retained and readily applied in sales interactions, ultimately boosting conversion rates.
3. AI Sales Training – AI-based role plays and sales training offer a dynamic platform for DSEs to refine their skills and adapt to diverse scenarios, focusing on specific aspects of the sales process such as objection handling or closing strategies. Personalized feedback generated by AI enables DSEs to identify areas for improvement and refine strategies for increased success. AI based role plays can be effectively utilised in pre-launch training activities to train DSEs on new product selling pitch. During launch, AI based sales training can provide in-depth training on handling retailers’ objections and demonstrating the product’s benefits. https://www.masteroapp.com/blog/five-ways-to-master-sales-excellence-the-power-of-ai-based-role-plays/
4. Coaching and Sales Management Training – Microlearning platforms can coach DSEs with selling strategies and techniques for new product launch. It can host role-playing scenarios, case studies, sales playbook, FAQs, shareable brochures addressing retailers’ objectives and pain points. Interactive modules allow DSEs to practice responses and receive feedback. As part of frontline coaching and sales enablement, training managers can keep the DSEs and other frontline teams updated on market dynamics and consumer insights relevant to the new product by adding short articles, expert interviews, senior leadership perspectives.
A beverage alcohol company with an outstanding collection of premium brands, partnered with microlearning platform Master-O® and understood DSEs’ strength areas via the Skill Gap Analysis of its frontline reps’. Strength areas in brand history, serving suggestions and characteristics indicated that the sales executives were able to guide or assist outlets in increasing their stock and ensure proper placement and promotion.
Comparatively lower scores in ‘Range of Products’ meant sales executives could potentially struggle to convince outlets in diversifying their products / merchandize. This insight enabled trainers and sales leaders to reinforce this topic and associated skills during training sessions and offer more microlearning modules.
Based on a successful implementation of iterative capability development powered by Microlearning and Game-based assessments, the company is currently looking to scale the implementation to its in-store promoters in the modern trade channel and use AI based sales coaching from Master-O® to enable them to enhance their pitch to customers and large format retailers.
5. Feedback Mechanisms - Regular quizzes or gamified assessments on microlearning platforms can help to gauge understanding and retention of new product knowledge. Immediate feedback on quiz results or performance in simulations guides the training managers and business leaders to reinforce learning. It encourages continuous improvement based on feedback to refine content and delivery methods. Here’s a 5 point checklist for you to measure the success of microlearning platform for new product launch.
By leveraging microlearning platforms, CPG firms can ensure that their sales teams are well-prepared to effectively promote and sell new products, leading to quicker adoption and improved market penetration.
Read how microlearning and gamification can enhance frontline capability for FMCG firms .
Master-O®, a frontline sales readiness and gamification platform, has powered several sales enablement & frontline readiness programs for enterprise customers and been a key driver of sales strategies for leaders across industries. To make capability development, sales enablement & engagement more personalized, Master-O® empowers sales managers tap into various data points and analytics for coaching & upskilling their frontline reps. This gives sales leaders and managers much-required objective perspective to reimagine their sales coaching, capability development & enablement approach and realign it with performance metrics.
To learn more about Master-O®, please visit masteroapp.com or schedule a demo to discover how Master-O® can redefine sales readiness & frontline capability development for your organization.