Teams of salespeople are thrust into a fictitious account that mirrors exactly what they see in the field, including competition. Focusing on strategy the entire day, they must find the needs, create the solution, and win the business. Time, money, and resources are limited as teams call on the various buyers within the account. They discover who has the budget, the power, and the pain. Bombarded with information, they are challenged to strategize their approach and then put that approach into practice.

At the outset, teams receive a package of background information on the prospect. This data is provided in exactly the same way as with a real prospect, with the actual forms and approaches that are used on the job. Teams also receive a sample of research, annual reports, 10-K's, and press releases they would find on the Web.

Teams start with a bank of money that is their budget for the sales process. Their funds increase or decline during the course of the program, depending on the success of their choices. They begin by buying more information about the account – as much as they think they need to get started.

Teams prepare their first presentation with the information they've gained to present a strategy for winning the business. Sales managers act as coaches, listening to the presentations, judging the teams' work, and providing feedback. This approach sharpens alignment between salespeople and sales managers while reinforcing new strategies with the sales managers themselves.

Teams are then offered the opportunity to buy information about potential decision-makers or influencers in the prospect's organization. This module is customized to reward teams that call at the right level of an account. With this new information, teams revise their strategy and present it to their sales managers, who score their work and reinforce the learning. Since each team buys different information, every presentation is different.

Teams then get the chance to meet with specific buyers. They make their selections and gain additional insight into how each buyer views the purchase. Once again, they revise their strategy and make presentations. At this time, they also receive information about competitors that makes it necessary to revise their approach. Usually at this stage of the program, a surprise of the kind they might encounter with a real account is dropped on them, forcing them to reevaluate their strategies. For example, their main advocate in the customer organization may leave for another job.

Finally, the teams must prepare and make a presentation to the customer, using all the tools ordinarily available to them on the job. Sales managers score these presentations, and the team that has amassed the most money over the course of the program wins the competition. Prizes are awarded to the top team and learning is reinforced.

Debriefing activities capture key learnings and lock in the progress that has been achieved. Team discussions and full-group debriefs allow participants to absorb new approaches, put them into context, and expand their knowledge and skills, making them their own.