A leading UK law firm had bold ambitions to evolve their current commercial approaches and accelerate sales growth to become a £400 million business. To achieve this, they needed to develop the sales skills and capabilities of 200 of their legal Partners to become more commercially focused. Although highly skilled in law, many Partners were not fully realising their potential to grow new business. This presented an opportunity for the Firm to challenge traditional mindsets and help Partners further hone their commercial capability.
In efforts to disrupt these traditional approaches, our client identified an opportunity to raise awareness of their Partners’ development areas and challenge pre-existing beliefs around sales. They believed that a stronger growth mindset could help eliminate sales reactivity and promote more open and strategic client relationships. The Firm were eager to develop a creative solution which could enhance Partners’ cross-selling capabilities and wider account management skills to secure more high-ticket deals.
Our client sought a transformational experience which could achieve these goals in a tangible and impactful way. With high expectations from Partners, they needed to set the bar high. Plans emerged to create and design an immersive, gamified, competitive experience that would push participants out of their comfort zones. By interweaving a sense of ‘jeopardy’ throughout and simulating real-world client interactions, participants would be challenged to excel under pressure – elevating their deal-closing skills and testing their resilience.
Possessing a competitive edge, this simulation would ensure full engagement from all 200 legal Partners, uncovering untapped potential within their commercial approach to client relationships.
Challenging Cross-Selling Capabilities with Gamified Event
In response to our client’s innovative request, Alchemist partnered with the Firm to co-create the Business Excellence Challenge – a dynamic and exciting sales gamification challenge. Proving to be one of Alchemist’s most ambitious projects to date, with technology and innovation capabilities pushed to new heights – this was all the more impressive considering the tight window in which this project was completed. Scoping, design, concept and delivery were all achieved by our team of experts in under three months following our initial conversations with the client. This skillful orchestration was only made possible by the strong collaborative partnership Alchemist developed with the Firm, and the agility and flexibility we were able to demonstrate under pressure.
Highly intricate in both design and logistics, the Business Excellence Challenge comprised three immersive, gamified phases across three key topics – all to be completed within the space of just three hours. Teams competed simultaneously, with each team rotating in sequence across each 35-minute challenge. Participants were grouped into teams of eight for each phase and competed to close significant deals with fictional clients, while being observed and scored on their performance. Results were tracked on live leaderboards which were positioned around the event space. This additional layer of visibility enhanced participants’ experience, heightening the atmosphere and adding to the competitive spirit.
Each challenge was carefully crafted to address specific leadership and business development skills, simulating high-stakes client situations:
Challenge 1: Selling a Story
For this challenge, participants were tasked with meeting a fictional client, played by an Alchemist Actor-Facilitator. Competing for £20 million – and with only 15 minutes to prepare, they were closely observed and scored by our Actor-Facilitator throughout. Scores were based on how they conducted the meeting against certain measurable behaviours and how well they collaborated as a team. Specific behaviours were highlighted to help align Partners with the Firm’s commercial ambitions.
Challenge 2: Pricing and Negotiation Game
Using iPads in teams of eight, participants competed in a gameshow-style pricing and negotiation game. In this high-stakes scenario, teams worked together to decide on how to set competitive fees for a new client. This complex task required careful balancing of profitability with the client’s specific needs. The challenge tested their ability to think on their feet and negotiate effectively, with a £20 million deal at stake. Negotiation skills were put to the test as Partners worked to understand client needs under pressure.
Challenge 3: Mastering the Message
In this challenge, participants had to pitch to the General Counsel of a growing Fintech firm, played by real-life Board Members of the Firm. Partners were split into two teams, with 15 minutes each to prepare their pitch. Again, competing for a £20 million deal, they had to deliver a 10-minute pitch in front of the other team which demonstrated a deep understanding of the client’s challenges. This phase encouraged Partners to engage strategically and present their Firm as trusted advisors.
An Immersive Learning Simulation for High-Impact Sales Growth
The Business Excellence Challenge not only met but exceeded our client’s expectations. This transformative learning experience fostered team spirit, a heightened sense of self-awareness, and a commitment to improving sales growth at the Firm. The competitive element proved especially effective in driving high levels of participation and engagement, with each team vying to outshine the others. This was backed up by feedback from Alchemist’s Actor-Facilitators and the Firm’s Board-Member Observers, who were impressed with how seriously Partners partook in the challenge and invested themselves fully in the activities.
The impact of this immersive event was immediate and profound, setting the stage for further development and transformation within the Firm’s leadership population. Partners’ sales skills were put under the spotlight, prompting self-reflection and the recognition that many weren’t as effective in client meetings as they had believed. This highlighted new development opportunities around emotional intelligence, communication, and cross-selling capabilities. Now armed with invaluable insights into where their Partners need to grow, the outcome of this event has positioned this Law Firm for greater success in achieving their ambitious sales growth target.
Alchemist was commended for its impeccable organisation and delivery of the Business Excellence Challenge. The Firm’s Head of Performance and Talent Development shared that he hadn’t seen anything like what was delivered at such quality and pace. Their CEO and Chairperson (who enthusiastically took part as Observers) were also thrilled with the event and are excited to see where the Alchemist partnership takes them next.
Developing the Selling Capabilities of Leaders
The Business Excellence Challenge was a powerful tool for this Law Firm in developing effective client relationships, revealing gaps in their selling capabilities and the self-awareness needed to improve.
If you’re seeking to elevate your leadership talent with sales growth training, get in touch to see how we can help create something special.