Dave Choura - Managing partner, Elite Training Innovations, LLC
I’ve spent over 30 years training sales professionals—and I’ll tell you this… I absolutely love working with them.
But let’s be honest—they’re a unique breed.
High energy. Fiercely competitive. Fast-moving. And yes… easily distracted. And here’s the reality: pulling them out of the field for even two days? That’s a big ask.
For years, my biggest challenge was simple:
How do I keep them engaged long enough for it to actually matter?
What I discovered changed everything…
It wasn’t better slides.
It wasn’t more content.
It was letting the room in.
From Telling… to Tapping Into
Take objection handling.
I used to walk through each technique and explain which one worked best.
Now?
We explore them together—and then I ask:
- Which one would you actually use first?
- Which one fits how you sell?
Suddenly, it’s not a lecture anymore—it’s a working session.
I’m not telling them how to think.
They’re showing me how they think… and now I can coach where it actually counts.
From Noise… to Real Insight
After a video or reading, I stopped going around the room.
You know how that goes—one person speaks, the next builds on it, and pretty soon you’re hearing the same thought five different ways.
Now?
With interactive presentation platform, everyone submits their thoughts individually via their phone
Anonymous. Unfiltered. Original.
And just like that, the conversation gets deeper… smarter… more real.
They Don’t Just Attend the Workshop… They Shape It
After key sections, I ask:
- What landed?
- What didn’t?
And sales professionals? They’ll tell you. 😄
Because of that feedback, I’m constantly adjusting.
No two workshops are ever the same.
And honestly?
They’ve never been better.
The “Pitch-Off” Evolution
One of my favorite moments is the final “Pitch-Off.”
It used to be:
“Here’s a scenario… go build something.”
Now, I give them a structured framework—guiding questions on AhaSlides that shape their thinking as they build.
And here’s the game changer:
I can see their responses in real time.
So if a team is drifting, I step in.
If they’re onto something strong, I push them further.
The result?
Better thinking. Better presentations. Better outcomes.
Because they didn’t just present…
They built it.
What Changed? Everything That Matters.
Retention went up—I see it in the scores.
The quality of engagement went up—because their voice actually matters.
And the energy in the room?
Completely different.
You don’t need to overhaul everything.
Start small.
Ask one better question.
Give the room a voice.
But the real shift?
Being willing to give up a little control.
Because a slightly messy session—where people are thinking, debating, building—
…will outperform a perfectly polished one where they’ve already checked out.
Because at the end of the day…
The goal isn’t to inform. It’s to transform.
Got a story behind your slides? We'd love to feature yours. Drop me an email at amy@ahaslides.com and let's talk.
