What Rob Jolles Taught Me About "Enter-training"

Imagine a great meal at a restaurant. The steak has to be good — that's non-negotiable. But what makes you remember it, recommend it, and come back? The sauce. Rob Jolles, veteran sales trainer and author, used this analogy to open his thinking on what he calls "enter-training" — the art of blending entertainment with training to create learning experiences that actually stick.

"The steak has to be great, but the sauce can make all the difference." The "steak" is your content — the substance, the learning objectives, the reason your audience is in the room. The "sauce" is your personality, your creativity, your presence. Too many facilitators either neglect the sauce entirely, delivering dry, forgettable sessions, or they overdo the entertainment and forget to cook the steak. Here's what Rob says actually works.

The secret ingredient isn't humor — it's your special sauce.

Start with them, not you

One of Rob's most practical rules: don't spend more than 60 seconds introducing yourself at the start of a session. Learners don't want to hear your credentials right away — they want to know what's in it for them.

Takeaway: Lead with WIIFM — What's In It For Me? Hook your audience on the value they're about to receive before you ever say who you are.

Participation is the real magic

Rob emphasized the primary importance of participation, explaining, " it is the number one key to sustaining a group's interest. Not your jokes. Not your slides. Not even your storytelling." The moment learners become active contributors — not passive observers — the room transforms. Design for interaction at every turn.

Humor is overrated

Here's a counterintuitive truth from a man who is, frankly, quite funny: you don't need to be funny. You need to be interesting and personable. The pressure trainers put on themselves to generate laughs often backfires. Instead, focus on being genuinely engaging — curious, warm, and present with your audience. As people tend to say these days, "You be you!"

Drama, voice, and the little things

Rob encourages trainers to use drama, theatrics, and vocal variety — but with intention, not excess. What he's found is that small, unexpected moments often land harder than big theatrical ones. He shared a story that perfectly illustrates this: years ago, he collected enough loyalty stickers to order rubber stamps of his own face — one with a happy expression, one with a sad one. He used those stamps to give learners feedback throughout sessions. Simple, tactile, memorable.

Analog tools punch above their weight

In an era of apps and slide decks, Rob is a passionate advocate for physical, tactile tools. Stickers. Worksheets. Game buzzers. He specifically mentioned the Trainers Warehouse Me First Buzzers and Right-Wrong sound buzzers as tools that engage even the stuffiest, most skeptical audiences. Why? Because analog tools are memory-inducing. They create a different kind of engagement — sensory, embodied, and fun, without feeling childish.

People love stickers — and they don't have to be childish to be effective.

Take risks, but pick your moments

Rob closed with a reminder that growth requires risk. Try something new. Make mistakes. Use those mistakes as learning moments — for you and for your audience. But here's the nuance: don't try to do everything. The biggest mistake a trainer can make, he said, is to "emphasize everything and emphasize nothing." Be selective. Choose what matters most, and let it land.

Enter-training isn't about becoming a stand-up comedian or a theatrical performer. It's about bringing your authentic self — your sauce — to a solid content foundation. The learners came for the steak. They'll remember the meal because of how it made them feel.

Download Rob Jolles' Enter-Training Handout

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