Practice and submit a Roleplay – Showpad Help Center

Roleplays provide a safe, judgment-free space to practice your sales pitches and handle objections. Rather than testing your skills for the first time in front of a buyer, you can use this tool to build confidence on your own terms. Whether it's a video call, voice conversation, or a text chat, you can record multiple takes to refine your delivery. When you're ready, submit your best performance and get instant feedback.

See how it looks

Key features

Simulate realistic buyer interactions in a low-pressure environment
Practice with four scenario types: real time webcam, turn-based audio, real time audio, and text chat (one per Roleplay, set by the author)
Review instructions, goals, and scoring criteria before you start
Record as many takes as you need before submitting

You need this to succeed

Access to the Showpad Web App
An invitation to complete a Roleplay
A relatively quiet workspace
A microphone for audio-based Roleplays.
A camera and microphone for video-based Roleplays

Note: Availability of Roleplay AI depends on the AI Bundle included in your subscription. Contact your administrator for more information about AI Bundle eligibility.

The quick way

Open a Roleplay from your My Roleplays dashboard.
In the Overview, review the client info, instructions, and scoring criteria.
Click the gear icon to check your microphone and video settings.
Click Start take to begin the scenario.
Interact with the AI client until the goal is reached or time runs out.
Review your take and click Submit when you are ready.

Do this step by step

Prepare for the scenario

Click the Coaching tab in the top navigation menu and select My Roleplays.
Click on a Roleplay you’d like to practice.
In the Overview on the left, review the Details section to see the language the AI client will use. Your submission will be reviewed by a Virtual Coach.
Check the Client info to learn about the persona you will be interacting with.
Read the Instructions, Goal, and Objectives. The objectives guide your conversation toward the goal.
If available, open and review any attachments to help you prepare.
Review the Criteria section. This shows you how your performance will be evaluated. Hover over the information icon next to each category to learn more about expectations.
In the center of the screen is a preview of your audio and video settings, along with the Interaction type and Duration:
- The Interaction type is how you will practice the scenario. Either real time webcam, turn-based audio, real time audio, or text chat.
- The Duration is the time expected to meet your goal with the client.
To exit without starting, click the X in the top right corner.

Adjust your settings

Prepare for your conversation by selecting the settings that best fit your scenario. Available settings vary by Roleplay type. Text chat requires no additional setup.

Select the gear icon in the upper right to adjust your recording preferences.
Select your camera from the Video device drop-down menu.
Select the level of Background blur to apply to your video. Your choice will be reflected in the preview.
Use the Audio device drop-down menu to select your microphone.
Adjust the Input volume slider. Test your level by speaking into the microphone. Aim to keep your levels below the red zone.
Toggle on Reduce background noise to help your client hear you.
In the center of the screen, you’ll see a preview showing how your camera and microphone are set up. For turn-based audio Roleplays, click Start speaking or press the spacebar to test your microphone.

Practice your Roleplay

Click Start take to begin. You will see an image of your AI client and a clock counting down the time limit set by the Roleplay author.
If available, click Instructions to review the scenario's goals and objectives.
Depending on the type of Roleplay, follow these steps:

Real time video

Begin speaking with the client immediately.
When you pause naturally, the client will jump in with thoughts or questions.
Continue the conversation until you reach your goal or time runs out.
Click End conversation when finished.

Turn based audio

Click Start or press the space bar to begin speaking.
Introduce yourself or start your pitch.
Click Stop or tap the space bar to let the AI client respond.
Continue this conversation until you reach your goal or time runs out.
Click End conversation when finished.

Real time audio

Begin speaking with the client immediately.
When you pause naturally, the client will jump in with thoughts or questions.
Continue the conversation until you reach your goal or time runs out.
Click End conversation when finished.

Text chat

Type an opening message to your client in the chat window, then click Send or press Return.
The client will respond with text.
Continue typing your responses until you reach your goal or time runs out.
Click End conversation when finished.

Review and submit

After you end the conversation, you can review your work before submitting it. Each take includes a card with the details about the take, including the date, time, and whether it has been submitted.

Click the Overview button to hide or reveal the Roleplay details, instructions, and scoring criteria.
Click the play icon to play the video or audio recording. Click the gear icon to adjust the video's playback speed. Or for an audio recording, select the number next to the recording line.
Review the transcript. Select any conversational turn in the transcript to jump to that specific moment in the recording.
To save the recording to your device, click the download icon.
- Audio recordings download as an MP3.
- Video recordings open in your browser; click the three dots menu and select Download to save the MP4.
If you are unhappy with the take, select the trash icon to delete it.
To try again, click New take. You can switch between your takes by clicking Switch take, selecting a different take, and clicking Switch to confirm.
When you are satisfied with a take, click Submit. Verify the take details, then click Submit to confirm.