Whenever sales leaders tell me they are planning their sales kickoff (SKO) or annual sales meeting, my first question is, “what’s the purpose of the sales meeting?” To be more specific, nearly all annual sales meeting topics serve to do one of four things: celebrate, provoke, inform or review. Upon sharing these themes, the reaction I almost always hear is, “we want to do all four!” In reality, we’ve never seen a successful attempt to balance all of them during an annual sales meeting.
While none are good or bad, there’s a distinct curve of popularity. Employees love to celebrate at annual sales meetings. They’re intrigued by provocation. They may not be so excited to learn. Let’s face it, they hate review. As much as your employees might wish otherwise, the “fun factor” is not the only measure of a successful annual sales meeting!
If you are involving any outside firms or speakers to help support the event, identifying the annual sales meeting topic is a critical place to start. The topic will have a huge influence on what kind of speaker to look for, and how long the message will be. In this post, we’ll examine end-of-year team meeting ideas, including sales meeting topics, each focus area and their respective considerations.
Annual sales meetings are the fuel that powers your team toward success. They're not just gatherings; they're strategic opportunities. When setting objectives, ensure they synchronize with broader company goals. From rallying the troops to reinforcing strategies, these objectives should fortify your sales force's prowess.
Yet, balancing multiple objectives in a single meeting isn't without its challenges. It's like spinning plates—ensuring motivation, education, team building, and strategy alignment all at once can be daunting. Common pitfalls include dilution of focus or overwhelming participants. Careful planning and prioritization are key.
The chosen theme is the North Star guiding your meeting's trajectory. It's the heartbeat that syncs speakers, content, and discussions. A well-chosen theme doesn't just dictate the event's ambiance but also sets the stage for pertinent discussions and motivates your team.
When deciding on a theme, consider the expertise your speakers or facilitators should possess. The theme dictates the tone and expertise required—be it motivational, educational, or strategic. A theme centered on innovation might call for speakers with a forward-thinking mindset, while a theme on teamwork might warrant a facilitator skilled in fostering collaboration.
Remember, the success of an annual sales meeting hinges not only on objectives and themes but also on the finesse with which they're harmonized to empower your team.
Celebration |
Provocation |
Informative or Review |
Share your success stories. You had a record-breaking year. Congratulations! You want to applaud your team and give them the opportunity to pat themselves on the back. However, there’s a real danger in the organization resting on its laurels. The last thing we want to do is to arrive in March with everyone still relaxed and thinking, “well, we had a fabulous year last year!”
A motivational message is the obvious answer – ride the momentum into the New Year. The right speaker should leave your employees feeling good and energized. But make sure this breakout session hits your sales organization’s most important topics. Keep key messages in mind. If celebration is the highest priority, how will you have your speaker support the central message?
A motivational speaker’s impact can be purely motivational, or it can push the boundaries of the audience’s perspective. Think about the most memorable TED talks you’ve seen. They don’t just tell a story – they awaken a new frame of reference and inspire people not to accept the status quo. Now think how powerful this approach would be when aligned in the shift of the strategy of your business.
The right keynote is a valuable way to support recent changes within the company. Some examples of these new actions might be:
The need for repositioning could even be as simple as, “We missed our number.” Regardless of the trigger for the new way forward, the SKO speaker has the same task: to provoke audience members out of their comfort zones and to spark a different way of thinking. The common trap that both speakers and sales leaders make is to tell their listeners about why all the changes are a good thing and how excited they should be. Let’s remember one of the key rules of human communication, and something we teach in our training programs:
People place a higher value on what they say and conclude for themselves, than what they are told by others.
The goal of this annual sales meeting topic is to get buy-in from the audience on a new idea. We know that modern selling is not about showcasing a product and pointing out all the bells and whistles. Let’s make sure our internal communications abide by those same rules! Rather than focusing on the trigger or change itself, an outside perspective can help by addressing a few broader topics.
One critical ingredient a speaker can use to inspire self-reflection on the part of the attendees is data on what excellence looks like. Establishing that new frame of reference requires context, and the more scientific the better.
If your reps are spread out across the country or the world, it’s not easy to bring them all together for face to face workshops. Your annual sales meeting can be the perfect opportunity for the team to provide training while they’re all in one place. The launch of a new product, a merger or acquisition—even a reorganization of territories: these are significant events that create a new need for knowledge, best practice sharing, and skills development.
Enter the concept of the workshop. There is no doubt that working with real leads and accounts, role-playing, and making live calls will give reps a huge leg up when turning skills into habits. Incorporating a workshop into a larger event can be a tricky endeavor; we have to determine how to best utilize the attention span of the attendees. The goal of your meeting could be to get your team to use new techniques (informative) or to continue supporting an initiative you’ve already invested in (review). Either way, the session needs to be orchestrated carefully to keep people engaged and produce a real outcome when they return to work.
Length of session is one critical choice to consider at your annual sales meeting. At Funnel Clarity, we like to refer to the half-day as the “no man’s land:” too short to learn a set of skills in context, too long for a keynote meant to ignite the imagination. Meanwhile, it’s hard to imagine any group participating in a two or three-day annual sales meeting and still have enough energy left for a two-day workshop (the average length of a comprehensive program).
Our most successful engagements take one of two paths:
In the latter approach, participants leave the annual sales meeting with a few concrete take-aways to put into practice, but the bulk of the learning is done over the next few weeks through remote delivery.
Another important decision has to do with the facilitator delivering your workshop. Will an outside speaker who is well-versed in new product launches (or reorganizations, or messaging to different buyers) be the right fit? Is a member of your internal enablement team best suited to instruct or review?
A true practical workshop can spur the biggest measurable change in your team when planned and executed correctly. We just have to keep in mind that patience and energy can be short in the scope of that grander event. The best organizers strike that balance between keeping focus and allotting enough time to really develop muscle memory.
Success in a team environment goes beyond just hitting targets; it’s about understanding and maximizing the impact of your efforts. Begin by aligning your success metrics with the meeting's purpose.
In essence, crafting an impactful annual sales meeting boils down to strategic planning and purposeful execution. We've explored the multifaceted objectives of such meetings, emphasizing the delicate balance required to align them with broader organizational goals while navigating common pitfalls.
Keep in mind that selecting a theme isn't just about aesthetics—it's the compass guiding the meeting's trajectory, influencing content, speakers, and discussions. Aligning it with your team's needs is paramount, ensuring the right expertise is harnessed to drive motivation, education, and strategy alignment.
Once the SKO has concluded, measuring success involves tailoring metrics to the meeting's purpose—be it celebration, provocation, or information dissemination—and following up on actionable outcomes. More importantly, sustaining success necessitates continuous reinforcement through post-meeting action plans and ongoing support.
As you plan future meetings, consider your sales team's unique needs and aspirations. A meticulously structured and purpose-driven gathering can catalyze lasting positive change within your sales organization. Remember, a well-crafted meeting isn't just an event; it's a catalyst for growth and success.
Looking for a few ideas to help with training your team during your next meeting? Connect with us at Funnel Clarity, we’re happy to lend a hand.
