Are you doing all you can to really train, inspire and motivate your sales associates to be the very best that they can be? If you haven’t held one recently, it’s time to re-energize your direct reports and plan a Sales Kick Off!
When is the last time you were able to get your entire sales force together for a meeting to recap the past year’s wins and to plan ahead for upcoming successes? How can you spark an excitement for sales in your direct reports and help keep that fire lit?
As a sales leader, you have a one-line job description: to help your direct reports be as successful as possible. For your underperformers, your goal is to get them to hit their numbers. If their performance is average, you have to figure out what they can do to make it good. If they are already good or even great, you need to determine what it will take to make them into sales superstars.
There are just two factors that make up half of all sales success, and they are attitude and motivation.
In order to keep your sales team’s spirits up and their energy-levels high, frequent meetings and check-ins are key. There are a variety of meetings you should be holding regularly: one-on-ones, team meetings, trainings, ad hoc meetings, joint client and prospect visits. But there is one type of meeting that is often forgotten and absolutely shouldn’t be discounted: Sales Kick Offs (SKOs). SKOs are the perfect time to inspire with “Aha!” moments, recognition for past successes and easy-to-implement tools and strategies your sales associates can begin using right away.
With COVID, many companies have had to cancel their get togethers, SKOs and even their President’s Clubs over these past couple of years. If you’ve been putting off planning your next SKO, now is absolutely the time to get one on the books.
Putting off the SKO because you’re not ready to meet in person? That’s okay! Planning a virtual alternative, like through Zoom or Microsoft Teams, can be just as effective and will also help you avoid some of the logistical issues associated with planning a large in-person meeting. You’ll still have the opportunity to impact your salespeople in a positive way, even if you can’t meet in person.
Not sure how to run a truly effective SKO or what to include? We can help! Great SKOs should include:
- A strong introduction that gets everyone excited for what’s to come
- An inspirational message or speaker that can reignite their passion
- Recognition and prizes for top performers and contest winners
- Sharing the company’s vision, goals and initiatives moving forward so everyone is on the same page
- A powerful ending that motivates them to get out there, do more and bring their sales to the next level
Don’t let another quarter go by where everything is status quo and everyone remains at the same level they’ve always been. Plan your next SKO and get your team (and yourself) excited to kick off this next quarter strong!
Need help planning your Sales Kick Off meeting or looking for an inspirational speaker to help energize, motivate and excite your group? Contact BDU to learn how we can provide customizable solutions for all your SKO needs!