Here’s what sales leaders from a wide range of industries shared with us what they feel are the most important objectives and characteristics of sales kickoffs.
Motivate and Engage
“The goal of sales kickoff is to re-energize your frontline sales team and empower them to handle future activities. A good sales kickoff works as a motivator for teams to focus and improve productivity to have the best sales year.
“An existing and experienced sales team might have added value to your company’s performance. To further this bond and keep them engaged, you can highlight their achievements during the sales kickoff. This makes them feel valued in your company and empowers them to supervise key sales tasks.”
– Elisa Bender, co-founder, RevenueGeeks
Clarity About Objectives and Training
“The essence of successful SKOs is to provide value that the sales team didn’t have before. It’s essential to focus on specific behaviors and skills that need improvement, such as the discovery of opportunities and closing ratios, rather than just reviewing numbers and announcing new products.
“Post-SKO, it’s imperative to have someone in the organization own the coaching aspect to ensure the continuity of learning and improvement. Incorporating real-call coaching, debriefing and feedback into the routine can significantly impact the success of the sales team.”
– Michael Schaffer, CEO, Echo Factory
Post-Event Strategies
“The momentum generated during the kickoff should translate into tangible actions or the session is just basically a social gathering:
Action Plans – Team members should leave with clear and personal objectives, strategies and an invigorated energy to implement the insights and strategies discussed.
Follow-Up Sessions – Scheduling follow-up meetings to evaluate the implementation of strategies, celebrating successes, and recalibrating actions if needed.
Continuous Feedback Loop – Implement a system where feedback is not just a one-off but a continual process, ensuring the strategies and actions remain relevant and effective.
– Clare Jones, global outreach manager, Custom Neon
Turn Vets into Mentors
“Engaging veterans involves more than recognition; it’s about making them co-creators of success. Experienced salespeople can be turned into mentors, nurturing the next generation and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Traditional belief suggests intensive training is key, but it’s the quality, not the quantity, that matters.”
– Grace Backer, founder, All Things Gardener
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