When you think about the sales meetings you attend, are you delighted or disappointed? Are you engaged or enraged? Is your time spent in the meetings worthwhile or wasted?
Sales meetings are a staple in most every sales department. Time is money to every salesperson and sales leader. It’s up to the sales leader to make sure each meeting is positive, motivating, and worthwhile. Treat your sales team like customers who want to feel like their needs have been met and that they leave the meeting enlightened and energized.
Below are ten tips to create sales meetings that will help build teams infused with positivity about this weekly meeting. The first tip may be the most important — the reason why NOT to have a sales meeting.
In your sales meeting do NOT include any topic that can be sent in a memo.
Meetings should not go on and on. They should be organized, relevant, interactive, and never used to reprimand the entire team.
An opportunity for training, client problem-solving, and recognition.
Sales meetings are interactive, and should be focused on group participation and group dynamics. Salespeople should be stakeholders in each meeting.
Have a salesperson present a proposal where honest feedback can be given in the “safe space” of the team. Salespeople can use this time to benefit from a group brainstorming session to develop a creative and customized idea for a client.
This is an opportunity where the entire team can conduct a Needs Analysis session with the prospect. How cool does that make the prospect feel?
Employee recognition, and your remarks, should relate to what this person has done and be aligned with his or her particular talents.
This volunteer can talk about the best sales call they’ve had in the past week, and explain in detail what made it so good.
What are their compelling valid business reasons (VBRs) to get the appointment, research tools they use that are most helpful, email subjects they use that get a response from the prospect/client, etc.
Ask a salesperson to discuss specific examples, such as, why they should never give up on a prospect.
The goal is to have each team member leave the meeting feeling that it was a WOW meeting, and that it was an enlightening and motivating experience. After several meetings like this your team will be primed with positivity and possibilities regarding sales meetings.