Sales meetings are vital for a sales team. However, at times they could be seen more as a necessary evil, especially if it’s poorly run and disorganized. Aside from being inconvenient, these could also waste precious sales time for your team.
By planning your sales meetings effectively, you will not only make your time together count but you can also motivate your sales team to contribute to each meeting.
Read on to know more about what to focus on for an effective sales meeting.
What is a sales meeting?
To start, let’s first define what a sales meeting is. A sales meeting is an internal check in among sales leaders and sales reps. It is usually run by a sales manager, director, or VP and highlights important updates such as current sales performance, competitive insights, and the team’s priorities.
The agenda however, can change depending on the type of sales meeting that will be taking place. Whether it is a weekly sales meeting, a quarterly review, or an annual sales kick-off, here are some things that you should focus on to get started.
Planning out your meeting agenda
When organizing a sales meeting, the first thing that you should focus on is planning the meeting agenda. Make sure everyone knows what to expect, like whether it is a quick check-in to discuss a certain KPI or an important end-of-quarter report on targets.
Once you have organized your agenda, decide on who will speak about each topic. Lastly, always send your agenda ahead of the meeting to show that your team’s time will be used wisely.
Starting and ending on time
Sales people tend to plan their days meticulously to be able to squeeze in the most number of client calls and emails so respect your team’s time by sticking to the schedule. Consider having designated parts of the meeting for comments and questions, in order not to cut important conversations short, while still keeping an eye on time.Updates and obstacles
While together in a sales meeting, it is usually helpful to discuss the team’s progress. What works and what doesn’t? Are there any roadblocks that they encountered?
Once you are aware of the challenges and points for improvement, you can develop an action plan and clear the path for success.
Recognize wins
Allot some time in your agenda to give kudos to those who did well. Aside from being appreciated by the individuals themselves, this also boosts overall morale.
A survey from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and Globoforce shares that “68 percent of HR professionals agreed that employee recognition has a positive impact on retention and 56 percent said such programs also help with recruitment.”
Be specific when you praise as well. Take note that not everyone likes to be singled out in a public setting, so give credit depending on how your team members prefer.
Motivating your team
Being a salesperson can be difficult. The job involves a lot of patience, rejection, and some trial and error. Sometimes, the market also isn’t responsive. During these times of struggle, it is your responsibility as a leader to communicate with your team.
Set aside some time in your agenda for this when times get tough. Even in good times, you can also motivate your team with games, contests, and awards for specific milestones.
Ultimately, your sales team should alway focus on getting potential customers. Keep in mind that aligning with them should always be productive and efficient.
If you need more guidance on the topic, you might want to consider coaching for small business owners.
Book a call with Shawn today!
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Shawn Tiberio is a practitioner of coaching for small business owners. He is a successful serial entrepreneur, building a successful real estate company and founding a thriving management property business.
Being active in business coaching for small businesses, he has had the opportunity to work alongside and mentor other entrepreneurs as they were in the early stages of developing their business.
With multiple companies built and sold, Shawn and his experience are dialed into helping young businesses thrive, even coaching for a small town small business.
Shawn’s specialty is in the art of focusing a business message on their ideal client. Knowing who your ideal client is and exactly how to get your business in front of them.
Coaching marketing for small businesses, he takes his experience, mixed with a tested and proven process to dial in the exact audience your business should be talking to.
