CHAMPION STRATEGIES – PUBLIC SPEAKING WORKSHOP – AUGUST 9, 2020
1. Define the purpose of your sales meeting.
Spoiler alert: sales meetings shouldn’t happen “just because.”
Sure, you might block off some time week after week so your sales team can get together.
But falling into a routine can create a sense of complacency.
And if there isn’t a concrete point to each of your meetings, you can’t be shocked when your meetings feel, well, pointless.
Rather than allow your sales meetings to become just another calendar item, set a topic of discussion or “big idea” beforehand. This will not only help you in coming up with an agenda (more on that later), but also provide your team with expectations.
Consider how you can boil down your sales meeting into a single mission statement. For example:
“Provide an update on the status of Account X and outline the team’s next steps.”
“Discuss the upcoming product launch and how it impacts our sales strategy.”
“Review results and initiatives from Q1, highlighting trends and top-performers.”
2. Make your meetings more engaging.
Your next sales meeting doesn’t have to be a snoozefest.
If you have doubts about whether or not your meetings are up to snuff, consider this: 87% of people are not engaged at work. Lackluster meetings certainly aren’t helping, are they?
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tw-rfjUQZ9w[/embedyt]
So, what can you do to keep your sales team from dreading your get-togethers?
For starters, don’t overlook the importance of enthusiasm and positivity. Think about it. If you treat your meetings like a chore, your attendees will pick up on your energy.
And no, you don’t necessarily need to be a stand up comic or motivational speaker to set the right tone.
A common strategy for positively engaging your sales team from the start is to begin by offering some recognition.
According to the previously noted Gallup study, only 3 in 10 employees receive any form of significant praise on a weekly basis. Highlighting a job well done (hint: look at your CRM data) or giving a quick shout-out can work wonders for your team’s level of engagement and motivation.
A good place to start is by going over your top performers for the previous week. Copper’s sales leaderboard shows your top reps by revenue, meetings set, calls made, and emails sent. It sparks friendly competition and adds a little energy to sales meetings.
Here are some additional sales meeting ideas that could boost engagement:
Call on attendees. Let’s be clear: the goal here isn’t to single anyone out. Instead, consider how asking questions of attendees (on their data or company goals) helps encourage active listening. This tactic also keeps you from doing all the talking and makes your sales meeting feel like it belongs to the team.
Roleplay. Acting out sales scenarios and discussing “what-if’s” is a brilliant exercise for your team. Roleplaying does double duty of making your meetings seem more actionable while also giving attendees a chance to participate.
Work in groups. In the case of a lengthier sales meeting, give your team an opportunity to talk things out with each other and come to conclusions as a group. This sort of critical thinking keeps your sales team sharp, too.
Move around the room. Put yourself in the shoes of your sales team. Would you like to watch someone drone on and on over a PowerPoint presentation? Try to structure your meetings in such a way that allows for some much-needed movement (like meeting in a circle or holding a stand-up session).
Switch up your setting. On a related note, try holding the occasional meeting beyond the walls of the office. Whether it’s a lunch meeting or team-building activity off-site, a change in environment can breathe new life into your get-togethers.
The takeaway here is that not every sales meeting should look the same week after week. Evolving your format and approach to presentations keeps people on their toes. Bringing in new, engaging activities also cements the expectation that they’ll participate in the process.
3. Don’t forget to define your next steps.
Any and all sales meetings need to result in some form of action.
In other words, each team member should walk away with an understanding of what they should do next.
Maybe that means hitting a certain sales target or putting together a report for next time.
Take detailed sales notes during the meeting and end with a quick recap and confirmation from your team—it shows that your meeting was successful and likewise sets the stage for the next one. As a refresher, you can also email your attendees meeting notes or reference your last meeting in your next agenda.
And with that, you’ve successfully set the stage for your next meeting.
Make it a champion day!
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