What makes good sales meetings good? Every rep in the room walks out with something they can use to make more money. That’s a high bar, but it’s the only one that matters.
What we talk about now
Use quota, pipeline, and forecasts in meetings occasionally, when they can be leveraged to demonstrate successes or Key Performance Indicators. After all, if we all had to post our weight on the board at each meeting, our weight numbers would improve. But KPI is not usually a tool reps can use immediately, so don’t spend much sales meeting time on it.
What to talk about instead
Instead, consider topics like these:
1) Reps share best practices
2) Answering the top 3 objections with style
3) Competitor product evaluation
4) Updated market research on a specific target market
5) Awards ceremony for reps reaching Key Performance Indicators
6) Drill down on a specific sales skill or closing technique
These suggestions are a starting point. Using just these 6 concepts, you could hold 30 minute sales meetings each week in a rotating cycle for an entire year, and the reps would always walk away with something useful. Keep the meetings short. Your meetings will stay focused, the topics won’t get stale, and the prep for the sales manager will take very little time. When you rotate the topics, your team will continually be updating their focus so no key concepts are un-addressed.
One more thing: When you’re conducting a sales meeting, remember that you’re also conducting a pep rally. To lead an engaging and effective meeting enthusiasm and confidence are key. If you need to deliver bad news, deliver it as a challenge: “I know we can handle this with all the talent in this room. The question is only, “How fast can we turn this around?!” Your team should look forward to sales meetings, so make ’em smile.
