How to Design a Sales Kickoff That Will Jumpstart Your Team

Todd Gracon, VP of Sales, Workato

Lots of sales leaders use events as opportunities to both prep their reps and motivate their teams, and I’m no different. Every quarter, I like to hold a sales kickoff (SKO), which is a great way to bond as a sales team, honor people who have worked very hard, and support each other — all while keeping our eyes on the prize.

Here are a few tips for running a great sales kickoff and truly motivating your team.

Focus on making it a customer- and peer-led event.

Instead of making it a didactic process where leadership instructs the team, create a space where your team can actively participate in goal-setting. It’s also important to encourage them to motivate their peers and constructively offer feedback. And nothing is more motivating than hearing feedback from the person that matters most: the customer. Whether they’re sharing a story of how your sales team helped them solve a real problem or providing insight into how to effectively woo new business, your customers can offer a perspective that they might not have deeply considered before.

Break it up into units.

SKOs shouldn’t be boring, but sitting around listening all day is boring. To get the most out of your kickoff — and to keep it from turning into a mandatory “Ugh, not this again” event — you should design a schedule that is manageable. Schedule frequent breaks, and make sure to intersperse lots of bits that require audience participation.

Make it a fun bonding experience.

Unity and bonding don’t naturally happen, especially if your team has grown rapidly in the last few months or if you have reps who work in multiple locations. You have to engineer opportunities for bonding, and making the SKO fun is a huge part of that. It’s always helpful to have some snacks and drinks and to play a few games. If you really want to take it to the next level, you can even conduct your SKO offsite.

To read the complete article, How to Design a Sales Kickoff That Will Jumpstart Your Team, visit Quotable.com.