[This is the second part of our series on making the most of your sales kickoff. If you enjoy this post, read part 1: Use a Theme.]
A sales kickoff is a once-a-year opportunity to teach and reinforce sales education to your entire team. This is the perfect time to build upon the groundwork you’ve laid in past kickoffs and training.
Unfortunately, too often sales kickoffs are merely an introduction to the “flavor of the week.”
If each new concept doesn’t build on the established sales process, sellers will be confused. Even worse, they will be less willing to embrace the new information presented at the kickoff.
“I was with an organization that rolled out messaging and questioning techniques at one sales kickoff,” a senior seller recounts. “The next year they rolled out new presentation skills with images and whiteboards. Junior sellers left the kickoff wondering if they should be drawing pictures or asking better questions.
“The answer was both,” the seller concludes. “There are times and places where one approach is more appropriate, but a good sales campaign will leverage both.”
Each new training model, process and methodology should fit within the framework you have in place. Use your sales kickoffs to build on the strengths and successes of your existing sales methodology. Add elements that make it more effective instead of replacing it annually with the latest fad.