Sales Meeting Best Practices: 8 Foolproof Ways to Align Your Team

The draw of a great sales meeting is different for everyone. Some love the social aspect, some enjoy learning and others still really like being rewarded for a job well done.

 

But a great sales meeting shouldn’t be designed to do just one or two of those things. Rather, it should engage everyone.

 

Recently, we held our annual ITA Group sales conference and found incredible success. How? We followed these best practices.

From the moment your sales people set foot in your venue, communications, branding and signage reinforce your meeting theme and message. Don’t hold back any punches with your event branding and give your brand a unique personality your people can’t resist.

 

Your attendees aren’t just looking at the screen that’s front-and-center at your event. They’re looking at the screen they’re carrying around in their pocket every day: their tablet or smartphone. With quizzes, Q&A sessions, networking, pic sharing—all centralized on a powerful mobile app—participants stay engaged at their own pace. And, with cutting-edge technology that collects biometric data, analyzes it and maps that information into emotions and levels of engagement, event planners can get a pulse on the excitement of their people—literally.

It’s an easy trap to fall into: creating a sales meeting that only talks about yourself. Product training, company updates, a keynote from the CEO—the same-old-same-old can be dull. Sales people need motivation to push harder. Using a blend of intrinsic and extrinsic motivators, we planned a dynamic, immersive event to grow awareness and boost engagement around the entire company. Need some inspiration to help you choose your event speaker? Here are a few of the hottest event keynote speakers to bring in.

 

At our conference, loyalty expert and author James Kane spoke about how brands can acquire trust.

 

Sales people need to believe in what your company is selling to be successful. That’s why validation from an outside party, such as a valued client or industry expert, helps prove to key people that your company is heading in the right direction.

 

At our conference, industry expert and Incentive Research Foundation (IRF) president Melissa Van Dyke discussed the things top-performing companies do differently.

 

Often, incredible ideas come from conversations over lunch or during breaks throughout events. Make sure you strategically set up the agenda and environment to encourage structured and unstructured conversations between sales team members. While your sales team is together, consider inviting key supplier partners to connect and network. And don't be afraid to mix business with socializing—evening and one-on-one events are a great way to unify your team.

Sales people are only as successful as the support they receive from other team members in their organization. That’s why it’s imperative for the bonds between the two teams to be as tight as possible. Offer fun, engaging ways for those teams to get to know each other, build camaraderie and nurture trust in your internal resources.

 

Sales people thrive on public recognition for their hard work, and a sales meeting is a perfect time to do that. Make sure you pull out all the stops for your valued team members. More than sales performance, recognize the team members who display positive behaviors and push your company toward its goals.

After the closing keynote, offer your sales team an opportunity to loosen up and really celebrate your company. Give your people something they’ll remember and talk about days, weeks and even years after and you’ll see the loyalty you’re looking for.