Why Sales Meetings Are Critical To Your Company’s Success

I’ve worked with companies who had no sales meetings at all… 

Others were sporadic, sort of, if nothing better comes along, or if I feel like it, we’ll give it a try.  

And still others who treated them like a requirement. Every week without fail. Written agenda, the whole program. Those tend to be the kind I present and train on.  For a more in-depth version of the whole concept, check out our Module C as listed above.  

So, if your sales numbers aren’t what you’d like to see, or what you need them to be, if your sales team isn’t as motivated or engaged as you’d like them to be, I suggest taking a hard look at your sales meeting “program”. As I opened this blog with, little or no meetings or lectures instead of meetings can all help drive the team’s motivation down, down, down! And of course, your numbers along with it.  

Look, selling is hard. Even if the last customer really was a total putz, your reps have to shrug it off and get back in the saddle by the time they engage your next one. Retail can often be in a position to have to juggle multiple customers at once. Your meetings should set the tone for the week. Or, some have a quick daily group meeting for 10-15 minutes. Whatever it takes to get and keep your team up, ready and engaged for the sales day(s) to come.  

There are typically 2 types of sales meetings,

1. Informational, used for rolling out new products, program, etc.
2. Motivational. Those are for uplifting the team. Talk of records set or broken, awards, sales competitions etc. I will typically blend the 2 in a 30–60-minute meeting based on the amount of info to share. Try throwing some cash around (based on your comp plan structure). The recipients are thrilled to get it, and the “others” are certainly saying to themselves, “I need to get some of THAT!” 

I suggest you don’t tolerate tardiness to your meeting, nor interruptions (phones off with a preset message). If they’re late to your meeting, they’re probably late to their appointments as well.  

You as the Sales Manager or Owner, are in essence their Cheerleader, or at least you’re supposed to be. I mean, have you ever ran into a sales rep having a bad day? MAN! What a downer that can be… 

Your company AND your clients certainly deserve better. The sales meeting is your chance, your time to set the tone for the day or week for your reps. You WANT then leaving ready to conquer, beat the competition and take no prisoners. 

Here’s some basic ideas of what you can incorporate into your meetings to give them some “punch”: 

• Create a contest 
• Present awards 
• Share goals 
• Role-Play various parts of your sales process 
• Pass out cash 
• Have reps put up banners for records made or broken. 
• Have vendors in to do a PK 
• Provide a breakfast or even donuts 
• Any rep promoted should be done at a sales meeting 

Find a way to track the content of your meetings. Nothing like repeating the same information to help the reps lose interest! 

If you are struggling with creating or doing sales meetings for your staff, give us a call. We’re happy to help! 

You can do it!