For many sales pros, daily or weekly sales meetings rank just a
sliver above cold calling on the "dreadful work stuff to
do" list. Sales meetings that are poorly run or too long can
become more a source of grousing than of encouragement and team
building.
It's critical that managers are mindful of why they hold
meetings at all: "The purpose of a sales meeting is to create
consistency in an organization's message, cross-pollinate
information and build confidence," explains Jerry Ervin,
principal of Paragon Strategies, a consulting firm in San Francisco
that helps maximize organizational and individual performance.
Ervin adds that another function for sales meetings is to
"inspire a team to produce."
To turn sales meetings from squandered conference-room confabs
into dens of deal-making ideas, try the following steps:
Content Continues Below
1. Plan for regular morning meetings. Whether you hold
meetings daily or weekly, strive to get an early start so your reps
keep their prime selling hours open. Patrick Lencioni, author of
Death by Meeting: A Leadership Fable . . . About
Solving the Most Painful Problem in Business, is an
advocate of daily morning meetings: "There's something
about daily interaction that keeps people motivated and prevents
gradual misalignment." Lencioni believes that if reps know
they'll be checking in on a daily basis, it gives them a sense
of "urgency and discipline." For daily meetings, 15 to 30
minutes should be adequate; save problem-solving meetings for your
monthly or quarterly get-togethers. Lencioni advises using these
longer meetings to hammer out strategic, long-term issues when
participants can engage in "substantive debate."
2. Set a clear agenda, and keep things moving. Using a
template for each meeting will help reps know what to expect and
keep things moving. Talk with reps in advance to solicit their
input on topics to cover in each session. Ervin suggests an
approach of "preparation, objective and process." For
example, if the agenda item is to increase networking leads, the
preparation would include reviewing leads and preparing a list of
action steps to garner additional leads. The objective would be to
develop a lead pipeline and increase sales. The process step would
include brainstorming sources of leads while organizing and
assigning opportunities to reps.
3. For each agenda item, assign a time limit and stick to
it. For example, be clear that the meeting will be from 8:30 to
9:00 a.m.; and at 8:50 a.m., give a 10-minute,
we're-wrapping-up warning. Ervin suggests giving participants
two to three minutes to speak, which will also help keep the
meeting within the time allotted. Ervin says there are usually only
a handful of vocal salespeople, and keeping them on a schedule will
cut down on "verbose diatribes."
4. Laud success in every meeting. In the rush to talk
quotas, don't forget to schedule time to publicly praise reps
for work well done. "Focus first on successes," says
Lenann McGookey Gardner, president of Lenann McGookey Gardner
Management Consulting Inc. in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Gardner
believes that successful meetings ought not just focus on problems.
Some of her clients have a history of only hashing through woes,
from dissatisfied clients to rejected proposals. These sales
meetings are, as Gardner says, "colossally
depressing."
Ervin encourages sales managers to "keep the spotlight
moving" by showcasing the experiences of the entire sales
team, not just the big numbers-posters. According to Ervin,
"Highlighting success will help build confidence."
5. Don't get too comfortable. If your meetings always
tend to run over the time allotted, one simple tactic to keep on
schedule is to conduct meetings while everyone is standing up.
Explains Lencioni, "A standing meeting keeps people from
getting too comfortable and settling in for a lengthy
conversation."
Kimberly L. McCall ("Marketing Angel") is president
of McCall Media & Marketing Inc. (www.marketingangel.com) and author of Sell It, Baby! Marketing Angel's 37
Down-to-Earth & Practical How-To's on Marketing, Branding
& Sales.