Quality Time Not getting what you want out of your sales meetings? Here are 5 tips to point you in the right direction.

For many sales pros, daily or weekly sales meetings rank just asliver above cold calling on the "dreadful work stuff todo" list. Sales meetings that are poorly run or too long canbecome more a source of grousing than of encouragement and teambuilding.

It's critical that managers are mindful of why they holdmeetings at all: "The purpose of a sales meeting is to createconsistency in an organization's message, cross-pollinateinformation and build confidence," explains Jerry Ervin,principal of Paragon Strategies, a consulting firm in San Franciscothat 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 confabsinto dens of deal-making ideas, try the following steps:

1. Plan for regular morning meetings. Whether you holdmeetings daily or weekly, strive to get an early start so your repskeep their prime selling hours open. Patrick Lencioni, author ofDeath by Meeting: A Leadership Fable . . . AboutSolving the Most Painful Problem in Business, is anadvocate of daily morning meetings: "There's somethingabout daily interaction that keeps people motivated and preventsgradual misalignment." Lencioni believes that if reps knowthey'll be checking in on a daily basis, it gives them a senseof "urgency and discipline." For daily meetings, 15 to 30minutes should be adequate; save problem-solving meetings for yourmonthly or quarterly get-togethers. Lencioni advises using theselonger meetings to hammer out strategic, long-term issues whenparticipants can engage in "substantive debate."

2. Set a clear agenda, and keep things moving. Using atemplate for each meeting will help reps know what to expect andkeep things moving. Talk with reps in advance to solicit theirinput on topics to cover in each session. Ervin suggests anapproach of "preparation, objective and process." Forexample, if the agenda item is to increase networking leads, thepreparation would include reviewing leads and preparing a list ofaction steps to garner additional leads. The objective would be todevelop a lead pipeline and increase sales. The process step wouldinclude brainstorming sources of leads while organizing andassigning opportunities to reps.

3. For each agenda item, assign a time limit and stick toit. For example, be clear that the meeting will be from 8:30 to9:00 a.m.; and at 8:50 a.m., give a 10-minute,we're-wrapping-up warning. Ervin suggests giving participantstwo to three minutes to speak, which will also help keep themeeting within the time allotted. Ervin says there are usually onlya handful of vocal salespeople, and keeping them on a schedule willcut down on "verbose diatribes."

4. Laud success in every meeting. In the rush to talkquotas, don't forget to schedule time to publicly praise repsfor work well done. "Focus first on successes," saysLenann McGookey Gardner, president of Lenann McGookey GardnerManagement Consulting Inc. in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Gardnerbelieves 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 salesmeetings are, as Gardner says, "colossallydepressing."

Ervin encourages sales managers to "keep the spotlightmoving" by showcasing the experiences of the entire salesteam, not just the big numbers-posters. According to Ervin,"Highlighting success will help build confidence."

5. Don't get too comfortable. If your meetings alwaystend to run over the time allotted, one simple tactic to keep onschedule is to conduct meetings while everyone is standing up.Explains Lencioni, "A standing meeting keeps people fromgetting too comfortable and settling in for a lengthyconversation."

Kimberly L. McCall ("Marketing Angel") is presidentof McCall Media & Marketing Inc. (www.marketingangel.com) and author of Sell It, Baby! Marketing Angel's 37Down-to-Earth & Practical How-To's on Marketing, Branding& Sales.