10 Tips for a Successful Virtual Sales Kickoff
That’s why we’re coming to you with 10 creative, essential kick off tips that are sure to not only enhance your SKO agenda on the day, but also to keep your virtual sales team motivated and pumped as they move into that all-important first quarter.
1. Include An Engaging Powerpoint
By this, we don’t mean a powerpoint that just lists the numbers you want to hit this year. The best Powerpoint slides will include images, gifs, videos (a motivation video to kick off sales meeting is a great idea), and other interactive content that’s both funny and keeps spirits high. Remember - graphics, charts, maps, and images are all extremely important to include in your presentation since 65% of the US population are visual learners, while 30% are auditory, and 10% are kinesthetic learners (they learn by doing).
Given this information, make sure that the key messages you want to communicate are outlined in all three formats, so every member of your team can memorize the essentials:
- Visual Learners: 65% of the population (Graphics, charts, maps, and images).
- Auditory Learners: 30% of the population (Key messages communicated through speech).
- Kinesthetic Learners: 10% of the population (Learning by doing and interactive content).
Of course, you should include those monthly, quarterly, and annual targets too, but you can weave them organically into the presentation throughout, so it’s not just a bunch of numbers your virtual sales team has to consume in one go. We also recommend using PowerPoint to celebrate individual and team successes of the previous year, noting areas to improve, as well as put down in writing the targets, rewards, and expectations for the upcoming year.
2. Bring Out The Success Stories
Brainstorming motivational sales meeting topics? Look no further than inside your own company. Every organization has examples of at least one or two salespeople who killed it their first couple of years, and now they’re in the 20s and already managers or executives, or they’re on a super high commission level and doing deals with all your industry’s biggest giants. These people are excellent sources of inspiration for your virtual sales team - they show them the potential for upward mobility your company offers, as well as the tangible commission up for grabs if they work hard enough.
Especially in the middle of your sales kick off agenda - usually the point at which momentum begins to lag - bring out these people to discuss how they succeeded in your organization, any tips they have for your sales reps, and what they wish they knew when they were in their position.
3. Send Out A Sales Kick Off Agenda
The day before the meeting, send out an overview to managers and virtual employees alike of what they can expect from the sales kick off. This doesn’t have to be anything in depth - in fact it should be a short and sweet timetable if possible - but try to break the day into segments and, wherever you can, highlight how the content to be discussed will be applicable to those showing up.
This is so important because, unfortunately, according to surveys carried out by Harvard Business Review and Boston University, most managers and employees view meetings as productivity-killers. Meanwhile, 9 out of 10 employees report daydreaming while sitting in meetings, and this may or may not include the 25% of meeting time that is apparently spent on irrelevant issues. So try to show how relevant each part of the sko agenda will be to your virtual sales team and leave no doubt in their mind why they should stay engaged.
4. Include A Short Sales Kick Off Speech
The reason some sales kick off speeches don’t work is because they’re too long and a little boring (to put it bluntly). Try to keep your speech under the 2 minute mark to maintain focus and energy throughout the event.
