Feb10
How To Run A Successful Sales Meeting
Posted by Nick in Corporate Sales Training | 0 Comments
File under sales meetings
Discover How To Run A Sales Meetings
by Nick Moreno
Two things separate sales departments from other departments, reports and meetings. There is probably a report somewhere on how many sales meeting were held last month. The key is not to hold a meeting for the sake of having a meeting. If you are going to have a sales meeting insure you run a successful sales meeting.
In this post, I’ll provide some tips and advice on how to run successful sales meetings.
How To Run Weekly Sales Meetings
Here is some solid advice on how to run successful sales meetings every week. Salespeople are busy so your weekly sales meeting schedule should be consistent. For example, reps need to know that there will be a 45-minute meeting every Monday at whatever time you pick. Most managers like to have their meetings in the morning but that’s not my favorite because it eats up “selling time”. For the same reason, I strongly urge you to avoid mid-day or “brown bag” sales meetings. Those sessions disrupt the entire sales day. That’s no way respect “selling time” and that’s not how to run a successful sales meeting.
Sales is not an 8:00 to 5:00 job. I always started my sales meetings at 4:45PM and expected all to be on time. Doing so allowed me to avoid consuming too much “sales time”. It also gave me some flexibility if there was a special topic that could cause the sales meeting to extend past 45-minutes.
The Keys On How To Run Sales Meetings
Never have a sales meeting just to have a sales meeting. Show respect for your team by always having a well-planed meeting. That’s the key to running a successful sales meeting. Also remember that a sales meeting is not a speech or lecture. Sales meeting should be interactive so solicit comments and do try to keep things on a positive note. Let you sales reps help you run a successful sales meeting.
How To Run A Sales Meeting Using Agendas
1) Start with some good news or highlight some accomplishments from the previous week. Get the reps clapping their hands but insure the accomplishments are genuine. Who cares if Joe made 300 telemarketing calls? Focus on results and highlight the number of appointments Joe secured.
2) Keep your team updated and informed. Tell them about all the news from the previous week that could impact them. This news could include new procedures, product changes and news from other departments or resources.
3) Sales teams must be driven by accountability. Look at your key indicators and measure the results achieved against your goals. For example, where are you against quota MTD, QTD and/or YTD? Drill this down to a rep level and by doing so you let all know that achieving these goals has your full attention. These are all part of running a successful sales meeting.
Focus on areas that must improve and discuss what must be done to realize those improvements. Also remember to applaud your accomplishments and recognize areas that are moving in the right direction. Keep sales meetings positive because that how you run a successful sales meeting.
4) Have each rep review their weekly schedule and what they expect to accomplish in the next few days. Start this section by reviewing their previous week’s goals. This is also a great time to announce your weekly schedule so all will know when you are available for sales calls.
“Learning” Is How To Run Sales Meetings
5) This last section is so critical and yet so often overlooked. In fact, it could be the difference between your teams success and failure. You see, I often remind organizations that the best product at the best price does not drive sales success. Success will always go to the team with the best skills. Play a section of a sales training CD at every sales meeting. Learning new sales skills should never be overlooked if you want to run a successful sales meeting.
You run a sales organization and every sales meeting must include some advanced sales training. I’m not talking about product training or training on new procedures. I’m talking about some sales training that improves sales skills. Do this type of training at every weekly sales meeting and you’ll put sales skills where they belong, at the center of your team’s culture.
Like it or not, every lost orders involves being outsold. Put the breaks on that and you’ll move in a healthier direction. It is your responsibility to give your reps the tools they need to succeed in sales. This starts with the improvement of sales skills. Imagine how much ahead you’ll be today if you instituted this weekly employee development program last year or even six months ago? This is why it is important to always run successful sales meetings that include some education.
How To Run A Sales Meeting With Training
Let me give you two effective ways to present powerful sales training at your sales meetings. They both involve the simplicity of playing 12 to 15 minute segments of a sales training DVD on you laptop. The key is to improve sales skills.
The first program is a corporate sales training program specifically designed for sales meetings. If you have a budget for sales employee development, this program is right for you. – Corporate Sales Training Program
The second program also allows you to provide sales skills development at your weekly sales meetings. This program covers the entire sales process and is designed for those with smaller budgets. - Sales Process Training
Your reps will appreciate your interest in developing their sales skills. Whatever you decide to do, I urge you to give some attention to sales training at every weekly sales meeting.
I hope this advice answers your question on how to run successful sales meetings.
May all your sales meetings bring you success!
Nick
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