Re-Energizing Your Sales Meeting

“Motivation is the art of getting people to do what you want them to do because they want to do it.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower

‍Have your sales meetings become dull? Is the energy level not what it used to be? Are they pure and utter drudgery? If so, it’s time to get your team’s motivation back on point! High level sales team motivation creates increased sales because the more motivated your sales team is to, the more successfully they will sell your products and services. Re-energizing a demotivated team won’t happen overnight, but there are some things you can do to spice up your sales meetings for positive results.

‍Focus on learning instead of reporting

‍“Sales Report” meetings are so yesterday! Instead of the same old humdrum reporting meeting, create an environment for your team to share and learn from each other. Sales meetings don’t have to be status meetings, they can be educational instead. There really is no need to discuss sales activity in miniscule detail. Sales leaders should conduct one-on-one status meetings on an individual basis… freeing up the sales meeting for motivational opportunities. Instead, why not discuss upcoming marketing campaigns and allow sales team to provide insight that can be used to craft messages that close deals. Or, why not bring in professional development experts that will allow your team to implement ideas that improve how to sell?

‍Create a supportive sales team environment

‍Ask your team if they have stories about coworkers who have helped them get the job done. The focus should be on people in the room, but people outside of it should also be commended. Inspire this behavior and you’ll see the inter-team dynamics change for the better. Remember to focus on the positive. Start your meetings by praising team members for their success. Use your own observations, coworkers’ impressions, or even client testimony. Praising the whole team will increase motivation and promote consistent culture of teamwork in the future.

‍Monday Morning Quarterback Meeting

‍It’s like football, only better! Ask each salesperson to rate the previous week’s performance. Engage them in strategy conversations; solicit for recommendations from team members on potential sales tactics and treat setbacks as learning opportunities by addressing them candidly and asking for support. Shared learning environments promote the activity of finding solutions. Format your meeting as a roundtable discussion. Cover recent challenges and allow team members to offer solutions or generate brainstorming ideas.

‍Let the team run the sales meeting

‍Let the team own the meeting – rotate who runs the meeting each time. Allow this person to set agenda (minus a few of your standard standing agenda items), as well as the meeting time and location. Changing the setting is a simple way to freshen things up! Doing the same thing over and over again is tiresome. Not only will this keep everyone engaged, it will potentially spark creativity by producing different agendas for each meeting. Involving the sales team in this leadership capacity will make them feel like they are truly a part of the big picture.

‍And finally, CELEBRATE!

‍Celebrate the wins and honor special occasions (anniversary dates)– by doing fun things with your team (charity work, softball leagues, bowling, etc.). There is no need to “talk shop” during these outings… they’re just a way to keep folks connected on a personal level so that they mesh better in the workplace. A strong sales team is comprised of people who support each other. You should also consider annual events that include families/friends – people work hard and spend a lot of time away from home to do so. Showing them support is a great way to create a “we care” culture. The happier people are at work, the more successful they will be in the work that they produce.