By: Stephen Bergeron, Founder of Mountain Ties
Companies must be aligned internally. A well-run sales meeting ensures alignment.
Most companies in the retail it channel launch the year with a kickoff meeting with sales. The meeting consists of a year-end review and setting goals and objectives for the coming year. Then what? When do you get your team together again? How about now?
The best way to maintain this overall alignment is through either quarterly or semi-annual sales meetings. These are deeper dives than weekly departmental meetings. It is important that Sales, Marketing, Product, Operations and the Executives remain aligned both internally and with your customers.
To implement a successful in-house sales meeting, follow these steps:
- Set Clear Objectives: Before the meeting, set clear objectives for what you want to achieve. Implement templates for all participants to follow, ensuring alignment. Subjects to include Territory Review, New Product Launch, State of the Company presentation, and Industry Trends.
- Alignment and Team Building Opportunity: An internal sales meeting is the perfect time to align Product, Sales, and Marketing teams. Schedule sessions for Customer Service, Operations, Engineering, and Finance teams to participate, even if it’s for a boxed lunch or a simple breakfast. Incorporate some fun activities to prevent burnout.
- Skills Training: Utilize the gathering of sales, product, and marketing teams to improve both vertical and horizontal skills training.
- Prepare Thoroughly: Each participant must be thoroughly prepared. Setting clear expectations upfront is essential.
- Create an Agenda: Develop a detailed agenda that outlines the topics to be covered, the meeting’s structure, and the roles and responsibilities of each participant. Share the agenda with all attendees in advance to ensure alignment. Stick to the agenda to avoid a dysfunctional meeting.
- Engage All Participants: Encourage active participation from all attendees by asking open-ended questions, facilitating discussions, and allowing time for each participant to share their insights and perspectives.
- Focus on Value: Emphasize the value your solution brings to the prospect’s business. Have your product and marketing teams collaborate to create benefit-based brochures.
- Address Concerns: Be prepared to address any concerns or objections the prospect may have. Ensure a clear understanding of your solution’s differentiators and how it compares to competitors.
- Summarize Key Points: At the end of the meeting, summarize the key points discussed and the agreed-upon next steps. Ensure that all participants are aligned and understand their respective responsibilities.
- Follow-Up: After the meeting, promptly follow up with a detailed summary of the discussion, action items, and any additional information requested by the teams. This demonstrates your commitment and keeps the momentum going.
By focusing inwardly and ensuring thorough preparation, your team will be well-equipped to conduct a successful sales meeting that drives results and strengthens customer relationships.
About the Author
Stephen Bergeron is an accomplished international sales and marketing executive with over 30 years of experience in B2B, SaaS, and retail point of sale industries. He excels in strategic business development and delivering exceptional marketing campaigns. A performance-oriented leader, Stephen approaches problem-solving, customer acquisition, and profit targets with a strategic and analytical mindset.
With a deep passion for technology and a talent for building high-performing teams, Stephen consistently drives data-driven results and sets new industry standards. His extensive expertise and commitment to excellence make him a trusted authority in sales and marketing, known for achieving outstanding outcomes. Contact Stephen at stephen@mountainties.net.
