Please, Not Another Sales Meeting

Oh no—here comes the morning eye roll, the significant glance between co-workers, the hunched shoulders, the slow shuffle to the conference table. So much of what can go on at a sales meeting can instill a sense of dread or contempt—even before it has commenced! We know meetings are crucial to the overall health of a company. Why is there so much trepidation to attend them? More than likely it is because of situations like these:

The meetings are unorganized. With no agenda or structure established, it is hard for anyone to stay on point and remain focused.

Going off on tangents. This happens often. Someone journeys off on a tangent that is unrelated to the main topic of discussion and completely derails the meeting.

Rehashing of old items. When you spend too much time talking about the same things or recapping what everyone already knows and never getting to new information, it can make the meeting unproductive for everyone involved. People will check out mentally when there is no new information to absorb.

Sales are sales. Having department heads at a sales meeting is a waste of time. It is not a sales meeting then; it is now an all-team meeting. In this situation, the important topics such as strategies and education can often be brushed aside.

How can you avoid these occurrences and have a great weekly meeting? Here are some solutions to stay on track and make meetings productive, fun, and eagerly anticipated.

Planning your sales meeting

Keep in mind basics such as:

Start and end times. Your sales force is likely working on a tight schedule. They have calls to make, clients to see, and contracts to handle. Make sure the meeting has both a start and end time that works well in everyone’s schedule and that you stick to it as closely as possible.

Keep it timely. While you certainly do not need to have a three-hour sales meeting each week, it needs to be lengthy enough to be productive. An hour gives you time to cover all of the topics you need to get to, without belaboring. You do not want to spend time re-hashing everything that went on at this past weekend’s event; your operations meeting can take care of that. Instead make this hour about information, teaching, inspiration, and ways to achieve goals.

Choose the right day. Having your meeting on Monday morning is probably the worst time for you and your staff. Everyone likely needs Monday to catch up after the weekend and can’t devote time to a meeting right away. Friday can be just as bad as everyone is going to be swamped with weekend events. Choose a day mid-week at a time when your staff typically has a schedule lull. Once that day is chosen, stick with it so the team can plan their week around it.

Your sales meeting in four acts

You can break your meeting into four 15-minute blocks that will keep it moving and productive. Try a set up like this:

1. Tracking. Don’t start your sales meetings on a low note. Use the first 15 minutes as a way to praise everyone for the numbers they had during the past week. Congratulate individuals for hitting and exceeding particular sales goals. Make it a big deal because, well, it is a big deal! A round of applause from the group is a great motivation. You can even use this time to hand out gift cards as recognition for great work. For those that may have missed their goals, now is not the time for chastising or reprimand. They know they missed the mark already and with the right motivation will strive to do better.

2. Opportunities. There are always new sales opportunities, so devoting 15 minutes for everyone to share ideas and leads can be ideal. Have each person bring a potential sale they want to go after that week to the meeting. Maybe it is a gala they had bid on the previous year and did not get, but want to go after it again this year. Now is a good time to share that information and gain ideas from their peers.

3. Education. Your sales meeting can offer great teaching moments so don’t let them slip by. Take 15 minutes to go over different effective sales techniques, do some role playing so your sales force can envision how to work with different clients and situations, talk about how to build solid relationships and make proposals, or teach the best way to close a deal. This kind of information can be a big help to your team.

4. Big takeaway. Take the last 15 minutes to go around the table and have everyone comment on their favorite takeaway. The key to doing this is that each person must say something different and not repeat someone else’s answer. If they know this final segment is coming, it keeps your employees engaged throughout the meeting. It also helps them hear important points being reinforced by others.

Your role in all of this

Your role as the facilitator is crucial. Make sure the meeting starts and ends on time no matter what. If for some reason the meeting has to be cancelled because of an event, make sure you reschedule it for the same week. If you cannot be there, have another staff member facilitate. There also may be times when a particular topic needs to run longer for greater emphasis, so let the team know about it early on so they can adjust their schedules.

It is your job as the leader to make sure the sales meeting is a good one each week. You want your team to feel excited about going to the sales meeting each week and leave feeling inspired and ready to be productive. Don’t be afraid to assign homework for the next meeting so people can think about and be ready for the next time. Finally, once the meeting is over, arrange time to meet with each salesperson one-on-one for about 15 minutes each. This gives each person time with you to ask questions, get advice, talk about strategies for new business, tweak individual techniques, and go over their numbers.

Sales meeting do not have to be the groan-inducers or eye-rollers that everyone dreads going to. If you make the meetings purposeful, interesting, and inventive, everyone will be sure they can attend each week and the company will benefit overall.

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How can Guerrilla Marketing be used in the Special Events Industry?

As creative mavens of the special events industry, people in our line of work are always looking for new marketing methods that will attract new clientele and help propel our businesses to the next level. Direct marketing, online marketing, traditional advertising – you have probably tried all of these in some fashion or another – but have you tried Guerrilla Marketing?

Firms large and small have used this exciting and innovating style of marketing in order to generate excitement and reel in new business.

What is Guerrilla Marketing?
 
First coined in 1984, the term ‘Guerrilla Marketing’ was introduced by Jay Conrad Levinson in the book of the same name. Broadly, the term refers to advertisement strategies that attempt to promote businesses in an innovative way while using only a small budget. 

One cannot hear the word “guerrilla” without thinking of warfare, and this form of fighting is indeed the inspiration for the concept. Guerrilla fighters are often civilians, and they are usually dressed in plain clothes and loosely organized into a decentralized structure. They use these non-traditional warfare methods in order to fight against a larger and more organized army.  Guerrilla warfare methods refer to a fighting style in which the smaller, less powerful group of soldiers’ uses irregular tactics, such as ambush, elements of surprize and sabotage in order to achieve success. 

Applying principles of warfare to marketing - really?

It’s true! Much like guerrilla warfare, successful guerrilla marketing strategies attempt to use the element of surprise in order to shock, delight and inspire clients and gain their business. This unconventional style is high energy, imaginative and innovative, utilizing surprise to make a lasting impression and create a ton of buzz on social media. The shock and amazement is intended to affect the customer at a personal level and create a memory and emotional connection to the brand that they will never forget. 

Why is this a good strategy for event planning?

At its best, guerrilla marketing attempts to connect with potential clients in an emotional and visceral way. The best events are creative, fun and have an element of spontaneity – just like guerrilla marketing. This strategy is innovative and fresh, and can be a great way to surge past the (often dull) marketing of your competition.  

Tips for a guerrilla marketing campaign that will grab clients’ attention

Identify your target audience – Will your guerrilla marketing campaign target potential clients, existing customers or your suppliers? Is it B2B or B2C? In addition, you should also think carefully about who will be making the ultimate decision (if you are targeting a company or larger firm).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
Set a specific objective – In order for any marketing campaign to be effective, you must set clear objectives. Do you want people to visit your website, book an event, attend a trade show or simply provide you with their business card? Each one of these objectives will be best served by using different strategies.                                                                                                                                                                                                              
Select an appropriate tactic - Once you have identified your target, spend some time thinking about their demographic, age, industry and other factors that might determine the kind of experiential marketing that would best suit their personality.                                                                                                                                  
Be creative – With guerrilla marketing, the sky is the limit. Think about ways that you could set yourself apart from your competition while at the same time staying true to your company and its unique brand. Identify a challenge that your potential clients might be facing, and showcase a creative and efficient solution.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Figure out where (and when) you can reach your target market - It is often more cost effective to launch your guerrilla marketing campaign in a location and at a time when your target audience has already gathered. An event that you host or at a donated gala that we all get roped in would be a good opportunity.                                                                                                                                                                                                       
Seek expert advice- Guerrilla marketing is meant to look effortless and spontaneous, but the most effective campaigns have a lot of thought, time, planning and effort involved.                                                                                                                                                                                                    
Make sure your social media is involved - In order to ensure that your campaign has a ton of impact over time and across many demographics, introduce a specific hashtag that will help you compile mentions across different social media platforms. 

By trying something new and by coloring outside the lines, you can really impress your clients, earn more business and increase your bottom line. 

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