The new reality that requires moving from business as usual in person to Zoom meetings, and now to a combination of both. Many companies continue to consider various strategies to plan and organize an effective and attractive sales launch.
According to a recent event participation survey conducted by MarTech, respondents rated the probability of attending a face-to-face event in the first half of 2022 a five out of ten. Some 27% expressed interest in attending events only in person, 34% preferred to attend virtually, and 39% wanted to participate in hybrid events with face-to-face and virtual components.
Regardless of their location, sales teams need the right talking points, and an infusion of morale and enthusiasm, for a successful launch of the sales plan.
What is a sales pitch?
Companies conduct sales kickoffs (SKOs) internally at the beginning of each year. With the intention of offering business growth strategies and aligning all teams, part of the SKO also includes cultural themes that inspire and motivate sales teams.
Before the pandemic, companies hosted SKOs in person. These events include opportunities to:
- develop networks
- Share best practices
- Update of sales strategies.
- Boosting sales teams' enthusiasm for the new year
- Learn about new products and updates.
With COVID, SKOs, like many other business operations, have gone virtual. Sales leaders are looking to turn virtual environments into platforms that have the power to inform, inspire and connect teams to meet and exceed new sales goals.
Best Practices for Virtual SKO
Fatigue from video conferencing exists, and working remotely can often lead to too many meetings. According to a study by Korn Ferry, 67% of employees feel that they spend too much time in meetings and the demand for time affects their productivity.
Sales professionals also continue to struggle with engagement: 36% of those surveyed in the State of the Events Industry Report: Third Quarter 2021 he listed it as his main challenge.
While socializing won't be the same and skipping the SKO isn't always an option, companies can still offer a high-impact virtual or hybrid SKO that engages, engages and motivates their sales teams.
Virtual or hybrid SKOs also offer other benefits. First of all, they are profitable. Thanks to technology that allows distributed teams to connect virtually, companies can save money by not bringing everyone to a central location. Organizations save on location, hotel, transportation and catering costs.
They also provide an additional degree of flexibility. Hosting hybrid or virtual events allows organizers to record high-quality video for future on-demand viewing. Anyone in various time zones and departments can access the SKO more conveniently.
Finally, virtual or hybrid configurations have an impact on your environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies. Carrying out a hybrid or virtual SKO generates a lower carbon footprint. This approach helps organizations show their employees and clients that they are prioritizing the environmental impact of their events.
However, the real key to hosting an SKO to its success is the ability to create an event experience that engages all attendees. Ultimately, an SKO should provide sales teams with a memorable and positive experience that motivates them to improve their own business plan.
Creating a successful SKO agenda
Before the pandemic, SKOs lasted a day or so, but with today's virtual and hybrid SKOs that rely on Zoom or Skype meetings, planners need to be mindful of attendee and presenter burnout.
Therefore, and in the first place, what should NOT be done is to convert a face-to-face SKO of several days to a completely virtual format without changing anything at all.
There are a number of recommendations to make the SKO more impactful.
First, design Shortest virtual SKO scheduled by region, especially if the teams are spread across different geographies. Must split each SKO into half-day sessions that last for several days. It also can consider the hybrid option, host speakers and a small number of in-person attendees while other team members participate virtually.
To maintain interest, you can offer optional sessions or complementary, such as questions and answers, executive visits and discussions led by managers or small groups. Pre-record non-interactive sessionssuch as product announcements or summaries of new annual goals, and then host a live Q&A session.
Regardless of the format of the SKO, include more elements, such as having the CEO or executive trust you, give a warm welcome, and introduce the general theme of the meeting. A good idea is make a brief summary of successes and lessons learned from the previous year. This may be a good point to jump to for a quick preview of your new year's goals.
It's important to have your sales people ready for an ever-disrupting market, so organize training sessions on new products or services, updated features, or new sales processes, and leave plenty of time for questions and answers.
Keep in mind to allow time for lunch and networking, because people need time to recharge and process information. If the SKO includes virtual assistants, send, for example, gift cards so team members can place their order. You might also consider incorporating a meditation or short yoga session into the day so everyone has a chance to slow down, reflect, and breathe.
Marketing, product, customer success, and any other teams that work closely with sales make presentations about their departments to provide a holistic image of the business.
Another idea is a "kick-off festival" that incorporates the SKO messages. Have fun with challenging teams to launch unsellable products or fun topics.
It is important recognize individual and team achievements and an SKO provides a good opportunity. For fully virtual events, work with a technology partner that offers interactive elements, like emojis or a clapping feature, that everyone can use to celebrate honorees.
Finally, it ends with an unexpected action. Organize an event with prizes or send each participant a kit with options to share a toast.
SKO Theme Ideas
A well-designed SKO reinforces the sales culture by prioritizing the well-being of the teams. This is an annual event, so it's a good idea to come up with a central theme.
Choose a topic that is practical and reflects the culture and goals of the company. Look at slogans from the organization, pop culture like movies or TV shows, or concepts that reflect new goals like ESG, technology, or customer focus.
Some ideas to choose an SKO theme could be the following
Celebration: SKOs, whether virtual or hybrid, bring people together to have fun. As long as the theme complements your message, it's important to have fun while being creative.
Education: What if education is part of the strategy for next year? Why not incorporate one or two elements that are essential to the message you want to convey? Is the goal to increase customer engagement or retention, for example? If so, it is necessary to link this message to each element of the SKO.
Motivation: The most effective SKOs get sales teams excited about the products and services they sell. Take advantage of a concept, connecting it with the vision of the new year, to encourage action. For example, develop a theme that can be contained in a single word as the main objective of your SKO.
Vision: How does the organisation define itself? Do all employees see the company through the same lens or does it mean something different to each person? Incorporating a vision-focused theme offers a unique opportunity to uncover the sentiment around the brand's purpose and strength. By molding an SKO around the brand identity, you are bringing teams closer to the mission and ensuring buy-in.
A smooth and successful SKO
More than 90% of event marketers plan to invest in digital experiences in the future. As a new year approaches with additional variants of COVID, crises, disruptions etc forcing businesses to rethink plans with next year's new digital experiences likely to include virtual or hybrid SKOs.
It's key to be planning ahead and considering unconventional approaches to the upcoming SKO, the right strategies and event software partner will help elevate the experience for planners, organizations and attendees.
