Team Alpha 375

GET MORE FROM YOUR NEXT SALES MEETING

by Jeff Schmitt

“Have a great vacation.”

They can’t be serious! No, our families picture a sales meeting as lounging at the beach, crashing the hot spots, and dining on filet mignon and sipping merlot in between. Sure, we’re shipped off to a resort…but it’s all business from there.

You know the drill. We spend the weeks before our ‘vacation’ writing territory plans, rehearsing presentations and endure mind-numbing WebExs. Jet lagged, we suffer through marathon role plays that would break the most hardened terrorist. And our meals are choreographed rah-rah sessions, capped off by some past-their-prime concert band (so that’s where our marketing dollars go).

Still, a sales meeting is the time to re-connect. For twelve months, we’re often distant colleagues who collaborate over conference calls and e-mails. But it takes a night of margaritas and karaoke to truly become friends. And by just “showing up,” you can miss critical opportunities to broaden your skill set and advance your career. To capitalize on your time, follow these strategies:

Have a Plan: A sales meeting is no different than a sales call: come prepared. Compile a list of who you want to meet and what you want to accomplish. Set up meeting times over meals or dead spots in the schedule. Whether you want to swap strategies or thank someone, focus on laying groundwork for the coming sales year.

Don’t forget, your peers are there for more than the food. They’re also using their time to build influence and jockey for the next job. That’s right: a sales meeting doubles as the company job fair. It’s the time to foster relationships with the right people and stay top of mind. So polish up your elevator pitch: this is your audition.

Get Involved: We sit around the table, absorbing case study-after-case study, while tourists plunge into a cool ocean a quarter mile away. Sure, you can update your Facebook, but does that really pass the time any faster?

So look passed the monotone deliveries and plagiarized hand outs. Instead, focus on finding that best practice that delights your never-satisfied client. Identify accounts where you can apply a nugget or two. Come prepared for your sessions as well. Instead of tuning out or staying under the radar, deliver a presentation or facilitate a panel. Bottom line: focus on reinforcing your personal brand. Someone is always watching.

Expand Your Network: From the flight to the golf course, you’re always looking to make connections. Sure, you want to pair off with those who’ve been in the trenches with you. But make a special effort to expand your circle. Strike up conversations with people you don’t know well. Look for opportunities to potentially work together. Remember, you’re selling yourself here, no different than when you’re in the field.

Be on Your Best Behavior: It’s easy to get a false sense of security. The staff pampers you; the higher ups give you their undivided attention. But keep your guard up. Don’t blow off sessions or ignore your workload back home. And don’t get lost in the moment, by saying or doing something that’ll be held against you. Eat right and exercise too. It’s a long meeting – you don’t want to crash on the last day.

Follow Up: Want to know why most training fails? There’s rarely any follow up! Too often, our notes (if we take any) are stuffed in a folder. The sessions are quickly forgotten and our new skills atrophy. On the plane home, put a plan together for when you return. What three ideas will you take back and apply? How will you evaluate your progress? Start immediately so you can capitalize on the momentum.

Relax: “I’m ready to go home.” Sure, we all say that on the last day. Before then, re-connect with your peers. Take an adventure and create memories in your free time. Most important, bask in the recognition and celebrate your accomplishments – you’ll be back to the cold hard reality of a new sales year soon enough.