RevOps Co-op Weekly #59 - Sales Kick-offs are the Mullets of Parties
RevOps Co-op Weekly #59 - Sales Kick-offs are the Mullets of Parties
Sales kick-offs are more than an opportunity to come together, they solidify plans and expectations while setting a tone and building on the past.
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Sales Kick-offs are the Mullets of Parties
Part of our RevOps Co-op team and President of the Revenue Operations Consultancy Central Metric, Sebastien van Heyningen, talks about the purpose of a sales kick-off, who to include and why they need to be more than just party central.
We all look forward to a good party, especially one that the company is footing the bill for, and there’s no reason not to look forward to a sales kick-off as long as you keep your expectations in check. While usually filled with a celebratory atmosphere, there is business to be done too, so think of it as the proverbial mullet: business in the front, party in the back.
Sebastien van Heyningen (known in the RevOps Co-op as Seb) is the Co-Founder & President of Central Metric, a RevOps consultancy firm that has been part of many kick-offs for growing organizations. He’s also participated and planned a few kickoffs in previous roles. The purpose of sales kick-offs depends on the individuals you talk to, but as he explains, it’s all about alignment.
“It’s a chance to get all of the reps in one place, impart some education, wisdom or process on them and set the tone for the coming months,” he explains. “For the leadership at the executive level, it’s a chance to align everybody from different departments around the same goal while also looking back to see how and why the performance over the last year was made.”
Pick your cliché: it’s about getting your ducks in a row, getting everyone on the same page, covering the bases, finding synergy…
Party Planning 101
Some people are natural party planners and while there are those that focus on tacos or cake, a few will be about the music and others will focus on party games, ways to get people talking and the overall flow. We’ve all invited that friend to a party to keep the energy high. You want your team’s version of that friend to take the lead for your kick-off.
These are the folk who can collect information about what the event should include and create the right atmosphere.
“Figure out what you want to accomplish in a set time with the whole team,” Seb says. “You’re going to need a lot of feedback from the leaders of the teams that you’re bringing in.”
Not only do you need feedback, but you also need buy-in as these leaders will be the ones to communicate specific information about new product knowledge, integration of new tech, or a territory realignment.
Perhaps you don’t really need an over-the-top event?
Smaller organizations of under 10 sales reps can probably cut back on the extravagance and length of time. It may not be the party everyone was hoping for, but it will still be time well spent.
Don’t Leave Someone Off the Guest List
Remember Suzie Barton’s birthday party in grade 2 when you were the only one in the class who didn’t get invited?
Ouch.
Let’s not carry that drama into adulthood.
While a sales kick-off doesn’t need to include everyone from the organization (though there are times it makes sense to), you want to lean towards being inclusive rather than exclusive. Consider what needs to be accomplished in the meeting when asking people to attend.
“Anytime a new product is coming out, the product team is good to have on-hand,” Seb notes. “Many include an element of marketing. Since we are reviewing financial data, someone from finance should probably show up as well.”
There are lots of people to consider and this is one of those times where the journey is just as important as the destination.
Everyone who is involved or affected by a new process or change in policy needs to be on-hand.
The Party is in the Details
Balloons or streamers?
Reggae or 80’s?
Cake or ice cream? (Both are always the right answer by the way.)
Start with a recap or a rah-rah?
The order of things should come fairly naturally once the necessary elements are defined. Three things Seb says are mandatory: 1) A recap of the last sales period 2) A look forward to the upcoming goals and 3) An element of team building.
“This is almost as important as the forecasting and the revenue related stuff,” he says. “One of the big purposes of a sales kick-off is to bring people closer and help them collaborate more often.”
There’s more! Read the full video blog here 👉 Sales Kick-offs are the Mullets of Parties
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RevOps Hangout with Central Metric! Virtual Networking - Thursday, December 2 at 11am PT (2pm ET)
Come and meet other folks from the RevOps Co-op. Share your ideas, get some great tips, and make new friends. This week we will be back in Slingshow, with 2 small group discussion rooms. Co-hosting will be Sebastien van Heyningen and Kevin Lewis of Central Metric.
Hangout Topic: Sales Kickoffs
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