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Sales Meeting Agenda

Purpose: Focus and guide the presenter of a sales meeting, reference for attendees

File Name: SALAGNDA

Format: Single Page, 1 Part

In seminars on selling, Scott Ritter points out the "ten deadly sins" management can commit when managing a sales force. One of those top-ten deadly sins is the failure to hold regular sales meetings. It's true. Even if you only have one salesperson working on your behalf, a regular meeting which facilitates training and education, problem solving and feedback is absolutely necessary for the wellbeing of your sales force. The sales meeting agenda form is based upon Scott Ritter's 7 basic elements of a sales meeting. While the agenda is geared toward a meeting of a sales force with two or more members, the basic elements that need covering are just as valid in a one-on-one meeting with a single salesperson, you would merely change the methods of presentation for an individualized meeting.

Use: A sales meeting should normally occur in the early morning, and should not last more than 45 minutes. The agenda sheet serves as a checklist to the presenter to incorporate all the needed elements of a sales meeting. During the meeting, the agenda serves as notes to guide the presentation, and also serves as an attendance checklist. To use the agenda, decide what topics or ideas you want to explore in each of the 7 areas of the sheet.

Opening: Every sales meeting needs to open with an enthusiasm builder that quickly catches the attention of the group. In some sales meetings, the facilitator tells a humorous - but relevant - anecdote, a riddle could be asked, or some groups even sing a song to start a sales meeting. The purpose of the enthusiasm builder is twofold: First, to capture the attention of attendees, forcing them to leave their thoughts that they may have been dwelling on outside the meeting to stay outside the meeting. Secondly, the enthusiasm builder needs to make the attendees want to participate in the meeting.

Success Stories: This section of the agenda leaves little room to write because this part of the meeting usually consists of the presenter asking attendees to describe a recent success they had in the selling arena. A success does not have to be a big sale, but can often be a client the salesperson finally got to visit, or a good lead. The stories are meant to reinforce the salespeople's positive self image, and pass tips from salesperson to salesperson.

Problem Solving: Problem Solving goes hand in hand with success stories. Here the facilitator will recall problems in selling that individuals had since the last meeting. Be careful not to place blame, but instead present the failure to the group for the group to brainstorm solutions that might have turned the failure into success - for the next time.

New Products / Process Update: Here the presenter, or somebody the presenter has previously made arrangements with, is asked to present news on a new product the company is selling, or a new technique the production line has perfected for offering to your customer base. Full information including pricing, availability, and limitations of the product should be covered. This is an on-going training process to keep your sales force up-to-date on the latest market offerings.

Technique Sharing: Here the presenter, or somebody the presenter has previously made arrangements with, is asked to present a sales technique, such as a specialized closing technique or a method of getting new leads. Spaces are provided in this section for the name of the presenter - since the facilitator should not always be the person to present this portion of the meeting - and the name of the technique. Additional space is provided to ensure that any additional props or materials required can be listed on the "meeting checklist" (The agenda) and the presenter can have arranged with the facilitator for the amount of time that will be required.

Open: This is a free-form or wildcard space in the agenda for anything that needs to be discussed. It can be used for company announcements, introducing a new member of another department, or whatever you need to do. It is not a good idea to use this time to open the floor to the attendees at this time. A sales meeting should be a tightly controlled presentation designed exclusively to educate and boost morale.  Never allow blame-placing or complaint sessions to enter the sales meeting. If such topics are presented by attendees, make arrangements to discuss the matters privately after the meeting, and if the topic is relevant to the topics of the sales meeting, offer to convey the resulting solutions at the next meeting.

Close: A sales meeting is an up-beat, morale-boosting experience. It should end in a climax that encourages the individuals to maintain that enthusiasm level until the next meeting. To close by merely announcing that the meeting is over is a disappointment at best. Close by announcing a new sales contest, drawing names for a prize, or by offering a challenge to sell more.

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