It could eventually burn down to a fuse, in this manner setting off a small firecracker. Or it could burn down to a string, finally severing the string with its tiny flame. The triggering action should cause something important to happen, or at least be the signal for something important. It could signal the unveiling of a new product or the naming of a contest winner.

The candle is lit at the start of the meeting. Everyone is asked to estimate the exact time the triggering action will take place. An appropriate reward is offered for the best guess. This helps create interest and suspense.

To capitalize fully on the stunt, call attention to the candle at intervals during the meeting.
And those who like things cold instead of hot can forego all this hullabaloo with a candle, and accomplish the same thing with a block of ice.

The name of a contest winner is written on a slip of paper, placed in a waterproof envelope, and frozen in the center of a large block of ice. Or a new product makes its initial appearance in this way, having been frozen inside a block of ice.

An important new sales tool, details of a new merchandising plan, or the outline of a new advertising campaign are other items that might be dramatized either with a candle or a block of ice.

Sales Meeting

Technorati Tags: sales meeting theme, Sales Training

Another in-meeting contest is the quiz down, similar to the old fashioned spelling bee. Persons missing a question are eliminated, and the last remaining contestant is the winner. This event is made to move rapidly. It’s desirable to increase the pace as people are eliminated, otherwise, the majority will be spectators too much of the time.

A steak and bean dinner has served as a good means of varying the pitch. It’s usually based on a sales contest that takes place outside the meeting. The sales staff is divided into two groups. The winning team is served steak at a dinner meeting which climaxes the contest. Members of the losing team, on the other hand, must eat beans. They’re served bean soup, bean salad, baked beans as an entree, and jelly beans for dessert!

But there’s nothing to be gained from bloating half the sales force, if not demoralizing it. Some of the most productive salespeople will be on the losing team. These individuals will have lost through no fault of their own. Therefore, when the winners have been served steak and the losers are resigned to their fate, steak should be brought in for the losers, too.

Sales Meeting

Technorati Tags: Sales competition, sales meeting theme

Most salespeople are extroverted. They do not enjoy reading sales manuals or dissertations on company policy. It’s therefore necessary, from time to time, to stimulate their study of company literature. This can easily be accomplished by a quiz program.

Before the meeting, significant sentences are selected from various pieces of literature. Only the more important points are chosen, the things every salesperson should know. At the meeting, each person is issued a set of company literature. Then the preselected sentences are read by the emcee. As each sentence is read, the first person to find it in the literature wins a point toward the prize.

She jumps up and shouts the title of the publication containing it, as well as the number of the page on which it can be found.

The person who wins the most points is awarded a prize. But here’s the real payoff—after each sentence is found in the literature, someone is asked to explain it. She enlarges on it, applies it to the salesperson’s job. This results in a better understanding of procedures and policies.

Product information can also be learned in this manner.

Sales trainers have found written tests a good means of lending variety. True-false tests are most popular, although multiple choice and completion type tests are also used. Every salesperson grades his own paper. The grade is actually of little importance; the underlying teaching point is the significant thing.

In a discussion following each point, the trainer brings out the why and wherefore, letting everyone know what they are expected to do as a result. Still other quiz programs have been patterned after those seen on television. It’s not difficult to work up an event of this sort, one that is profitable, yet enjoyable. Give it a try.

Sales Meeting

Technorati Tags: sales meeting theme, Sales Training

The size of the audience is one of the determining factors. The theme, length, and objective of the meeting should also be considered. The prime consideration, however, is the need for showmanship.  If the theme calls for it, entertainment can make a sales meeting much more effective

Sales Meeting Themes

Technorati Tags: sales meeting theme

To use this idea, four or five persons are asked to sit at a table near the front of the room. They listen to the next speaker (as does the audience) and then interpret the speech to the audience.

They give their analyses, their opinions regarding key points, and their summations of the talk. This helps drive home the main points in the speech. Thus, while it’s good showmanship, it’s also sound instruction. By using a different staff of interpreters for each talk, even more variety is created.

Sales Meeting | Sales Meeting Themes | Sales Meeting Agenda

Technorati Tags: sales meeting theme

It is often better, on the other hand, to use questions originated by the audience, as this assures coverage of material in which there is the greatest interest. Where questions come from the audience, they should be submitted in advance in written form. This provides opportunity to screen them, eliminating those that are objectionable. They need not be submitted days in advance – at the start of the meeting should be early enough, because it will take only a few minutes to decide which ones are irrelevant, too negative, or will be answered by speeches slated to follow. Another reason for screening is to eliminate duplication.

“I thought I was smart enough to handle questions without screening,” said a corporation board member. “But it got me into hot water right away. Don’t try it. Take the few minutes that are necessary for screening.”

As for accepting verbal questions from the floor, only in small meetings is this recommended. It’s justified in small meetings since it results in a fair degree of audience participation. But it’s risky business unless the moderator is skilled, because he must be able to recognize objectionable questions and to brush them off in a manner that does not offend. “This isn’t easy either,” said a Baton Rouge sales manager. “People are inclined to wear their feelings on their sleeves. One must be very careful – more careful than he might think.”

The moderator gets participation from all members of the panel by limiting each answer to a couple of minutes. But he must know what to do if a member gives an incorrect answer or leaves an erroneous impression.

It’s important that one or two members of the audience do not hog the show with their questions. There have been post-meeting comments such as, “If only someone had strangled that loud-mouth in the third row! Without him, the meeting wouldn’t have been so bad.”

A rule of thumb: when one member of the audience has spoken a second time, the moderator should thereafter concentrate on getting questions from people who have not previously participated.

Other points of consideration are whether table “mikes” will be needed and whether name cards should be placed on the table in front of panel members. These two items can add much to the event. If name cards are used, however, the printing should be large enough that it can be read by people in the rear of the room.

Technorati Tags: panel discussion, sales meeting theme, sales meeting variety

Have Speakers Use Theme Appropriate Language

Ask participants to use the language of your theme. Let’s assume you’re using the Football or Kickoff theme. You could suggest such terms as:

“Know the rules of the game.”

“Call the right signals.”

“Take the ball and run with it.”

“Be a quarterback—not a drawback.”

Use Decorations To Coincide With The Theme

Obviously there is no need to decorate for a ten minute “quickie” involving a handful of people. But the bigger and longer meetings deserve colorful decorations.

Entertainment That Fits the Theme

There’s need for entertainment at some sales meetings. The longer and larger meetings especially need a little extra push.

Entertainment should fit the theme. This adds to the impact of the theme, makes it more meaningful.
When using Black Magic as a theme, engage a magician to perform. Or get a juggling act to support the Vaudeville theme. Conduct a bingo game with the Carnival theme.
 
Refreshments

Some sales meetings are so lengthy that refreshments are served. Here’s another chance to project your theme.
Turkey sandwiches, pumpkin pie, and coffee fit the Thanksgiving theme. For the Prospecting theme, serve cookies molded in the shape of burros, shovels, and picks. The Circus theme can be expressed with popcorn, peanuts, and soda pop.

“Anyone can serve coffee every time,” said an imaginative New Englander. “Give ‘em something different, something that fits the theme of your meeting.”

Using Announcements

Even the announcements of your meeting should reflect your theme.  Take the Harvest theme, for instance. A verbal announcement could include: “We’ll show you how to sow the seeds of greater profit, how to get a larger yield, how to reap a bumper crop of customers.” A written announcement might contain pictures of a farmer, barn, plow, tractor, and silo.

Announcement forms or bulletin heads can be obtained from a number of office supply stores or printed yourself.  For instance, most of the 52 themes previously listed can be found on these announcement forms or in clip art. The bulletins depicting the New Year’s theme may show an old man, a scythe, an hour glass, and a baby. The heading sets the stage for your copy.

Select a Theme That’s Compatible With Your Objective Be Sure the Theme Fits Your Type of Organization
 
Apply the Theme to Your Agenda
Work Your Theme Into Every Event Possible
Ask Participants to Use Language of Your Theme
Use Decorations That Coincide With Your Theme
Plan Entertainment That Fits Your Theme
Serve Refreshments That Project Your Theme
Use Announcements That Reflect Your Theme

Technorati Tags: sales meeting ideas, sales meeting theme

Themes are somewhat flexible, but be sure the theme selected is in accord with the objective of the meeting. The sales meeting theme should actually help accomplish your objective.

Now apply the theme to your agenda. Go over each event, tying in the many ideas suggested by the theme. As stated, a little imagination pays big dividends.

At a small meeting, strong tie-in of the theme can appear to be juvenile.  But at larger meetings, there’s room for color. And if women are present, the audience is usually going to be more receptive to the use of a theme.

For example, a sales meeting conducted for 10 or 15 men should not receive strong application of the theme.  Why put on a show without an audience?  With a group of 200 or more, however, emphasis on the theme should be heavy.

Here is an example of an outline that was successfully used by one of the largest corporations in the country.  This shows how ordinary sales meetings, completely lacking in luster, can be made colorful, interesting and enjoyable.

THEME-ROUNDUP
Type of Selling – Jobbing or Wholesale

Sales Meeting Agenda Before Applying Theme

Start with talk on why we need more customers.

Second speaker talks on how to get more customers.

Third speaker talks on how to keep customers.

Sales  Manager  closes  meeting with pep talk.
 
Agenda After Applying Theme
Play recorded western music, something peppy, for five minutes prior to meeting while group is gathering.

Emcee, dressed as cowboy, introduces roundup theme before presenting the first speaker.

“The Big Roundup” is title for speaker wearing ten-gallon hat who tells why we should “round up” more customers.

“How To Lasso New Customers” is subject for speaker wearing a bandana who tells how to make a sales presentation.  At end of talk he throws lasso around “customer” to dramatize successful completion of sale.

Rustler Skit—A competitor is caught trying to steal a customer.

“Keep ‘em Corralled” will be covered by speaker wearing a tin badge and six shooter who tells what he does to “keep ‘em in the herd”—how to “brand” a customer for life.

“Open Range” is topic for Sales Manager, who closes meeting with inspirational talk on the abundance of prospects, urging salespeople to be “top hands” or first rate “range bosses” by thoroughly developing their territories.

As shown by the foregoing example, it’s easy to build your meeting around a theme. Simply outline your agenda, select a sales meeting theme and apply it. A drab and uninteresting meeting suddenly becomes alive. It now has impact and meaning. Those attending will stay awake, will learn more, will be more inspired, and will welcome the next meeting.

Technorati Tags: Sales Meeting, sales meeting theme, Sales Meeting Theme Ideas