Tip #49 Time to help your sales team Zoom into 2021 with a SKO.

For many years, my friend and mentor Roy Chitwood gathered track selling distributors early in the year for a two-day Sales Kick-off Meeting (SKO). We met off-site to avoid office distractions. Roy conducted and sent agendas to us beforehand. We were asked to bring feedback on the previous year, ideas for the upcoming year, and presentations on selected topics. We broke into small group discussions and reported back to the entire group. We trained one another. Everyone was involved in Roy's intimate way of leading Track Selling SKOs. 

Roy began each SKO by asking the following questions:

Regarding the previous year...

What was the most important principle you learned? What was your greatest success? If you could change one thing about last year, what would it be? 

Regarding the upcoming year...

What most excites and motivates you about the new year? What will you do more of next year, as well as less of? What are your personal and professional goals? How will you reward yourself for your success?

Roy scheduled two - three hours for the intro portion of the SKO. Those present, all consummate professionals, were invited to verbally respond to each question. For many, the first morning was the highlight of the gathering as we shared, learned and grew together. For Roy, it was Track Selling Steps 1 and 2: Approach and Qualification. 

All SKO sessions ended by Roy's asking each of us, "What was your most important idea today?" 

Roy's Project Manager was assigned to take minutes and distribute soon afterwards. Those minutes gave us touchstones and talking points throughout the year. It provided great insight. It was a great tradition.

We hope you'll plan to be part of a 2021 SKO - probably on Zoom - and might include the ideas above. You'll be glad you did as you sense your sales team drawing closer together. They'll feel more understanding, empathy and appreciation for one another coming off a COVID-19 year. A positive beginning to a new year. 

Good luck and good selling!

Professional Application

Begin planning your 2021 Sales Kick-Off. Work on it each day this week.

Monday: Determine an itinerary and length of your SKO

Tuesday: Prepare and send a list of topics to all that will participate 

Wednesday: Decide who will do what and make the assignments

Thursday: Prepare the presentations assigned to you

Friday: Finalize the details for physical arrangements and logistics

When selling becomes a procedure, it ceases to be a problem. If it's not a procedure, it will always be a problem." Roy E. Chitwood, developer of the Track Selling System

Monday: _______________________________________________________

Tuesday: ______________________________________________________

Wednesday:____________________________________________________

Thursday: ______________________________________________________

Friday: _________________________________________________________ 

Personal Application

Early in the new year, consider gathering for an annual Family Kick-off (FKO) meeting. Here are some great questions to begin the gathering.

Regarding the previous year...

What was the most important idea you learned last year? What was your greatest success? If you could change one thing last year, what would it be? 

Regarding the upcoming year...

What most excites and motivates you about the new year? What will you do more of next year, as well as less of? What are your personal goals? How will you reward yourself for your success?

SKOs and FKOs are wonderful because of the deep and meaningful conversations that result. Conversational agility increases. Emotional batteries recharge. The new year begins better than the previous year ended. 

Happy upcoming 2021 from your friends at the Track Selling Institute!

KIS-MIF means Keep it Simple and Make it Fun. It's our motto for sales training and for life.

NEW! Virtual Instructor-led Workshops

Put this season of shelter-in-place and social distancing to good use. We are excited to deliver our highly acclaimed Track Selling workshop to a computer screen near you.

Live, instructor-led sales training workshops are virtually delivered on Zoom. Role plays and interactive exercises occur in breakout rooms with instructor coaching, just like our original workshops. Sessions beginning in May.    

Attendance at each workshop is capped at 12 participants so register soon to get your seat! This intimate, small-group format ensures you will learn the Five Buying Decisions that your prospects make before buying. We cover the Six Buying Motives that drive and motivate your buyers.

Then you will learn and apply the Seven Steps of the Track Selling System that carry you smoothly through the sales process. The entire learning experience is adapted to your products, services and sales cycle. (Download Flyer) 

On Track Coaching™

Join other successful sales professionals who have a sales coach to help them thrive amid uncertain and unprecedented economic conditions On Track Sales Coaching is a customized, in-depth, personalized training service designed around your specific needs and interests so that you get the maximum benefit from Track Selling.

Track Selling Playbooks™

A Track Selling Playbook is a step-by-step guide for the Track Selling System™ customized to your company, industry, products and customers.

A Track Selling Playbook supports your ongoing learning and continuous improvement.

It defines your strategic sales cycle and refines your tactical track selling application through each of the seven steps. Specific examples are provided based on best practices of thought leaders and your sales team. 

You'll get step-by-step instructions on how to apply the science and psychology of selling - customized to your unique challenges and opportunities - to move your sales process to a successful conclusion.