The first 7 weeks of the year are “SKO Season” – Sales Kick Off as reported by Sales Benchmark Index. Companies are busy getting the year off to a fast start from January 2 – February 17 with a variety of educational and motivating programs.
Some companies will be hosting their SKO Season off site, while others with a more regional or local sales team will be at the home office.
Whether your SKO Season is formal or informal here are a few tips to get the most out of your SKO with the 3 E’s – Engage, Energize and Equip!
Your sellers are used to being on the go. It was hard enough to sit still in grade school through college for an hour at a time. It’s no different now that they are adults! As you plan each hour keep this design formula in mind:
1. Roadmap: Present the goals and objectives for the module with WiifT (What’s in it for Them) in mind.
They don’t care what’s in it for the presenter or the company as much as they care what’s in it for them in relation to time, savings, money, or benefits for their customers.
2. Interactive Opening: Begin with an activity or thought-provoking question to bridge the value of the upcoming content. It’s the first opportunity to involve sellers emotionally.
3. Lecurette: 15 minutes maximum presenting your content. I know, you’re thinking 15 minutes isn’t enough. It may not be. Review the content and break it into smaller segments to eliminate an information dump. Okay, extend it to 20 minutes, but please don’t talk at your sellers for 30 minutes – even with a great Powerpoint deck!
4. Application: This activity applies the information. Mix the activity format up throughout the day by pairs, small groups or even individual exercises. You’ll have more sellers embracing the information as learning happens by experiencing.
5. Rinse and Repeat: Content and time dictate the rinse and repeat steps. Review your content thoroughly to determine if it’s must know information or fluff.
6. Action Plan: You’ve invested the time in the SKO session for a greater sales outcome. Now it’s time for personal accountability and next steps. Close out the session with sellers thinking and writing their action plan for next steps implementation.
Follow the Engage, Energize and Equip formula and get the most out of your Sales Kickoff!
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