3 Mistakes to Avoid at Your Next Sales Kick-off
December 10, 2021
Your sales reps' expectations from sales kick-offs (SKOs) have changed. They no longer want boring business strategy monologues. They want to network, get energized, and figure out how they’re going to be successful that year. There is also the added challenge of meeting these expectations virtually.
Here are 3 mistakes you could be making at your virtual SKOs that are affecting your sales results.
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Mistake #1 - Packing it all into 48 hours
A typical SKO is an annual mega-event where sales reps are crammed into their seats all day and given one presentation after another. This drains their energy and hampers their ability to absorb and retain information.
Rather than packing it all into one event, space it out over a period of time. Use a virtual platform to shift to a series of sales training, motivation, and enablement events. This facilitates regular check-ins with your remote teams and keeps them engaged.
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Mistake #2 - Opening a floodgate of information
As a sales leader, you may feel tempted to frontload your SKOs with information. But here’s the thing: sharing too much information at once generally ensures your team will not remember most it.
Instead, consider sharing 2 - 3 of your most important initiatives in the SKO, while spreading everything else out over time, in bite-sized pieces. Take this a step further and gamify your SKO and evergreen training with virtual contests and networking games. Keep the momentum going by engaging them with a leaderboard.
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Mistake #3 - Making it boring
If your virtual SKO becomes monotonous, boredom will quickly creep in. And your sales reps are likely to switch off and disconnect.
The key to engagement is to ensure that there is never a dull moment. Bring your sales team to the forefront by engaging with them in the chat. Invite them to perform at the event instead of bringing in professional performers. Enable mind-stimulating activities. Tell stories that are relevant, contextual, and personal.
SKOs are one of the first interactions you have with your larger sales team that year. But they don’t have to be the only ones. Keep your sales team engaged throughout the year with regular virtual events and the added advantage of gamification (which competitive salespeople often love). Most importantly, produce memorable digital experiences by investing in the right virtual event platform.
You're in the right place! Discover how Hubilo’s advanced yet easy-to-use event platform can help you host engaging virtual SKOs. Sign up for a free demo.
Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture, not just among employees and guests but also within its supply chain. The company prioritizes procuring goods and services from businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals and those facing economic disadvantages. This commitment is integral to MGM Resorts' global procurement strategy.
Through its voluntary supplier diversity program, MGM Resorts actively identifies and connects certified diverse-owned suppliers to opportunities within its supply chain. The company is on track to spend at least 15% of its biddable procurement with diverse-owned businesses by 2025, demonstrating that supplier diversity is not only a social responsibility but also a strategic business imperative.
Supplier diversity isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s good for business. A diverse supply chain allows access to a broader range of perspectives and experience, helping to drive innovation, entrepreneurship and resilience, while strengthening communities. At MGM Resorts, engaging diverse suppliers ensures best-in-class experiences for guests and clients. Supplier diversity ensures a more resilient supply chain while supporting economic development in the communities in which it operates.
The impact of MGM Resorts' supplier diversity initiatives is significant. In 2023, these efforts supported over 3,500 jobs across more than 30 states, contributed over $214 million in income for diverse-owned businesses and generated more than $62 million in tax revenue. The story extends beyond the numbers – it reflects the tangible benefits brought to small and diverse-owned businesses, fostering economic empowerment in their communities.
MGM Resorts also supports the development and business skills of diverse-owned businesses through investment, mentorship and education. Through the MGM Resorts Supplier Diversity Mentorship Program, the company identifies, mentors and develops diverse-owned businesses to fill its future pipeline, while providing businesses with tools and resources to empower and uplift. Since 2017, the program has successfully graduated 105 diverse-owned businesses and is on track to achieve its goal of 150 graduates by 2025.
MGM Resorts’ commitment to supplier diversity not only enhances its business operations but also plays a crucial role in uplifting communities and fostering economic development. This approach reinforces the idea that diversity is a powerful driver of innovation and resilience, benefiting both the company and the wider community.
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