What is a sales kickoff?
In the enablement world, there’s one event that stands out from any other — the sales kickoff (SKO).
A sales kickoff is an annual event for your entire go-to-market (GTM) team. The event should coincide with the start of your organization’s new fiscal calendar, so it usually takes place in January, February, or mid-year. While the main objective of a SKO is to motivate your sellers and lay the groundwork for the new sales year, it’s also the perfect time to:
- Celebrate team and individual seller success.
- Deliver product and service enablement.
- Energize teams for the year ahead.
- Outline goals and roadmaps.
- Align the entire GTM organization.
Whether your GTM organization has a small number of reps or consists of thousands of sellers, a sales kickoff is one of the most impactful ways to drive future business growth and success.
Features of a great sales kickoff meeting
Several different factors go into a successful sales kickoff, but every event should feature the following:
Enablement
Enablement is crucial for any SKO, so take advantage of this time by delivering essential enablement and training. Be sure to keep your audience in mind and focus on enablement content and sessions that are tailored to specific roles.
Inspiration
A SKO should also inspire your attendees for the year ahead. Many organizations share product roadmaps, new tools or strategies, and other business updates during this time. This information should be communicated clearly so attendees understand why it’s important for your organization. And, if shared effectively, your team will leave the event excited and inspired for the year ahead.
Collaboration
If your organization is remote or dispersed across multiple locations, this may be one of the few times that your entire team will be together at once. Take advantage of this opportunity by giving everyone the chance to meet and collaborate with their peers. This can be done through team-building exercises, breakout sessions based on roles, and networking breaks.
Celebration
A sales kickoff is a great time to celebrate company, team, and individual success. Celebrations can take place throughout the event or during a few dedicated sessions. For instance, some organizations may want to recognize top performers during a dedicated awards ceremony while others will plan a special dinner or happy hour.
Planning your sales kickoff event
A lot of preparation goes into every great sales kickoff. Because there is so much planning involved, we don’t suggest waiting until the last minute to get everything ready. As a best practice, we recommend that small and midsize businesses (SMBs) start the planning process three months in advance. For larger and global enterprises, the entire process will take approximately four months to complete. Regardless of your company’s size, here are some important steps to take for planning your sales kickoff event.
- Align with key stakeholders: It’s important to sync with your executive and leadership teams before planning gets underway. This will help you align on top priorities and ensure that everyone agrees on what needs to be accomplished and addressed during the event.
- Create a sales kickoff committee: Once you have a list of priorities, it’s time to form a cross-functional sales kickoff committee. A great sales kickoff event needs the coordination and collaboration of your marketing, sales, and enablement teams.
- Define goals and objectives: Does your organization need to focus on new product offerings or tool enablement? Once you identify what your goals are, you’ll need to identify key metrics that you’ll review to determine success.
- Decide on a format: Before the pandemic, many organizations hosted in-person sales kickoffs. But now, you may find it more efficient to hold your SKO as a virtual or hybrid event. Regardless of the format you choose, it’s an important decision that needs to be made early on to help inform the rest of the planning process.
- Determine your budget: Determining your budget goes hand-in-hand with choosing your format. If your company is working with a smaller budget this year, it’s appropriate to focus on a hybrid event. But, if your budget allows for travel, venue space, and on-site meals, you may be able to move forward with an in-person or hybrid event.
- Identify a theme:. A theme ensures that your sessions and messaging are consistent throughout the event. It also adds an element of fun and entertainment. Remember, your sales kickoff theme should be unique to your company and the current state of your business. For example, Seismic’s 2021 SKO theme was “One team. One mission.” which reinforced our commitment to our customers and their enablement goals. Once you identify your theme, work with your marketing team to create fun assets and collateral for the event.
- Find energetic sales kickoff speakers: Your event should also include speakers from your company and beyond. Look for ways to invite engaging keynote speakers who fit with your event’s theme who will deliver engaging content that leaves your attendees energized and motivated. It’s also a good idea to spotlight some of your customers and partners throughout the event.
- Outline your agenda: Choosing the right sales kickoff agenda can make or break the event. While your agenda will likely change throughout the planning process, it’s best to create a rough outline to help you identify the time frame, number of speakers, session types, and more.
- Remember the logistics: There are several logistic considerations that you should expect during the planning process. For in-person events you’ll need to think through lodging, transportation, meals, and event spaces, while virtual and hybrid events will require additional technology logistics.
- Pitch the event: Once you’ve determined when and where your sales kickoff will be, share that with the rest of your GTM organization. Send a save the date placeholder for their calendars, and share information as early as possible to encourage participation.
