The Ultimate Guide on How to Plan a Stellar Sales Kickoff Event

Done well, an SKO motivates sellers and clearly conveys key initiatives and priorities. Communication is key. The rise of virtual and hybrid SKOs complicates this, so make sure you account for this in your communication plan. Have a plan for how specific messages will be shared and in what format to resonate with your sellers.

1. The Golden Rule of SKOs: Know Thy Purpose

For most sales teams, sales kickoffs represent one of the highest-ticket line items in the annual sales budget. To ensure that significant cost translates into a business investment, spend extra time connecting the event’s theme and plan to the objectives you hope to achieve.

You might recognize some of the more common high-level objectives of sales kickoffs:

• Mobilize and motivate sellers before moving into a new phase of business (a new quarter, year, or business orientation)
• Align seller actions to the company’s business goals for the coming year (grow existing accounts , increase new client acquisition , etc.)
• Encourage specific sales behaviors (expand within existing accounts, maintain pipeline health, etc.)
• Teach specific sales skills to improve seller performance
• Celebrate wins among teams and individuals
• Build connection through relationship-building exercises

Though your SKO will likely encompass more than one of these purposes, it’s important to be as clear and specific as possible from the outset.

2. Build the Agenda

The agenda provides structure to your SKO and can drive engagement throughout the entire event. Look for opportunities to engage and motivate your audience.

Consider the following agenda items for your next SKO:

• Year in review: Include information about the previous year’s numbers, industry trends, and team wins. Take time to recognize top-performing sellers and celebrate successes.
• Team building: The structure and nature of a team-building activity may vary depending on whether your SKO is virtual, in-person, or hybrid, but should be aimed at encouraging interaction and collaboration among sellers. One activity that can begin at the SKO and continue afterwards is to pair sellers with an accountability partner . Have sellers write out their priorities for the coming year or quarter and share them with their partner during the event. Following the SKO, sellers check in with their accountability partners on a weekly basis to share their progress. This not only strengthens relationships on the sales team, but also improves the chances of sellers achieving their priorities.
• Networking: Even outside of formal events, provide opportunities for your sellers to interact with each other and other members of your organization.
• Strategic updates: These meetings might be spread out across the duration of the SKO, with each focusing on a different topic. Other departments, such as marketing, may also share their own strategic updates. Topics may include:Strategic goals, including KPIsOrganizational developmentsChanges to the sales processProduct/service updatesIndustry trendsCompetitive landscapeNew tools
• Keynote speakers: For SKOs, keynote speakers are most often leaders or professionals who can speak to the state of your industry and provide your team with new perspectives. Speakers can also be motivational, getting sellers hyped to work toward their goals in the upcoming year.
• Sales training : The SKO is a great opportunity to introduce new tools, develop sales skills, and foster selling behaviors that are key to the organization’s strategy. As with everything else that goes into an SKO, tie training into the event’s theme and make the benefits of training clear.

How you organize the agenda is just as important as what’s in it. Break up informative sessions with opportunities to network or otherwise engage. Repeat key ideas and commit to your theme. Include meals and leisure activities in the agenda, such as happy hours or entertainment.

3. Plan Your Lead-in and Follow-up

Once you have the agenda set, with all the logistics it entails, share it with your team! This gives them the opportunity to plan for the event and get excited. Making all materials available on an event app is an easy way to coordinate communication and send updates to attendees.

Many SKOs also include pre-work, activities participants complete in advance of the event. Attendees will be flooded with information during the event, so it’s critical to set them up for success by introducing new concepts and giving them the chance to become familiar with new ideas and themes. Self-study works well here. Lessons and assignments completed in advance of the event can also cut down on time spent reviewing foundational concepts during the SKO itself. In addition, a review of assignments completed beforehand can give you insight into areas that may require additional attention either during or after the SKO.

Post-SKO follow-up can help reinforce new concepts, solidify habits, and help sellers apply what they’ve learned. Get your managers involved in coaching sellers and providing structured reinforcement.