Sales conferences are business unusual that require apt focus

A conference is a gathering of people who share a common purpose. Conferences abound for institutions with a large reach and whose members are far-flung. Spiritual, for-profit and not-for-profit institutions look forward to these gatherings. They are local and international.

Held annually and within an informal setting, the mood of the conference is usually happy, welcoming, and solution-oriented. Sales conferences are designed to be equally energising and rewarding and it is unfortunate when this is not achieved.

But why have a sales conference?

One of the reasons is to bond. Companies with sales persons spread across the country find the conference an ideal time to come together and connect. In fact, depending on the nature of the organisation, some staff members get to meet once every year.

Institutions inexperienced in putting together a sales conference or facilitating one end up converting it into a sales or staff meeting, and it flops.

Unfortunately, this failure poisons not just that year’s conference but subsequent ones too, the debilitating attitude of “Why bother to attend? It’s of no use” creeps in.

In sales meetings, the sales manager can give her team a lashing on poor performance, talk about targets and even point out select team members doing badly. In many ways it is tactical, day to day.

If it were a football match, the sales meeting would be what the coach imparts in his team in the locker rooms during half-time. A staff meeting is equally tactical and matters personnel are the point of discussion. But conferences should be strategic. Making the lashing the main thrust of the sales conference serves to only waste an opportunity.

In fact, if finance and human resource must attend the sales conferences, experienced institutions have learnt to focus them on what to say or impress upon them that they are mere attendees and will not be making presentations.

Besides bonding, sales conferences aim at studying the past sales cycle (past year) with a view to improving; another objective of a sales conference is to share best practice.

Product Kahawa may be thriving in the Western region but poorly in Central despite all the marketing efforts. At the conference the salesperson in the Western region may explain that in his area he thrives on experiential selling. He brews Kahawa at all social functions — weddings, funerals, church services, market and cattle dip days.

This could be a tip that the salesperson from Central might borrow or triggered by this idea, offer an alternative that would work in his area.

Skilled facilitator

It could also be an opportunity for the entire organisation to interrogate its current marketing strategy, and spend, in light of this revelation.

Naturally, keeping the discussions focused and energised over the two or three days of the conference, requires a skilled facilitator. Some organisations seek an external one, others do it internally.

The facilitator plays a pivotal role to success of the event. Organisations inured in sales conferences send out invitations from the CEOs office directly to the sales people.

By the same token, the CEO attends the conferences usually on the last day so as to take away, for decision making, strategic aspects impeding sales performance and also give a report of say, the strategy or financial position of the entity.

Attendance is also mandatory for all sales people-even if one is on leave. Sales conferences are that important.

Kageche is lead facilitator, Lend Me Your Ears, a speech writing and sales training firm. [email protected]