Injecting a little bit of magic into your Sales Kick-off Meeting

We took time out to chat to one of our Account Directors - Mel White, about the countdown to 2022 and the importance of putting a little bit of magic back into your Sales Kick-off Meeting!

“Creativity is a process. It takes time. If you want to inject a little bit of magic into your Sales Kick-off Meeting, you need to start planning now. Now, more than ever before, people need these events to lift them up !” 

“These events have to do a slightly different job than before. A bigger job than before. They have to re-build teams. Re-build businesses. Re-build belief. These events need to bring a little bit more magic than ever before. So we have to start planning now.”

You seem a bit anxious, agitated even, about “the return to live”. Why is that?

Look, people are not just going to fall back into events. Speakers, delegates, facilitators, planners. Well, we are all a little bit out of practice aren’t we ! We’ve all sat out a year (or more) at home, online but always slightly distracted. So expectations of our first, in-person event, post-pandemic, are sky high. And rightly so.  

But surely, you know, “like riding a bike”. Good event planning becomes almost intuitive so easy to gear up again (excuse the pun)!

Well, I think that is ordinarily the case but this year – going into next year – is wholly different. Firstly, because, now more than ever before, people need these events to lift them up. These events need to inspire people. Motivate people. Re-educate people. And I think they need to listen to people. Do you know what I mean ? People have pandemic experiences to share. That is an important part of coming together again. That storytelling needs to be accommodated somehow.  

Most Sales Kick-off Meetings come loaded with that kind of complexity. Not sure why is this next round is any different?

Most of the time, we plan a year in advance. As the curtain comes down on one show, so the planning starts for the next. This year, as we’ve watched and waited for restrictions to lift, we’ve lost time. And creativity is a process. It takes time. 

Logistics can be scrambled. We are expert at that. But if you tell me you want a little bit of “Je ne sais quoi” at your meeting, I need to start that creative planning process now.  

There is an excitement about the return to in-person events but a nervousness too?

Well, you know, the supply chain for events – particularly for technical production – has taken a bit of a hammering. The best talent is returning but it is going to take time for the supply chain to be fully mobilised. And that is putting pressure on late

2021 and early 2022 delivery. We knew that this would be the case so we’ve been talking to our supply chain – including venues – and putting plans in place.

So, here is a Frequently Asked Question for you. What about those people who still can’t travel. Or have adopted a “hybrid” model of working. How will they join?

I’m working to get those people onto a platform and joining in as best they can. I think it is naïve to believe that we’ll get 100% attendance at these next events. But, look, that is the point of a Sales Kick-off. The whole team together talking tactics. 

So I’m holding key dates on our platform to make sure we can spare those people at home another Zoom event and help them to share this experience with colleagues.

Will they really be different, these first in-person events?

Yes, they have to be. They have to do a slightly different job than before. A bigger job than before. They have to re-build teams. Re-build businesses. Re-build belief. These events need to bring a little bit more magic than ever before. So we have to start planning now.