All of us have agonized through them. Some of us have given them…the valueless sales meeting. Don’t underestimate the importance of a strong sale’s meeting. And…don’t underestimate the damage of a poor sale’s meeting.
Why so important? This is the most important hour of the week. This is the true measurement of the effectiveness of a manager. Here are the top five ways to have successful sales meetings:
Demonstrate True Leadership
Start your meetings on time and end them on time. Top Producers tend to be late. Sometimes they like to demonstrate their importance. Don’t allow it. Sit with them privately and ask for their support and for their example. Top Producers will respect you for that. The loss of respect comes from not starting or ending on time.
Have an agenda that is printed and passed out at the meeting. Leave room for them to take notes. A typical agenda looks like this:
- Quote for the day
- Office Production (not individual)
- Updates (mortgage/title) any vertical business that you are supporting
- The next weeks training schedule (give a synopsis and the importance for attending)
- Marketing Update
- Training (give a 15-20 training module) This could be sales, prospecting, new contract issues, motivational, etc…
- Your Office Managers time to put things out
- A very quick haves and wants
- E-tour (instead of driving around looking at homes on tour have E-tour!) Put your last seven days of listings on power point and show them on the big screen.
- Recognition. I have always liked two trophies that pass around the office. “Manager’s choice”: You get to choose someone to recognize for that week. (not about production). They keep it until the next meeting. And “Agent’s Choice”. This is where agents get to recognize another agent each week.
Care about your Agents
Know your craft and theirs. This is the best way to care. Let them know what the future market is looking like. What are experts saying? Provide the printed material from the experts for them to review. Offer them solutions. Always stay positive.
Recognize agents for all the good they do beyond productivity.
If you are getting less than 70% attending sales meetings cal the one’s that are not attending. Ask for their commitment to come. Explain to them the value is there…then demonstrate it. Just noticing they are not attending sales meetings shows that you care about them.
The Customer Message
What are your agent’s saying to clients? What are they committing to at listing presentations? How is their follow-up? This is the time to influence that message. How are your agent’s presentation skills? For that matter…how are yours? You must make the commitment to better your presentation skills. Ask for that commitment from your agents. Have someone video tape your sales meetings. Videotape your agents’ listing presentations (offer this in the sales meetings…every week).
Training, Training and training
At least 30% of the meeting should be devoted to training. This is your chance to provide value to the agent and influence the message to the customer. Great managers are great trainers. Improve your agent’s skill level. This prevents discounted commissions. The basic business model is Value = Quality/Price. If your agents are feeling discount commission pressure help them be better! More skills and a better presentation will increase your office and agents’ retained commissions. If you bring in a guest speaker make sure you review the entire training before for letting them loose on your office.
Install Energy
Attitudes are contagious is yours worth catching? Energize your sales meetings. Be positive. They need to see that you love this business and that you love them. Enjoy this time of the week. It should be your most rewarding. There is one way to have this passion in your sales meeting. Know your subject matter. Be prepared. And above all, believe in what you are saying. Align all of those and the agents will feel your energy.
Follow these five points and begin to have value driven meetings. Your agents will love your for it.
