Sales is the lifeblood of your business and should be treated appropriately. Without proper focus and attention it’s easy to let things slide. And we all know that time kills deals…

For more than 10 years, my week started with an 8am sales meeting on Monday morning. COVID was the only reason it changed as holding a sales meeting while we all had kids running around getting ready for school was a little too hectic! We shifted to 9am but I still love the idea of hitting the ground running and setting the groundwork for the week to come.

So how do introduce this focus? First we understand the metrics that we are going to prioritise and the associated targets. Next, we introduce a sales meeting cadence.

I’d suggest that the agenda for your sales meetings take into account the monthly and quarterly cycles. Below is an example of the cadence and agendas I implemented at Bilue when I first took on responsibility for sales:

Weekly Sales Meeting

Purpose: Review short-term sales activities, address immediate challenges, and keep the team aligned on goals and priorities.

Cadence: Every Monday

Duration: 1 hour

Agenda:

1. Opening (5 minutes)

   • Welcome and brief overview of the meeting

   • Celebrate any wins or successes from the previous week

2. Pipeline Review (15 minutes)

   • Quick updates on key deals in the pipeline

   • Identify any stalled deals and discuss next steps

3. Current Activities (20 minutes)

   • Review progress on key activities and action items from the previous week

   • Discuss any immediate challenges or roadblocks

4. New Opportunities (10 minutes)

   • Share new leads or opportunities that have come in

   • Assign follow-up actions

5. Sales Metrics (5 minutes)

   • Review key metrics (e.g., meetings set, proposals sent, deals closed)

6. Priorities for the Week (5 minutes)

   • Set clear priorities and action items for the upcoming week

7. Closing (5 minutes)

   • Summarise key takeaways and actions

Monthly Sales Meeting

Purpose: Assess monthly performance, adjust strategies, and plan for the next month.

Cadence: First Monday of each month

Duration: 1.5 hours

Agenda:

1. Opening (5 minutes)

   • Welcome and agenda overview

   • Highlight major achievements from the past month

2. Performance Review (30 minutes)

   • Detailed review of sales metrics against targets (e.g., revenue, conversion rates, pipeline health)

   • Analyse wins and losses

3. Market and Competitor Analysis (15 minutes)

   • Discuss any significant market trends or competitive activities

   • Adjust strategies based on market insights

4. Strategy Review and Planning (25 minutes)

   • Evaluate the effectiveness of current sales strategies

   • Plan strategic initiatives for the upcoming month

5. Team Development (10 minutes)

   • Identify training needs or areas for improvement

6. Administrative Updates (5 minutes)

   • Any administrative announcements or updates

7. Closing (10 minutes)

   • Summarise key points and action items

Quarterly Sales Meeting

Purpose: Review overall performance, set long-term goals, and align on strategic direction.

Cadence: First Monday of the first month of each quarter

Duration: 2 hours

Agenda:

1. Opening (10 minutes)

   • Welcome and high-level overview of the agenda

   • Reflect on the quarter's achievements and challenges

2. Quarterly Performance Review (40 minutes)

   • Comprehensive review of quarterly sales performance

   • Analyse key metrics, trends, and outcomes

   • Discuss major wins and losses in detail

3. Strategic Planning (30 minutes)

   • Set strategic goals and priorities for the next quarter

   • Identify key initiatives and projects

   • Assign ownership and set timelines

4. Market and Competitive Landscape (20 minutes)

   • In-depth analysis of market trends and competitive landscape

   • Discuss how these insights will influence sales strategy

5. Team Development and Resources (15 minutes)

   • Review team performance and development needs

   • Plan for any hiring, training, or resource allocation

6. Closing (5 minutes)

   • Summarise key takeaways and action items

   • Open floor for final questions and comments

There are three key benefits to having an agenda that takes the different cycles into account.

Overall Benefits

1. Improved Focus:

• Regularly scheduled meetings with tailored agendas help maintain focus

2. Enhanced Accountability:

• Regular reviews and updates increase accountability among team members, as progress and performance are consistently monitored.

3. Holistic View:

• Combining weekly, monthly, and quarterly perspectives ensures that both short-term actions and long-term strategies are considered, leading to a more holistic approach to sales management.

By having an agenda that changes to fit the cycles, you can ensure that your sales meetings are purposeful, efficient, and aligned with the dynamic needs of your consulting business.

Beyond that there are a number of other benefits that we saw as a result of adopting this approach:

Weekly meetings saw us improve around:

• Immediate Issue Resolution: Weekly meetings allowed us to address immediate challenges and obstacles promptly, preventing minor issues from escalating.

• Short-Term Goal Alignment: Kept us focused on short-term goals and priorities, ensuring we were all aligned and working towards the same objectives.

• Enhanced Communication: Facilitated regular communication with all that were involved in sales, promoting collaboration and quick information sharing.

For monthly meetings it was:

• Performance Monitoring: Provided everyone with a more detailed review of performance metrics, enabling us to track progress against monthly targets and goals.

• Market Insights: Provided a forum for discussing market trends and competitor activities, helping everyone stay informed and proactive.

And for Quarterly Meetings it was:

• Long-Term Planning: Facilitated in-depth strategic planning, setting longer-term goals and priorities that aligned with overall business objectives.

• Comprehensive Review: Enabled a thorough analysis of the previous quarter’s performance, helping us discuss and understand what worked well and what didn’t.

• Strategic Alignment: Ensured that all sales activities were aligned with the company’s strategic direction

While this formula might not necessarily work for everyone it certainly served us well at Bilue. Sales increased over four years to the point that our revenue almost doubled. I’m not suggesting that this was the only contributing factor. But having a structured cadence that encouraged focus and forward planning certainly helped!

TL;DR:

1. Structured Meeting Cadence: Implementing weekly, monthly, and quarterly sales meetings helps consulting businesses stay focused and aligned with their goals.

2. Improved Focus and Accountability: Regular meetings ensure immediate challenges are addressed and performance is consistently reviewed, enhancing team accountability.

3. Holistic Sales Strategy: Balancing short-term actions with long-term strategic planning provides a comprehensive view of sales activities, driving growth and success.