NO BULL SALES MEETINGS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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These are the questions we are most frequently asked, hence the clever name. If your question is not answered here, please e-mail it to me at trisler@nobullselling.com You'll not only get an answer, you'll get your question posted here, to boot.
Q What's the best place to hold a meeting?
A
That depends on the meeting, of course, but
there are some generalizations that can be made. If your primary objective is to have a good time, try Hawaii, the
Caribbean or some other resort location. If your primary objective is to get work done, an airport hotel near a big
city would probably be a good choice. A rule of thumb is that you'll spend about half your budget on the airfare just
to get the players to the location and the other half on everything else. Therefore the more convenient the location,
the fewer bucks you'll have to spend on travel and the more you'll have for the rest of your meeting. Purpose-built
convention centers are ideal, if a bit costly. They have superior meeting facilities, eating, sleeping and recreation
all on the same property. This keeps the team together more than any "team building" exercise ever devised. The
Scottsdale Convention Center in Arizona is one of the finest I have ever seen.
Q How much advance notice do you need to book a date? A A guy called on a recent Monday looking
for a half-day for their National Sales Meeting the following Friday. As fortune would have it, I had that day
available, but we decided not to dance due to the shortness of planning time. Booking as far in advance as possible has
benefits for both you and me. Not only do we have a far better chance of finding a mutually acceptable date, we greatly
enhance the likelihood that I will be able to book another date near you, allowing savings through travel cost
proration. Besides, ample time for planning benefits us all. Q
So exactly what is this "travel cost
proration?"
A Here I am in San Jose, clear out on the Left Coast. There you are in lovely North Carolina, out on the Right Coast. It's going to cost at least a couple of grand to get my aging frame from my place to yours, and back. I'm working for you on a Tuesday, so if I can get a job in Pennsylvania on Thursday, we'll take the total airfare and cut it in two. Both you and the folks in Pennslyvania win. Each additional job we include reduces the cost further. I wonder how many it would take before the airlines pay me to fly?
Q The hotel we booked wants to charge us extra for tablecloths. What is a fair amount?
A For openers, get another hotel. Who do those cheap jerks think they're talking to, the Brotherhood for Unwed Fathers? Any decent hotel will include draping the tables in the price you pay for renting the hall. Be careful about the colors you let them put on the tables, as they can have a marked effect on the behavior of the group. Red makes the group volatile and angry, blue is depressing and green can actually mildly nauseate people. White is okay, if a bit glary and gold is always popular. Well, not always. I once MC'd a convention for Red Carpet Realtors in Hawaii. The tables were draped in gold (Century 21's color). The Red Carpet president held up the opening of the convention for over an hour, until suitable (read "red") tablecloths could be located, obtained and installed. You think color doesn't matter?
Q What will you talk to my people about?
A Beats me all hollow. I don't know anything about your people, yet. I need to know how many people you have, how long I can spend with them and how you want them to change during the time we're together. Give me a call at 1-800-448-4416 and we'll chew on it for a while. I'll ask you some questions, but they won't be real hard. You'll be delighted with the results.
Q How can I get salespeople to come to the meeting on time?
A One thing is certain: Threats and fines don't work in the long run. If you want to have people on time for your meetings, put on exciting, enthusiastic, informational meetings. People don't rush to be early for funerals. Rewarding people for being prompt seems also to be effective. One manager issues script to each person who is punctual. Latecomers get what the little boy shot at. Periodically, the accumulated script can be exchanged for really neat prizes. Salespeople move heaven and earth to get to the church on time.
Q The front rows are always empty, while the back rows are packed. What can I do about this?
A My first question in response would be, "Do your really care?" When I attend a meeting, I always sit in back so if the speaker is a bomb I can get out quietly. If you make me move to the front, I'll grump, grumble and get little out of the program, as I don't want to be where I am. The second question would me, "Why is there so much room in the front?" The room should be set so tight that nearly every seat is filled. People draw energy from each other and have a much better time than huddling in a huge room with few people, wondering what the people who were smart enough to get out of this are doing. If you're expecting 100 people to a meeting, try setting the room for 90, with some chairs in reserve in the hall. Late comers get the reserve chairs and sit wherever they can scrounge a space. Your front row will be filled, as will every other seat in the house. Those attending will be happy they're there as it must be good if it's so hard to get into. If all else fails, bribe them. One manager issues chits for a free lunch to everyone sitting in the first row at the start of the meeting. The next meeting the front row is full again, but no chits. When the row starts to be hard to fill again, after a few meetings, he issues chits again and pumps it back up. Good times abound.
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