Archive for November, 2005

Use decorations that coincide with your theme. No need to decorate for a ten minute “quickie” involving a handful of people. But the bigger and longer meetings deserve colorful decorations.
For the Indian or Cowboy theme, decorations might include:
A wigwam.
A cigar store Indian.
Tomahawks.
War drums.
Peace pipes.
Signs saying, “How,” “Ugh,” and so forth.
Pictures of Indians or of massacre scenes.

Ask participants to use the language of your theme. Let’s assume you’re using the Football or Kickoff theme. You could suggest such terms as:
“Know the rules of the game.”
“Call the right signals.”
“Take the ball and run with it.” “Be a quarterback-not a drawback.”

As shown by the foregoing examples, it’s easy to build your meeting around a theme. Simply outline your agenda, select a theme and apply it. A drab and uninteresting meeting suddenly becomes alive. It now has impact and meaning. Those attending will stay awake, will learn more, will be more inspired, and will welcome the next meeting.

52 Themes you can use

New Year* * * Set goals for the new year.
Washington’s Birthday ..* Never lie to a customer.
Valentine * * * Fall in love with your prospect.
March Winds* * * A big blow won’t necessarily get the order.
April Showers* * * Shower each customer with service.
Easter or New Growth ..* * A chance for a new start.
Green Thumb* * * Cultivate new customers.
Spring Fling* * * Wake up and live!
Baseball * * * Hit home runs with your prospects.
May Day* * * * Calls for a celebration
Decoration Day* * * Salesmen-the infantry of American business.
Graduation * * * Training series now over.
June Bride * * * Marry your customer.
July 4th* * * Be hot as a firecracker.
Summertime* * * Shirt sleeve session.
Vacation * * * Work now-retire later.
Fishing* * * * Fish for the big ones.
Back to School* * * Start of training series.
Football or Kickoff* * Beginning of new program.
Columbus Day* * * Astounding discovery.
Halloween * * * Spooks are laziness, neglect, et al.
Golden Harvest* * * Commissions to be reaped.
Horn of Plenty* * * Money for everybody.
Thanksgiving* * * Management thanks salesmen.
Winter or Winter Whirl . * Build a hot fire.
Christmas * * * Gifts for salesmen.
Prospecting * * * Look for customers.
Go Getter* * * Take action.
Opportunity * * * Make the most of it.
Treasure Hunt* * * Let’s find it.
Pirate * * * * Don’t let competitors in.
Enthusiasm* * * go, Go, GOl
Gold Rush* * * Get your share.
Big Game Hunt* * * Find the big sales.
Pioneers’ Party* * * Be among the first.
Black Magic* * * Calls pay off like magic.
Wheel of Fortune* * You can make a fortune.
Carnival* * * Don’t be a pitch man.
Circus or Big Top* * Ringmaster, clown, thin man.
Masquerade* * * Prospects wear different disguises.
Vaudeville* * * Have a variety of talents.
Cowboy* * * * Roundup customers.
Indian or Pow Wow* * How.
Bury The Hatchet* * Regain lost customers.
Fiesta* * * * Celebrate over the Latin market.
Sell-a-bration* * * A sales rally.
Bonanza* * * * A real gold strike.
Road to Success* * * Take it. Go!
Transportation * * * Let work be your vehicle.
Aviation* * * Let’s fly high.
Atomic Energy* * * A huge sales explosion.
Courtroom* * * Trial for poor sales practices.

Theme-Sales fever

Type of Selling-Any Type

Agenda Before Applying Theme

-> Start with talk on attitude and willingness to work.
-> Second speaker explains how to get more sales.
-> Third speaker speaks about positive thinking.
-> Recognition of top producers.
-> Inspirational talk.

Agenda After Applying Theme

-> Place large poster, on which a thermometer has been drawn behind the speakers’ stand.
-> Emcee, dressed as a doctor and with stethoscope around neck, introduces theme Sales Fever, a burning desire to make more sales.
-> “My First Symptoms” is title of the talk. Working overtime willingly, thinking about how to do a better job while off duty and, going the extra mile to get a sale, are stressed.
-> “I Broke Into A Rash”-a rash of new customers. Speaker tells how he obtained the customers.
-> “Suddenly Stricken”-Salesman in audience starts moaning as if suddenly stricken ill. Someone in nurse’s uniform helps him to speakers’ stand, where emcee (in doctor’s garb) briefly examines him. Condition diagnosed as Sales Fever. Treatment: given an order book and told to start selling.
-> “My Headache” is title of talk on why and how to think positively. Head so full of positive thoughts it almost aches!
-> “Those Who Have The Fever”- outstanding producers are recognized.
-> “What Sales Fever Did To Me” is title of wind-up talk. It gave speaker a high temperature, a swelling of the pocketbook but, above all, enthusiasm. Talk covers why and how to get Sales Fever or enthusiasm.

THEME-APRIL SHOWERS … Type of Selling-Over the Counter

Agenda Before Applying Theme

-> Start with talk on why and how to be courteous to customers.

-> Second speaker talks on product information-why the salespeople must have product knowledge and how to get more product knowledge.

-> Third speaker covers suggestion selling and trading up.

-> Merchandise Manager makes inspirational talk.

Agenda After Applying Theme

-> A record of the tune “April Showers” is played while group is gathering.

-> Emcee, holding an open umbrella over his head, introduces theme, “April Showers.”

-> Speaker wearing slicker tells why and how to be courteous to customers. He ties in theme with expressions such as, “Shower the customer with attention and service.”

-> Speaker wearing trench coat makes product information talk. Points out that rainy days reduce customer traffic, thus are good for studying products and manufacturers’ literature.

-> Speaker covering suggestion selling and trading up uses examples involving rainy day merchandise -door mats, galoshes, and so forth.

-> Merchandise Manager’s talk includes references to the theme, such as, “Everyone makes a habit of getting out of the rain.

-> Let’s also make a habit of customer courtesy, complete product knowledge, suggestion selling and trading up.”

-> Stage money is taped to the ceiling before the meeting, affixed in such a way that a pull on a string near the speakers’
stand, releases the many bogus bills. The meeting is climaxed and concluded when the emcee states that everyone who applies the principles of the meeting will be showered with money. Emcee then yells, “April Showers,” and pulls the string, showering the audience with stage money.

The following outlines were successfully used by some of the largest corporations in the country. They show how ordinary sales meetings, completely lacking in luster, can be made colorful, interesting and enjoyable.

THEME-ROUNDUP

Type of Selling-Jobbing or Wholesale… Agenda Before Applying Theme

-> Start with talk on why we need more customers.

-> Second speaker talks on how to get more customers.

-> Third speaker talks on how to keep customers.

-> Sales Manager closes meeting with pep talk.

Agenda After Applying Theme

Play recorded western music, something peppy, for five minutes prior to meeting while group is gathering.
Emcee, dressed as cowboy, introduces roundup theme before presenting the first speaker.
“The Big Roundup” is title for speaker wearing ten-gallon hat who tells why we should “round up” more customers.
“How To Lasso New Customers” is subject for speaker wearing a bandana who tells how to make a sales presentation. At end of talk he throws lasso around “customer” to dramatize successful completion of sale.
Rustler Skit-A competitor is caught trying to steal a customer.
“Keep ‘em Corralled” will be covered by speaker wearing a tin badge and six shooter who tells what he does to “keep ‘em in the herd”-how to “brand” a customer for life.
“Open Range” is topic for Sales Manager, who closes meeting with inspirational talk on the abundance of prospects, urging salesmen to be “top hands” or first rate “range bosses” by thoroughly developing their territories.

Now apply the theme to your agenda. Go over each event, tying in the many ideas suggested by the theme. A little imagination pays big dividends. At a small meeting, strong tie-in of the theme can appear to be juvenile. But at larger meetings, there’s room for color. And if ladies are present, the audience is even more receptive to stunts relating to the theme.

For example, a sales meeting conducted for 10 or 15 men should not receive strong application of the theme. Why put on a show without an audience? With a group of 200 or more, however, emphasis on the theme should be heavy.

There’s no limit to the number of ideas around which a theme can be built. But before selecting a theme, review your agenda. Then decide which theme will help most in dramatizing your agenda. Themes are somewhat flexible. But be sure the theme selected is in accord with the objective of the meeting. The theme should actually help accomplish your objective.

For example, if your objective is to get salesmen to make more calls, the “Back To School” theme is not appropriate. The words, “Back To School” imply training rather than motivation. Themes such as “Go Getter” or “Big Game Hunt” would be better. The “Go Getter” theme is centered on the idea of making every salesman a “Go Getter.” The “Big Game Hunt” is based upon searching for some big customers or big sales.

Also, you should consider the theme’s appeal to your particular type of sales organization. Two-fisted salesmen at the wholesale level would sneer at a Valentine theme. However, it would be acceptable to a group of ladies who sell cosmetics direct to the consumer. Themes of interest and benefit to new men may be boring to salesmen with more experience. This, too, should be considered. Some firms conduct separate meetings for new men.