Opt In | Ep. 48

How to make meetings effective and (believe it or not) enjoyable.

There’s always been conflict when it comes to internal meetings. There wouldn’t be memes like if everyone loved them:

And now in our remote world, the issues and difficulties with running 1-on-1 and team meetings are magnified. There are more distractions for your reps, they can turn their cameras off, and they could easily be multi-tasking while you speak.

In short: “The ability to drive comprehension and listening to what is being discussed is much lower than what it would be in an in-person setting.”

That is a direct quote from Karlie Morien Bliss, the guest of our latest onDemand event. AJ talked with her about the system she implemented at Logixboard to run effective internal meetings – both on a team level and at the 1-on-1 level.

The results of her system? Reps are Logixboard were more engaged, actively participating in meetings, and able to really comprehend what leadership was sharing. Setting her reps up for success helped set the company up for success – Logixboard achieved 105% of their annual growth target and TRIPLED revenue totals in 2022.

We’re not saying there’s a direct relationship between Karlie’s structure and the company beating its goal…but when you have an SDR function that buys in to what you’re selling, good things happen.

All it takes is a little structure, some forced participation, and an understanding of each rep’s north star goal. Oh, and actually having the meeting instead of “pushing it to next week.”

Opt In to building a consistent and effective meeting structure for your SDRs that actually happen.

AJ & Alex’s Take

The best way to learn about this is to watch the recording (linked above), but if you’re looking for an abbreviated learning experience we’ve got you covered:

Alex

Cater your meetings to the reps. There’s nothing more frustrating to an SDR than trudging into a 1-on-1 or team meeting that won’t help them (personally or professionally) and prevents them from making more dials.

But if you know each rep’s “north star goal” – the reason why they do what they do – you can tailor the structure of your meeting to that goal.

• Do they want to buy a house one day?

• Do they want to leave sales and try their hand at marketing?

• Are they trying to earn enough money so their partner can stay home with the kids?

Whatever it might be, you can bet that if each meeting you have helps them chip away at their north star goal, they’ll be more engaged and excited to join.

Similarly, if you know a rep abhors small talk and would rather “get in and get out,” don’t hold them after you’re done to talk sports or celebrity gossip. Let them go! And if you do have a rep who loves to “talk the breeze” before you get into it, plan for it!

All of your reps are unique, and the way you meet with them needs to be unique as well.

AJ

Documentation. If you want each meeting to have value and for them to build off one another, you need a dedicated place to keep notes.

Even if it’s a basic document that covers what you talked about, what the next steps are, and the responsibilities of each party, it’s better than trying to remember it all. Plus, writing it down (and giving everyone access) helps a ton with accountability.

It seems really simple, and it is, but sometimes the simple things are the easiest to overlook.

Karlie built a basic template that you can access here. That system is what works for her team, and she urges that every leader take the framework and make it their own.*

* We actually walk through the template and each section in detail on her webinar.