Basically, we have an installers meeting first, to discuss scheduling, and any install issues, upcoming projects, and discuss what we might do better next time, and a few "atta - boys" for jobs well done...

...Following the installers meeting, we have our sales meeting to go over:

*Projects in the process / issues etc. - is the client being taken care of...?
*Potential projects / and brainstorming in terms of what action(s) we might need to do to capture the job.
*Look at new building permits - find out contact information.
*Discuss who we are talking to (for jobs under bid), and what feedback we are getting from the client.
*New products.
*Difficult clients / happy clients.
*Products that we are experiencing issues with, resolutions.
*Cash flow / projected incoming $$$ when / who 30 / 60 90 days out.
*Discuss expectations of clients, architects, builders.
*Generally prioritize projects.
*Do basic job autopsies --- on recently completed jobs and look at profitability.
*Discuss which installers would be the best fit for a particular job both in terms of technical level, and how particular installers would mesh with certain clients on a personality level.

Schedule the next karaoke evening!

Are they always fun? No, just necessary... They CAN be fun when business is up and we are firing on all cylinders though.

bruce,

some of these items have no place in a "sales" meeting.

some of these things are for the meeting between sale and service manager and ownership/management

Every company is different and a lot of it depends on the management style and what works best for you. I've worked for both types of companies and all I can say is, if you decide to have sales meetings, make sure they're relevant. There's nothing worse than having to sit through meetings where nothing is gained by either party. It becomes nothing more than having meetings for the sake of having meetings, and it's completely worthless. On the other hand, there were some companies that had meetings I looked forward to because they were worthwhile and even fun, so it's really all about what you make of it.

The motivation type meetings tend to be a joke, IMHO. Years ago I used to call on the Walmarts and Targets of the world, and every morning before they opened, management would lead the employees through a round of calisthenics, followed by a long and loud cheer. I found it quite entertaining, mostly because all of the employees found it downright embarrassing. I think that's something they all still do to this day, FWIW.

I worked for a company once that on Saturday mornings we had sales meetings, and then they made us dance and sing the Village People song... Y.M.C.A.!!! (to get us "going")... embarrassing and humiliating... especially after getting beat-up for a couple of hours through a tough sales meeting..."OK guys, NOW lets have FUN"...!!! Pure B.S.

LOL....exactly!

THAT reminds me of something you would do in kindergarten !

A couple of the owners mangers sit in too. While I agree a lot of it is production oriented, it is still important for both sectors to know what is going on with the other. I've worked in CI companies where the Sales department was totally isolated, with little or no communication with the production side, and it was not good... when things went south on a project, there was a lot of finger pointing, and either the sales guys were blamed or the installers. Soon resentment would build up between the two sides, due to lack of communication.
It's important (imo) to work closely with the installers to see first hand what they are up against.

But that's not a Sales meeting. That's a Project Management meeting or an Ops meeting. Salespeople should be there since they interfaced with the client early.