The Only 5 Sales Kickoff Themes That Matter

The Only 5 Sales Kickoff Themes That Matter

SKOs are one of the few moments each year when the entire go-to-market organization is fully aligned. IF CROs and Enablement Leaders do 2 things right: select the right few themes and repeat them throughout the event.

Done right: the year is off to a fast start. Done wrong: you’ve thrown an expensive party. 

But with so much change happening in markets, products, and customer expectations, how do you decide what messages matter most? There are really only 5 categories of SKO themes that matter: Who, What, How and Why We Sell and How we work together. 
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1. Who We Sell To

• Shifts in target industries or geographies
• New buyer personas or customer profiles
• Refining the definition of the ideal customer

2. What We Sell

• New products or services coming to market
• Repositioning existing offerings
• Simplifying or refreshing the portfolio story
  

3. How We Sell

• Introducing a new sales methodology
• Rolling out sales process improvements
• Equipping the team with updated tools or playbooks
  

4. Why We Sell

• Reinforcing the company’s mission and purpose
• Highlighting the broader impact of the work
• Creating pride and motivation across the team
  

5. How We Work Together

• Updating internal culture and collaboration models
• Adopting a data-driven or technology-first mindset
• Expanding partnerships and building stronger ecosystems
  
  

You Get One Shot a Year

The most effective SKOs don’t try to cover everything. They pick the two or three most critical themes, build everything around them, and reinforce those messages in every keynote, breakout, and working session.

When sellers walk out of SKO, they shouldn’t feel overwhelmed. They should know what needs to change and be ready to rock. 

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